How to Make the StarCardinal Paper Airplane

Fast, long range and small, the StarCardinal is a tiny paper airplane intended to succeed older variants of the Cardinalfamily, and complement newer aircraft like the very popular SkyRanger. Like the latter, the StarCardinal flies like a fighter, in spite of its intended cruiser role.

The development of the StarCardinal was developed to modernize the Cardinal family,  which has remained moderately popular, as well as to field an aircraft with similar capabilities to the the SkyRanger with decreased wing loading. Prototyping was quick, with the wing and horizontal stabilizer shape based upon that of the older Cardinal variants. Flight testing was equally quick, and so publication also came swiftly.

TAA USAF Designation: D309-1

Step 1: Materials

Required:
1 Piece of 8 by 10.5 inch graph paper
Tape
Pencil
Ruler
Scissors
Stapler

Step 2: Begin Construction

Start construction of your StarCardinal by sketching out the design featured in the first picture. The graph paper this is made on should have one set of boxes folded in half at its crease. The fuselage is 10 boxes in length and has a counterweight of 3 by 2 boxes. One box from the rear of the fuselage, make a solid line along the graph line 0.5 boxes above the crease that stretches 2 boxes forward. Then 2 boxes inwards from the rear of the fuselage, make a dotted vertical line. The layout of the lines is complex, so it is easier to show than explain. Then cut it out.

After the fuselage is made, take another sheet of paper that is folded in half along the lines of boxes. Mark out the wing as shown (1 box of constant chord at the root, with a 1 by 3 rectangular area behind a 2 by 3 box area of wing with a leading and trailing edge taper of 1 boxes of chord eliminated every 3 boxes away from the fuselage). Then cut the wing out. Measure 2 boxes along the crease, measure two boxes upwards from one mark and make another point. Then draw a diagonal line connecting this new mark to the one further away. From the mark you just made, measure one box further away from the one now connected to the line and make a mark. Sketch a line between this mark and the other mark along the crease. Then cut the horizontal stabilizers out.

Solid lines indicate places to cut. Dotted lines indicate fold lines.

Note: 1 box = 0.25 inches

Step 3: Making the Fuselage

Cut out your fuselage and fold its counterweights into place. Once this is done, fold along the vertical dotted line and cut along the solid horizontal line. Once the cut has been made, undo the fold. At this point, fold down the spars and landing gear, and then fold the vertical fins up. Now tape where designated.

Step 4: Applying the Wings and Horizontal Stabilizers; Stapling

Cut out your wings and lay them out flat. Align the fuselage over top so the spars align with the wing as shown. Then apply tape. Cut off any excess. Flip the aircraft over and apply tape to the leading edge of the wing above the leading edge root extensions.

Cut out your horizontal stabilizers and slide them through the slit in the fuselage you made earlier. When through, fold them up and apply tape to the underside; then fold down. Apply one staple in the area of the counterweight. This will have completed your aircraft.

Step 5: Flight

The StarCardinal handles similarly to its namesakes, but also contemporaries like the SkyRanger too. Launches should be at moderate to high speed at (slightly) negative, neutral or positive attitudes. Additional applicable surfaces include slats, flaps, flaperons, elevators, ailerons, spoilers, spoilerons, air brakes and trimmable rudders. Enjoy!