How to Make the Super ThunderVulcan Paper Airplane

Fast, long range and versatile, the Super ThunderVulcan is an improved variant of the older ThunderVulcan, featuring the redesigned, reinforced airfoil developed for the Turbo UltraVulcan. As with the latter, this refinement enables better performance and handling at high speeds and greater rigidity than its basis.

The Super ThunderVulcan was developed in parallel with the Turbo UltraVulcan during late June 2014, based on the continued popularity of the Vulcan family. The Super ThunderVulcan's planform remains the same as its basis, however, its internal structure differs somewhat. Because of the high amount of commonality with the aircraft it is derived from, the design period for the Super ThunderVulcan was short and testing progressed quickly. The Super ThunderVulcan proved itself a capable aircraft and was cleared for publication shortly thereafter.

TAA USAF Designation: F292-15

Step 1: Materials

Required:
1 Piece of 8.5 by 11 inch

Paper

Tape

Pencil

Ruler

Optional:

Scissors (additional surfaces only)

Step 2: Length, Airfoil and Nose Folding

Fold your paper in half length-wise. Then pull the paper down so that the crease stretches from the fold at the front you just made and the corner of the paper on the other side. Repeat on the other side. Once this is completed, pull the overhanging paper back above the center crease made earlier. Fold the airfoil over themselves, then back into themselves as shown. Fold the edges of these sections down over the center crease as shown, then pull the triangular tip of the nose back over them. After this is done, open the nose fold as shown, then make the folds as pictured. Tuck these folds into themselves, then into the nose flap as you fold it back down again.

Step 3: Nose, Canard, Wing and Winglet Folding

Begin this step by pulling the nose backward until the leading edge of the nose touches the trailing edge of the wing. Make a mark 0.75 inches in from this fold. Then reverse the fold up to this mark and make a crease as shown. Unfold this new crease, then pull the wingtips inward as shown. Once they are folded pull the nose forward once again. When this is done, fold the fuselage in half along the center crease. Fold down the canards whilst keeping their leading edges aligned with the nose to maintain an angle of incidence of zero degrees. Make marks 1 inch from the center crease and 1 inch from the wingtip along the trailing edge of the wing. Following this, fold down the wings at the mark you made previously. Align the trailing edges of the wings with that of the fuselage to keep the angle of incidence at zero degrees. After this is finished, fold the wingtips down at the marks you made previously.

Step 4: Taping

Apply tape to the nose above and below the canard, as well as to the LERX-wing joint. Then apply tape to the rear of the fuselage and over the wing root near the trailing edge. Once this has been done, apply tape to the canard folds to secure them to the fuselage and the airfoils to secure them to one another. This will complete your Super ThunderVulcan.

Step 5: Flight

As with almost all other Vulcan family variants, launch of the Super ThunderVulcan should be done in similar fashion to the way one would launch the "classic dart." Launches should be done at a neutral or positive attitude, at moderate to high speed. Additional applicable surfaces include flaps, elevators, ailerons, slats, flaperons, elevons, rudders, air brakes, canard trim and an "electronic warfare" tail. Enjoy!