Built and flown by Alberto Santos-Dumont in 1906, the Santos-Dumont 14 bis was the first airplane to take off, fly, and successfully land in a public setting. The plane was piloted to win several aviation prizes, including that for the first flight of 100 meters or more. While the Wright brothers had made significant flights prior to this time, the results were not well known internationally. In fact, for many years there has been debate as to who flew first! 

The Santos-Dumont 14 bis was powered by an eight cylindered Antionette engine that produced 50hp. This power plant is a prominent feature in this 1:16 scale model. The engine is at the back of the plane and the propeller operates in a pusher fashion. A large portion of the wood used in the original plane was bamboo. Actual bamboo was used for the corresponding parts in the model – with the bamboo nodes needing to be fashioned.

The Santos-Dumont 14bis model, built from a Model Airways kit, has a wingspan of 29.5″ and is 24.5″ long from propeller to the front of the canard. Approximately 200 hours were spent crafting this replica. This handcrafted model can be yours for $1,500.