How To Make The Gnat Paper Airplane

Designed as a replacement for the Super Orion drone-fighter paper airplane, the Gnat is an even smaller paper airplane with a semi-tailless configuration for minimal size, weight and drag. In addition to serving as its successor, the Gnat has also taken the Super Orion's title as my smallest aircraft. It has a wingspan of only 1.25 inches, a length of just 1.75 inches and a height of a mere 1.5 inches.

The design period for the Gnat began a couple weeks after the Super Orion was posted. During this time, I considered several potential shapes. Over time, the horizontal stabilizers were gradually reduced in size and eventually omitted entirely. The wing was retained for its commonality with the Super Orion and many other contemporaries, where it is more commonly used as a horizontal stabilizer. Eventually, flight testing of the Gnat was begun and the aircraft performed excellently. The aircraft proved itself a suitable successor for the slightly larger Super Orion and I decided it was a suitable aircraft to make an instructable on.

Just like the Super Orion, the Gnat is very adaptable, and is suitable for use as a fighter-interceptor, research testbed, and stunt airplane.

Some usages for educators could include studies of:

• Glide ratio
• Hangtime versus other aircraft
• Weight and balance

TAA USAF Designation: D194-1

Step 1 Materials

Required:
1 Piece of 10.5 by 8 inch graph paper (4 boxes per inch)
Tape
Stapler
Scissors
Ruler
Pencil

Comments

[robotman9]

This is a little confusing but its cool!!!!

[Tantrax]

Very Nice for it's small design!

[OrigamiAirEnforcer]

Thanks!