How to Make the Raptor Paper Airplane

Fast, long range and reminiscent of fifth generation fighters, the Raptor is a small, very advanced drone paper airplane. Starting as a development of the Super SkyHornet quickly became an entirely new aircraft with an appearance akin to the Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor and F-35 Lightning II multi-role stealth fighter aircraft. I am very pleased by its good performance and shape.

The Raptor was developed out of the concept of a "twin-finned Super SkyHornet". The new twin tail was to be heavier, so the trailing edge of the Super SkyHornet's wing had to be tapered to reduce its lifting area. The Raptor was found to perform very well and, after thorough flight testing, it was allotted an instructable.

TAA USAF Designation: D284-1

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

Start construction of your Raptor 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.

Once the fuselage has been laid out, begin marking out the wings and horizontal stabilizer. The horizontal stabilizer's leading edge should have a sweep that for every 2 boxes from the root, a box of chord decays. The trailing edge should decay one row of boxes of chord every three boxes. For the wing, make two marks four boxes apart. The chord should decay two box every three boxes away from the first box away from root. The trailing edge should have a decay of chord of 1 box every 3 boxes of span beyond the first. Once you have marked each of these surfaces out, you may cut them out.

Solid lines indicate places to cut. Dotted lines indicate fold lines.

Note: 1 box = 0.25 inches

Start folding your fuselage by folding the counterweight into itself, then into the fuselage. Fold down the leading edge extensions and spars. Then fold along the vertical dotted line near the back and cut where designated. Once this is done, fold down the vertical stabilizers on both sides as shown; then reverse the fold at the second dotted line one row of boxes outboard of the root. Unfold and tape the fuselage where directed at this point.

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.

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. Apply one staple in the area of the counterweight. This will have completed your aircraft.

The Raptor is a stable paper airplane and can be launched at a variety of speeds. For fast flights, launches should be made at moderate to high speed at a neutral or negative attitude (launches at a positive attitude are possible, but range is reduced). Slower flights should be launched at neutral or negative attitudes at moderate to low speed. Additional applicable surfaces include ailerons, flaps, elevators, slats, trimmable rudders, and air brakes. Enjoy!