A new musical, and musings about an aeronautical hero.

[papermodelfan]

I have always had a fascination for Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, the French aviator and writer. I got intrigued I when saw a note in the online New York Times today about a new musical, called "Saint Ex". Who knows, maybe some day it will make Broadway... The note starts off this way:

"Jenny Giering and Sean Barry, a husband-wife team, collaborated on the musical "Saint-Ex." The sentiment is only partly undercut by the fact that Tonio — better known as Antoine de Saint-Exupéry (1900-44), the French author of the well-known fable “The Little Prince” and of stirring accounts of his life as a pilot — can barely seem to spend five minutes with his wife before heading outward himself, to Patagonia or the Sahara desert or Manhattan. By contrast, for more than three years the composer Jenny Giering and her lyricist-librettist, Sean Barry, have been turning their relatively undivided attention to “Saint-Ex,” which opens Thursday at the Weston Playhouse in Vermont, where it runs through Sept. 10."


I am thinking - what a fun subject for a musical, one of my favorite and most adventurous authors. Then I think some more - about how I really loved reading "Night Flight" and "Southern Mail", and maybe it is time to re-read...

I was curious about what planes he flew - consulting a few websites, I finally found a series in the French journal Icare, that looks pretty complete. I reproduce it here, in cases there are Saint-Ex-ophiles. I am struck by how few of these I recognize, and by how few are subjects of paper models. Some might be worthy subjects.


Berthaud Wroblewski
SPAD Herbemont XXC.2
Farman F40
Sopwith 1 1/2 strutter
Salmon 2 A2
Caudron C5a
Hanriot HD14
Dorand AR-1
Breuguet 14
Latécoère 25
Latécoère 26
Potez 29
CAMS 53-56
Latécoère 290
Latécoère 350
Latécoère 293
Lioré et Olivier 190
Caudron 63 Simoun
Latécoère 28
Antonov 20 Maxim Gorky
Latécoère 521
Potez 63-7
Bloch 174
Farman Serie 220
Caudron Renault C635 Simoun
North American 57 (Not sure what that is?)
Cessna UC78
B26 Marauder
and the P38J F-5B he died in on July 31, 1944.

And finally, oh joy, I find that Stacy Schiff has written a biography, titled "Saint-Exupery". Looking for it at the library tomorrow.

[rjm]

According to wikipedia the North American 57 was the export version
of the BT-9

[papermodelfan]

Thanks rjm. So there should be several paper models of the aircraft, if not the livery.

And I learn that the Cessna UC78 is the export version of the T50, or Bobcat. The Bamboo Bomber, that was Sky King's first plane on the TV series. That one is available at eCardmodels, from LadnDad.

The b-26 and the P-38 are gimmes. Though I wonder if a photorecon version of the P38J exists as a paper model?

The Ant 20 Maim Gorky is on the Fiddlers Green list, though not yet available, (and the write up there even mentions Saint Ex. Tupolev Ant-20 | Aircraft |

And there is a Breguet 14 from Contour Creative, and a Sopwith 1 1/2 strutter from Kampfflieger.

We got to enjoy a scratch build of the Latécoère 28 on this forum a couple of months ago, so I think it does not exist as a commercial model (Though I have one in an old book called "Petit Musee de l'Aire". ).

So that makes 5 models of the 29 aircraft Saint Ex flew. Have I missed some? There are some splendid machines here. The Laté 521 is even more interesting than the DoX IMHO.

Cheers, Rob Tauxe

[papermodelfan]

Found one more. The "Wings of Adventure " punch out book has the Caudron Renault Simoun. Though it is a pretty simple rendering, it flies. (Now on sale at eBay from feelingcool, who is Ray Roberts son in Kahului, Hawaii). That makes 6 of the 29 in commercial model form.

[papermodelfan]

Just finished reading St. Ex's "Flight to Arras", an account of a photoreconnaissance mission by Escadrille 2/33 in 1940, over the invasion of Northern France. All of their Potez 63-7's had been shot down, so he was flying a Bloch 174, which was much faster, and had self sealing tanks. That may be why he survived the mission - as he takes off, he is contemplating his death, and the futility of the mission (which included flying over the German Army at 2000 feet - sure suicide as if hit, he would crash before he could crank open the canopy to bail out).

I find there is a Polish model of the Potez 63, though not the recon version, and WHV issued a small model of the Sopwith 1 1/2 strutter, now out of print. so that makes 8 of the 29. Maybe Aaron would take on the Bloch 174?

[Don Boose]

Add another St. Ex fan to your list. Stacy Shiff's bio is excellent, in my opinion, and St. Ex's own writings about flying are superb.

Don

[papermodelfan]

Two tidbits for fans of Antoine de St Exupéry: Just saw a review of a new museum show on St Exupéry's book: "Le Petit Prince", now at a small museum called the Morgan in New York City. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/24/ar...ince.html?_r=0

Also, it seems there was once a walking tour based on his wartime life in New York City: In the Footsteps of Saint-Exupery - NYTimes.com

Cheers,

[Don Boose]

Thanks, Rob. The Morgan Library is one of our favorite places in New York City. The Morgan Library & Museum - Exhibitions

We were there in early December, before the Petit Prince exhibit opened, but there was a great Edgar Alan Poe exhibit at the time.

I see that the St Ex exhibit runs into April, so we may be able to see it.

Don

[Chris Knowlton]

Thanks for this information Rob. I have been a big fan of St Exupery’s ever since my father introduced me to his books when I was young. I have read most if not all of his books some twice especially Night Flight and The little prince which my children embraced and have purchased to read to their children. Timeless work. This is a fitting tribute to a fascinating man.

Chris

[Uyraell]

As a teenager I had my own copy of "Vol De Nuit" ("Night Flight") in the original French.
Years later, a friend of mine, Ex Legionnaire (Foreign Legion) ParaTrooper was dieing in hospital and I lent it to him to read in his native tongue. He died there and I never saw the book again.

Ironically, I've never had the chance to read it in English, and I still recall his (St-Ex.)
superb phraseology in French.

As other have expressed here, I've had an interest in St-Ex. ever since.

I did download the free copy of his P38J F5 in 1:33 from the Russian website cited in this forum. It is an older model, and will require much skilled finesse to produce a decent Model, but is worth it.

Kind And Respectful Regards, Uyraell.