How to Make the SkyMosquito Paper Airplane

Fast, long range and tiny, the SkyMosquito is a very small "drone fighter" paper airplane ideal for origami aviators of all levels of experience.

Development of the SkyMosquito was begun to design a successor to the Super SkyGnat with increased simplicity. While the design that resulted is slightly larger, it has lower wing loading and less complexity in its design. Because of its twin fins and cropped delta wing design, the SkyMosquito appears reminiscent of the comparable but larger Turbo SkyHornet. Flight testing of the SkyMosquito was quick and routine with its performance being shown as good and docile, and so it was soon allotted a slot for publication.

TAA USAF Designation: D325-1

Materials

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

Begin Construction

Start construction of your SkyMosquito 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 2 box area of wing with a sweep of 1 boxes of chord eliminated every box away from the fuselage). Then cut the wing out. 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

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.

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.

Flight

The SkyMosquito is an easy to fly drone, and is a good choice 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!