How to Make the SkyLocust Paper Airplane

Fast, long range and small, the SkyLocust is an more capable variant of the Locust drone fighter paper airplane. Like the Raptor, the SkyLocust is a very sleek design that bares resemblance to many modern fighter jets and can be used to represent them. The excellent performance and small size of the SkyLocust make it an ideal drone interceptor for those wishing to replace older types, such as the Super SkyManx or the Locust itself.

The SkyLocust was developed to succeed the Locust with better performance and aerodynamics, as well smaller size. It met each requirement in the flight testing of its prototype and was assigned an instructable slot. The SkyLocust is the first released aircraft of many designs in development that share a common airframe configuration, for increased commonality and simplicity.

TAA USAF Designation: D286-1

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

Start construction of your SkyLocust 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 10 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 3 rectangular trailing edge behind a 2 by 3 box area of wing with a sweep of 2 boxes of chord eliminated every 3 boxes 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

Cut out your fuselage and fold its counterweights into place. Once this is done, fold along the vertical dotted line and cut along the solid horizontal line. Once the cut has been made, undo the fold. At this point, fold down the spars and landing gear, and then fold the vertical fins up. Now tape where designated.

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.

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.

The SkyLocust is a simple aircraft with excellent flight characteristics. Launches at moderate to high speed at neutral or slightly negative attitudes will give the aircraft its best possible speed and range performance. Launches can be done at a positive attitude, but launch speed should be increased (range may be reduced). Additional applicable surfaces include slats, flaps, flaperons, elevators, ailerons, spoilers, spoilerons, air brakes and trimmable rudders. Enjoy!