How To Fold The Wildebeest Paper Airplane

INSTRUCTIONS

This very jet-fighter-like craft works best with light to medium weight paper. Start with a letter size sheet.

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

2. Flip the paper over.

3. Fold the paper about its shor edge. Bring the top edge down so it hits the bottom of the paper about one finger width above the bottom edge. This measurement is critical to the outcome of the plane and may need some experimentation to get it just right.

4. Unfold the crease just made.

5. Flip the paper over.

6. Make a crease to fold the upper left corner down. Bring the left point of the horizontal crease over and down so it hits the center line crease. When folded correctly, the left half of the horizontal crease should line up with the center line crease.

7. Unfold the crease just made.

8. Make a crease to fold the upper right corner down. Bring the right point of the horizontal crease over and down so it hits the center line crease. When folded correctly, the right half of the horizontal crease should line up with the center line crease.

9. Unfold the crease just made.

10. Pop the left and right points of the horizontal crease up, bringing them in and down about the existing diagonal creases. Bring the top edge down so the top middle point hits the center line crease.

11. Make a crease to fold the left top-most flap over. The new crease should be parallel to the center line crease and be about two finger widths to the left.

12. Fold the flap just created and back over on top of itself. The new crease should be right at the center line crease and parallel to it.

13. Unfold both of the creases made in the previous two folds.

14. Pop the top-most layer of paper up and bring the lower left point over. The fold hinges about the vertical crease which is first to the left of the center line crease. A new diagonal crease is created as the fold is pressed flat.

15. Pop the top-most layer of paper up and hinge it about the existing three interior creases. Bring the upper right point over and down about the existing diagonal crease created in the previous fold. No new creases are created to perform this fold.

16. Fold the right top-most flap over about the center line crease, covering the flaps created by the previous folds.

17. Make a crease to fold the left top-most flap over. The new crease should be parallel to the center line crease and match the crease underneath it made in the previous series of folds.

18. Fold the flap just created back over on top of itself. The new crease should be right at the center line crease and parallel to it.

19. Unfold both of the creases made in the previous two folds.

20. Fold the left top-most flap back over about the center line crease.

21. Pop the top-most layer of paper up and bring the lower right point over. The fold hinges about the vertical crease which is first to the right of the center line crease. A new diagonal crease is created as the fold is pressed flat.

22. Pop the top-most layer of paper up and hinge it about the existing three interior creases. Bring the upper left point over and down about the existing diagonal crease created in the previous fold. No new crease are created to perform this fold.

23. Flip the plane over so the previously created flaps are underneath and the nose points up.

24. Make a crease to fold the right top-most flap over. The new crease should be parallel to the center line crease adn be about two finger widths to the right. Be sure to line this fold up with the one made in the previous series of folds.

25. Fold the flap just created back over on top of itself. The new crease should be right at the center line crease and parallel to it.

26. Unfold both of the creases made in the previous two folds.

27. Pop the top-most layer of paper up and bring the lower right point over. The fold hinges about the vertical crease which is first to the right of the center line crease. A new diagonal crease is created as the fold is pressed flat.

28. Pop the top-most layer of paper and hinge it about the existing three interior creases. Bring the upper left point over and down about the existing diagonal crease created in the previous fold. No new creases are created to perform this fold.

29. Make a crease to fold the left top-most flap over. The new crease should be parallel to the center line crease and be about two finger widths to the left. Be sure to line this fold up with the one made in the previous series of folds.

30. Fold the flap just created back over on the top of itself. The new center line crease and parallel to it.

31. Unfold both of the creases made in the previous two folds.

32. Pop the top-most layer of paper up and bring the lower left point over. The fold hinges about the vertical crease which is first to the right of the center line crease. A new diagonal crease is created as the fold is pressed flat.

33. Pop the top-most layer of paper up and hinge it about the existing three interior creases. Bring the upper right point over and down about the existing diagonal crease created in the previous fold. No new creases are created to perform this fold.

34. Flip the plane over and rotate it around so the nose points to the right. Note the under layer of paper exposed at the back edge of the plane.

35. Fold the plane exactly in half about the center line crease.

36. Rotate the plane around so the nose points to the left and the wing flaps are up.

37. Make a crease for the first wing flap. The new crease should be parallel to the bottom edge of the fuselage and should be about half the width of the fuselage. Be sure to fold the first two flaps over, one is the wing and the other is the tail section.

38. Fold the top-most layer back over the previous fold. This layer is the tail section.

39. Flip the plane over and rotate it around so the first wing flap and tail are underneath and the nose points to the right.

40. Make a crease to fold the second wing flap and tail section. Be sure to line up the wing flaps for good balance.

41. Fold the top-most layer back over the previous fold. This layer is the second tail section.

42. Open up the wing flaps and adjust the wing angles so they are even. The dihedral angle of the wings should be flat to slightly down. Adjust the twin tail sections so they are even and are angled slightly outwards.

THE THROW - Launch with a moderate to hard throw at an up angle. The Wildebeest will need some up elevator to balance the heavy nose section. The addition of a paper clip, staple, or tape on the nose will stabilize and lengthen the flight.