How to Make the Starstriker Paper Airplane

Fast, long range, versatile and capable of stunts, the Starstriker is an excellent little paper airplane. In addition to being a cool looking paper airplane, it is a very adaptable one as well; the Starstriker carries over the provisions for elevators, elevons, wing fencing, spoilers, spoilerons, slats, pods, air brakes and a bomb bay from its ancestor, the Super Owl paper airplane. These potential add-ons and its standard, tough nose make the Starstriker a capable trainer or fighter airplane, on top of all the other possible tasks it can perform.

Because its developed from the sturdy Super Owl and it has a forward swept trailing edge, the Starstriker is very hard to spin and is also quite accurate. In addition, the idea of the Starstriker came partially from the Spirit paper airplane, with which it shares a common vertical stabilizer design and the Starjet paper airplane, which has a very similar layout. This plane is the result of my tries to produce a widely multirole airplane for all sorts of activities, and, as with the Starjet before it, I feel I've accomplished that goal with this airframe. Looking back on how it turned out, I feel the Starstriker, like the Starjet, resembles the miniature Mosquito drone paper airplane.

TAA USAF Designation: A113-1

Step 1: Materials

Required:
1 Piece of 8.5 by 11 inch Paper
Tape
Scissors
Optional:
Pencil
Ruler

Step 2: Length and Corner Folding

Take your paper and fold it along its length. Then pull the corners in and fold them into the center.

Step 3: Nose Folding

For this step, you will need to make more intricate folds. Begin by pulling the front tip of the nose down to the bottom of the corner folds. Turn the paper over and then pull it into the center again. Then flip the paper again, which should now appear as it does in the last photograph.

Step 4: Tucking the Nose

First, pull the bottom half of the diamond up to its front. Then open your folds from the previous step. Proceed to fold the triangle that was the diamond back into the folds of step 3. Then fold the corners in again as shown.

Step 5: Folding and Cutting the Trailing Edge

Fold your airplane up in half, then pull the corners at the back down like you did on the front side originally. Then unfold. Then cut along the creases these corner folds made. They should be equal with one another. You can then recycle the scraps that were cut away.

Step 6: Wing and Winglet Folding

Now fold your wings down parallel to the bottom of the fuselage. Then repeat on the other side. Once both wings are folded, unfold them and flip the plane so that its sits upside down. Then fold the wingtips in so their tips touch the ends of the straight airfoil section to make your winglets. Make sure the creases of the winglets remain parallel to the fuselage. Then reverse the fold so that the winglets are below the wing. 

Step 7: Tail Folding and Taping

Begin folding your tail by taking the rear tip of your plane and folding it so its top faces rearward. This will result in a tail fin whose trailing edge is wholly perpendicular to the wing from a side view. Then unfold that, open the fuselage, and pull the fin through. Once this is done, tape your Starstriker at its front and rear (below the wing).

Step 8: Flight

Although seemingly similar to a dart, the Starstriker flies similar to "hybrid" paper airplanes that use a mix of both dart and glider configurations. Because of its ventral wingtips and dense nose, the Starstriker is also resistant to damage. To launch it for a normal, cruising flight, just throw it at a very moderate pace. To make your Starstriker do a loop or a half Cuban Eight, throw it straight up with moderate force. Enjoy!