Make a Ministry of Magic Memo (owl Airplane)

Everyone who has read or seen The Order of the Phoenix knows that the Ministry of Magic uses paper airplanes to send inter-office memos (the owl droppings were making a mess),

The Daily Prophet is reporting that some owls are quite peeved about loosing their jobs. In an effort to prevent an owl strike, the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures has used transfiguration to create a dropping-free owl/paper airplane hybrid.

Now you can make your very own owl airplane to transmit your super-secret messages. Just don't be suprised if is flies a little more like Pigwidgeon than Hedwig ;)

Step 1: Choose Your Owl

Choose either my photo owl, my coloring page owl, or a plain sheet of paper.

Choose one of the links below, then save the picture to your computer and print it from a image program. Full size, they are 7.5" x 10" and designed to be printed with a .25" border on each side.

Coloring Page Owl

Photo Style Owl

Step 2: Cut the Paper to Size

Cut the .25" border off of each side, so that you are left with only the graphic.

I like to use a paper cutter to ensure straight lines, but of course you can use good old fashioned scissors.

If you choose to use a plain paper, you can skip this step.

Step 3: Write Your Message

Flip the paper on to the blank side and write your message at the top (the end with the owl head).

To keep your message top secret make sure that you keep it in the top 1/3 of the paper (it will be hidden when you fold your plane).

Step 4: Crease the Center

Make a crease in the center by folding the paper in half (owl side out) and then unfolding it.

For this crease, and all of the other folds that follow, make sure to tighten the crease by running your nail along the edge of the fold.

Step 5: Fold Triangles on Each Side

Mark off a point 1.5" up from the bottom on each side.

Fold a tirangle from the center-top point to the mark you just made on the right side.
Repeat the same thing on the left side. Now you should see the owl face on top with a little tab hanging over.

Step 6: Tuck in the Tab

Turn the paper over and fold the tab so that it overlaps with the rest of the paper.

Step 7: Fold Down the Face

Fold the face down. The crease should be right along the line where the face graphic meets the feather graphic.

Step 8: Fold in Half

Fold the owl in half with the blank side facing out.

Step 9: Create the Center Body

Fold the graphic out on one side along an imaginary line from the outside edge of the eye to the bottom. This will create a new crease about a centimeter from the center.

Repeat again on the other side. When you do this, the outside edges should be right on top of each other.

You will now have a little pyramid standing up on the backside of the owl (important to help with the owl's aerodynamics)

Step 10: Fold the Side Wings

Fold a 1-2cm flap on the bottom right side of the owl. Repeat on the other side.

Step 11: Your Owl Is Ready to Fly!

Send your owl soaring towards its destination.

Hold the body (that littl pyramid on the bottom) about a quarter of the way down from the top of the head. Hold it so that the head is pointed slightly upwards and throw it gently overhand.

It works best indoors or when there is no breeze