How to Make the Turbo AeroGnat Paper Airplane

Fast, long range and tiny, the Turbo AeroGnat is a development of the AeroGnat with the wing design changed to improve its strength and thereby the high speed and high angle of attack handing of the aircraft.

The Turbo AeroGnat was designed to build on the success of the AeroGnat as an interim type while newer aircraft continued in development. The conventional Turbo AeroGnat saw relatively minor changes versus its basis with the spars being added and the wing being changed to a shoulder position. Flight testing proved the aircraft to handle very similar to the original AeroGnat with almost no distinguishable differences in general handling--though at high speeds and high angles of attack the Turbo AeroGnat is superior to its basis. With its performance proven to be good, it was approved for publication.

TAA USAF Designation: D417-2

Required:
1 Piece of 8 by 10.5 inch graph paper

Scissors

Ruler

Tape

Pencil

Stapler

First, begin by folding your your graph paper in half (excluding three boxes on the perforated side). Once the paper has been folded appropriately, make two marks--10 full boxes apart (allow for a further box back behind the airframe). Use a ruler to make a straight line with the length of 10 boxes directly up 1 row of boxes from the two marks you just made. Then make the stabilizers, spars and counterweight as shown. The airframe should appear as it does in the first photograph when you have completed its layout.

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 (2 boxes in length by 3 boxes in width, and a swept portion in front of this box of 1 box eliminated every 3 boxes away from the fuselage).

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. Cut along the solid lines of the tail then cut away the portion shown. After doing this, fold the fin forward along the dotted line. After the fins have been folded into position, apply tape where designated in the photographs. After the taping is done, apply 1 staple in the area of the counterweight from each side as shown.

Cut out the wings and tape them to the spars of the inverted fuselage as shown. Apply tape where designated at the leading edge root extension-wing joint to complete taping. Fold the horizontal stabilizers down perpendicular to the vertical stabilizer to complete your Turbo AeroGnat.

Similar to its basis, the Turbo AeroGnat is very predictable in its handling due to its conventional shape and can be flown quite easily. Origami aviators with experience with other miniature paper airplanes should have little trouble transitioning. Launches should be done at moderate to high speeds at neutral or positive attitudes. Additional surfaces include flaps, ailerons, elevators and a trimmable rudder. Enjoy!