How to Make the Nakamura Eagle Paper Airplane

Very fast, long range and aerodynamic, the Nakamura Eagle is an improved variant of the highly popular Nakamura Lock paper airplane designed by Eiji Nakamura. The Nakamura Eagle features a similar wing layout to its basis but is stronger structurally, enabling faster flights and greater durability. It can easily fit into any origami air force.

The Nakamura Eagle's development was begun as a simple refinement of the Nakamura Lock with only minor alterations. Originally, the only changes made were to the design's airfoils, resulting in strengthened wings and a higher top speed.

After some time, I decided to share this progress with my friend Paper Artland for his thoughts on the design. Drawing on ideas first presented on early Nakamura Eagle prototypes, he developed a new (and as of this writing, unreleased) variant of his Challenger paper airplane.

During February and March 2015, more changes to the design were made. The first of these was the nose security fold, which improved durability and reduced the requirements for tape. Following this, I redesigned the security fold to not require a measurement tool whilst still being absolute in length. Finally, to eliminate damage to the wings' leading edges during collisions and landing and to ease handling of the forward airfoils created by the nose security folds, I swept the wings leading edges in at the front of the aircraft. Whilst this added some complexity, the aircraft's capability was greatly improved as a result of this alteration. This aircraft's development proved more dynamic than most of its contemporaries; indeed, the last alterations was first tested in late March 2015. Flight testing of the aircraft went smoothly and it showed itself to be a superb performer. Publication was approved shortly thereafter and now here it is, only three months after its development was initiated.

TAA USAF Designation: F350-1

Required:
1 Piece of 8.5 by 11 inch Paper

Tape

Optional:

Pencil (for additional surfaces only)

Ruler (for additional surfaces only)

Scissors (for additional surfaces only)

Fold your paper in half along its length. Then pull the corners into the center. After making creases, unfold and pull the edges of the paper into themselves. Then restore the original corner folds as shown.

Pull the corner folds backward until their ends at the edges of the paper are reached, then unfold. Fold the tip of the nose to the creased edges of the corner folds as shown, then restore the first fold of this step. Pull the corners of the paper into the center at the crease made by the previous fold as pictured, then unfold. Fold into the creases of these last two folds, then refold as shown. Pull the triangular security fold forward to secure the airfoil folds.

Begin this step by folding the leading edges of the wings down to the center crease as shown. After doing this on both sides, unfold the paper. Pull the tip of the nose backward and up to the wing root creases and align it, then crease and unfold. Open the airplane and pull the tip back into the fuselage by reversing the folds as pictured.

Fold the airplane up in half again, then pull the nose backward until the leading edge of the fold aligns with the crease made by the reversed tip fold. Repeat on the other side. After doing this, pull the nose fold open as shown. The nose fold should be limited along the wings' leading edges by the wings' internal structure and by the edge of the reversed tip fold as shown. Align these folds on each side to ensure congruency. Tuck the lower edges of these new folds into the nose fold as pictured. The second tucking will be more difficult than the first--this is normal.

After both sides' nose folds have been tucked into the reversed tip fold, restore the wing fold as shown. Repeat on the other side. Next, tape where designated. This will complete the aircraft.

The Nakamura Eagle flies very similar to the Nakamura Lock; as a result, the aircraft can be relied upon for quite docile handling and flying where pointed. The Nakamura Eagle can be launched at neutral or positive attitudes at moderate to high speeds. Additional applicable surfaces include flaps, elevators, ailerons, slats, flaperons, elevons, air brakes, a rudder and an "electronic warfare" tail. Enjoy!