How to Make the Turbo MetaVulcan Paper Airplane

Fast, long range and simple, the Turbo MetaVulcan is an improved variant of the MetaVulcanpaper airplane with structural changes made to enhance high speed handling and make construction easier.

Although I had been exploring new canard configurations for the Vulcanfamily before development of the Turbo MetaVulcan, this aircraft actually owes its development to the success of the related Hunter. Provoked by the success and popularity of the Hunter, I have been looking into ways to build upon and refine its design. As such, I have been looking into design alterations to improve it and testing them whenever able. Because of the Vulcan's long history of mutation and its great commonality with the Hunter, I decided to test the new canard configuration I had in mind on the Vulcan series. Specifically, I selected the MetaVulcan upon which the Hunter had itself been based. With the implementation of the canard change, I found that high speed stability was improved. To simplify construction, I also made a minor change in lengthening the fuselage to eliminate the need for outside measuring devices and made all measurements relative as I had on some other recent Vulcan variants. Flight testing proved the aircraft highly capable and it was approved for construction. Development of the related Hunter variants is ongoing.

TAA USAF Designation: F292-24

Step 1: Materials

Required:
1 Piece of 8.5 by 11 inch Paper

Tape

Optional:

Scissors (additional surfaces only)

Pencil (additional surfaces only)

Ruler (additional surfaces only)

Step 2: Length 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. Pull the edge of this layer back toward the crease on each side and then open these folds. Fold the edges into the creases as shown, the pull the creases of these corner folds back outwards over themselves as shown.

Step 3: Canard, Fourth and Nose Folding

Fold the previous folds along the existing creases as shown, then pull the overhanging paper back away from the center crease. Repeat on the other side. Pull the tip of the nose back until its tips meet the apex of the diamond; then tuck the edges of the paper underneath the other layers as shown. Pull the tips of the paper along the trailing edges into the center fold and crease. After completing this, unfold and flip the paper and then pull the blunt edge of the nose down to trailing edge. After doing this, pull the nose forward again until the nose folds are over the airfoil trailing edges and crease. Unfold the nose and fold the edges of the previous folds down as shown, then pull the nose back forward over these folds once again.

Step 4: Canard, Wing and Winglet Folding; Taping

Fold down the canards whilst keeping their leading edges aligned with the nose to maintain an angle of incidence of zero degrees. Following this, fold down the wings at the fourth folds 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 to the fourth folds.

Apply tape to the nose above and below the canard, as well as to the dorsal 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 ventral LERX joint and canard folds to secure them to the fuselage. This will complete your Turbo MetaVulcan.

Step 5: Flight

The Turbo MetaVulcan flies much like older Vulcan variants--particularly the its namesake, the HelioVulcan and CosmoVulcan; origami aviators should have little difficulty transitioning with previous experience with other Vulcans. Launches should be done at neutral or positive attitude at moderate to high speed. Additional applicable surfaces include flaps, elevators, ailerons, flaperons, elevons, rudders, air brakes, canard trim and an "electronic warfare" tail. Enjoy!