How to Make the Turbo SkyHornet Paper Airplane

Fast, long range and sleek, the Turbo SkyHornet is a "drone fighter" paper airplane that looks like a fighter jet. Like the comparable Serpentand Raptor, the Turbo SkyHornet is an excellent little airplane.

The Turbo SkyHornet's origins are rather simple; the aircraft was developed to be a modernized version of the aging, less advanced Super SkyHornet, from which several successful new designs have been developed. The design was changed to incorporated the smaller twin vertical stabilizers as had been the case with the Serpent and to prototype it from there. The prototype was made very quickly and performed well in testing. Due to its good performance, it was cleared for publication soon thereafter.

TAA USAF Designation: D321-1

Step 1: Materials

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

Step 2: Begin Construction

Start construction of your Turbo SkyHornet 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 11 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 4 rectangular trailing edge behind a 3 by 3 box area of wing with a sweep of 1 boxes of chord eliminated every box 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

Begin making your airframe's fuselage by cutting it out and folding the counterweight in. Next, cut along the solid horizontal line as shown. Once this is done, fold the vertical stabilizer forward along dotted vertical line and fold the landing gear and spars down. Then unfold. Once this is complete, 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.

Once you have finished with the wings, 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 Turbo SkyHornet is a simple aircraft to fly, and should be easy for new aviators to work with after a few test flights. Launches should can be done at any attitude at a moderate to fast speed. Adding dihedral deflection and/or nose-up trim to the horizontal stabilizers may be necessary. Additional applicable surfaces include flaps, flaperons, slats, ailerons, elevators, spoilers, spoilerons, trimmable rudders and air brakes. Enjoy!