Fold a Neptune Paper Airplane

Fold a Neptune Paper Airplane

Fold a Neptune Paper Airplane
Difficulty:
Medium
Synopsis:
This paper plane is a unique step away from the traditional pointy nosed paper airplane in its' box like but voracious jet inspired air intake. The plane will end up being smaller than you probably expect but it really does fly well if folded carefully.

Instructions

This interesting looking square craft works best with light to medium weight paper. Start with a letter size sheet.

1. Fold the paper exactly in half along the long edge. Unfold after the crease has been made.

2. Rotate the paper around so the crease is vertical.

3. Fold the upper left corner down so the upper left point hits the center line crease. When folded correctly, the left half of the top edge should line up with the center line crease. Unfold after the crease has been made.

4. Fold the upper right corner down so the upper right point hits the center line crease. When folded correctly, the right have of the top edge should line up with the center line crease. Unfold after the crease has been made.

5. Fold the upper right corner down so the upper right point hits the left diagonal crease. When folded correctly, the right half of the top edge should line up with the left diagonal crease. Unfold crease.

6. Fold the upper left corner down so the upper left point hits the right diagonal crease. When folded correctly, the left half of the top edge should line up with the right diagonal crease. Unfold crease.

7. Fold the point at the top of the center line crease down so the point hits the left edge of the paper. When folded correctly, the top left diagonal edge of the paper should line up with the left edge.

8. Unfold the flap just made. Fold the point at the top of the center line crease down so the point hits the right edge of the paper. When folded correctly, the top right diagonal edge of the paper should line up with the right edge.

9. Unfold the flap just made. Flip the paper over so the flaps just made are underneath.

10. Keep the nose at the top. Make a crease to fold the point at the tip of the nose down so it hits the center line crease. When folded correctly, the new crease should go through the point in the middle of the paper formed by the existing diagonal creases.

11. Unfold the flap just made. Flip the paper over, keeping the nose at the top.

12. Pop the left and right horizontal creases up and bring them in towards the middle about the existing diagonal creases. This should form two flaps sticking straight up from the base.

13. Bring the two points from the top of the flaps out and down towards the points formed on the paper's edges. Bring the point at the top, where the flap meet, straight down to the center line crease. Press the whole fold flat when done.

14. Fold the right point of the top two layers of the right triangular flap over towards the center line crease. The new crease should be even with the center line crease and the bottom point of the crease should be where the top two layers meet the third layer underneath.

15. Pop up the top layer of the flap just folded. Bring the upper left diagonal edge of the flap over so it lines up with the crease made for the previous fold. Press the fold down flat creating tow new creases.

16. Make a crease to fold the bottom point of the flap up so it hits the top point. Bring the left and right points in to the middle so the edges of the crease paper come together over the crease at the center of the flap. Three new creases must be created to act as hinges for this fold.

17. Fold the left point of the top two layers of the left triangular flap over towards the center line crease. The new crease should be even with the center line crease should be where the top two layers meet the third layer underneath.

18. Pop up the top layer of the flap just folded. Bring the upper right diagonal edge of the flap over so it lines up with the crease made for the previous fold. Press the fold down flat creating two new creases.

19. Make a crease to fold the bottom point of the flap up so it hits the top point. Bring the left and right points in to the middle so the edges of the paper come together over the crease at the center of the flap. Three new creases must be created to act as hinges for this fold.

20. Flip the paper over so the flaps just created are underneath and the nose is pointing up.

21. Fold the upper left corner down so the corner point hits the center line crease. When folded correctly, the upper left diagonal edge should line up with the center line crease.

22. Fold the upper right corner down so the corner point hits the center line crease. When folded correctly, the upper right diagonal edge should line up with the center line crease.

23. Make a crease to fold the top of the nose down so it hits the center line crease. The left and right points of the crease should be at the left and right points of the flaps sticking out of the nose section. Leave the triangular flaps underneath the nose section in place.

24. Flip the plane over so the nose flap just folded is underneath.

25. Fold the plane in half about the existing center line crease. Be sure to line up the wing flaps for good balance.

26. Rotate the plane around so the nose points to the left and the wing flaps point up.

27. Make a crease for the first wing flap. The left point of the crease should be about one finger width up from the bottom edge of the fuselage and the right point should be about two finger widths up the tail.

28. Flip the plane over so the first wing flap is underneath.

29. Make a crease for the second wing flap. Be sure to line up the wing flaps for good balance

30. Flip the plane over so the nose points to the left and the wing flaps point down.

31. Make a crease to fold the diamond shaped section at the tip of the nose, and the wing tip down. When folded correctly, the crease should line up with the line formed by the flaps in the diamond shaped section.

32. Flip the plane over so the flap just made is underneath.

33. Make a crease to the fold the diamond shaped section at the tip of the nose, and the wing tip down. When folded correctly, the crease should line up with the line formed by the flaps in the diamond shaped section. Be sure the folds on both sides line up for good balance.

34. Open up the wing flaps and adjust the wing angles so they are even. The flaps on the tips of the wings may be somewhat off vertical towards the outside of the plane. Set the dihedral angle to flat or slightly up.

THE THROW Adjust the front winglets very carefully before flying. Launch with a moderate level throw and this craft will float rather straight. If it does an end over end, adjust the angle of the main wing flaps and the front winglets.