How to Make the Cobra Paper Airplane

Very fast, long range and sleek, the Cobra is a cool looking dart paper airplane designed to complement similar aircraft like the Titanand Vulcanfamily paper airplanes and replace older ones like the Ultraceptorand Vulture series.

The development of the Cobra itself came along rather quickly--though fine tuning the canard design it uses has been something that I've been working on for much longer. After making and testing prototypes for the Cobra, I decided it was worth publishing (and named it "Cobra" due to its canards' shape) and green lit it for posting.

TAA USAF Designation: F533-1

Step 1: Materials

Required:
1 Piece of 8.5 by 11 inch Paper

Tape

Ruler

Pencil

Optional:

Scissors (additional surfaces only)

Step 2: Length and Airfoil 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.

Reopen the folds without damaging the overhanging folds you handled previously. Fold the outward edges of the paper inward to the creases as shown on each side. After this, refold along the original creases.

Step 3: Nose Folding

Pull the tip of the nose to the rear edges of the airfoil folds, as shown in the second picture. Once this is done, pull the angled leading edges on each side into the center crease, as shown in the third photograph.

With this done, on both sides pull the trailing edges of these folds into the creases you've just made--as shown in the fifth photograph. After the is done, unfold the paper. Fold the trailing edges into the creases your last folds creased and then restore the fold. Things should appear as they do in the seventh photograph.

Step 4: Nose and Lock Folding

Using the tip of the triangle pointed to the rear and the center crease as guides, pull the paper in toward the center on each side as shown in the first to fifth photographs.

After establishing the creases you will fold along, tuck the folded trailing edged in along the existent creases you made before. When this is done correctly on both sides, things should look as they do in the fourth photograph. Once this is done, unfold these folds.

Tuck the underlying layers into the pockets of the triangle as shown in the seventh photograph. Then make a matching fold on the other side. After this is done, pull the outer layers inward and insert their tips into the triangle.

Pull the triangle forward until you can go no further to complete this step.

Step 5: Leading Edge Folding

Pull the blunt tip of the nose down to the trailing edge while keeping the center crease aligned with itself and crease. Pull the nose forward again until the rear edge limits of the canards are visible; crease at this point while keeping the center crease aligned with itself.

Unfold the forward crease you have just made and pull the leading edges in to the crease you made previously; the result should make the paper appear as it does in the fifth photograph. Once this is done, pull the nose forward again.

Step 6: Canard, Wing and Winglet Folding

Fold the airplane in half along it center crease. Then fold the canards down by folding them as far as their limits (front and back) allow on each side.

With the airplane still folded in half, measure 1.25 inches from the center crease and make a mark. This will be your wing fold point. Fold the wing down at this mark while keeping the trailing edge of the wing parallel with that of the fuselage. Once this is done, repeat on the other side.

Measure 1.25 inches in from the wingtips along the trailing edges of the wings and make marks; these will be your winglet folding points. Once you have done this, fold your winglets at these points--keeping the winglets' trailing edges aligned with the trailing edge of the wing.

Step 7: Taping

Apply tape to the airplane at the points listed in the order designated. This will complete your Cobra.

Step 8: Flight

The Cobra is a rather conventional dart in terms of flight profile. The Cobra should be launched roughly parallel to the ground (neutral attitude) or up and away from the ground (positive attitude) at a medium to high speeds. Test flights should be conducted to see what trim (if any) is needed. Additional applicable surfaces include canard trim, elevators, ailerons, elevons, rudders, air brakes and an electronic warfare tail.

Enjoy!