Step-by-step Hawk Paper Airplane Instructions

Step-by-step Hawk Paper Airplane Instructions

Step-by-step Hawk Paper Airplane Instructions
Difficulty:
Medium
Synopsis:
Classic look with a functional vertical tail wing. Flies great!

Instructions

1. Start with a normal letter size sheet. Fold the paper exactly in half along the long edge.

2. Make a crease to fold the tail. The upper crease point should be about four finger widths up from the lower left corner point. The lower crease point should be about two finger widths to the right of the lower left corner point. Be sure to make the fold on the creased edge side of the paper. Unfold after the crease has been made.

3. Unfold the paper and lay it flat on the working surface. The tail section creases should be at the bottom.

4. Fold the upper left corner down so the upper left point hits the right edge of the paper. When folded correctly, the top edge should line up with the right edge of the paper.

5. Make a crease so the point at the lower right corner of the folded flap hits the top diagonal edge. When folded correctly, the bottom edge of the folding flap should line up with the top diagonal edge.

6. Unfold the paper and flatten it out on the working surface.

7. Fold the upper right corner down so the upper right point hits the left edge of the paper. When folded correctly, the top edge should line up with the left edge of the paper.

8. Make a crease so the point at the lower left corner of the folded flap hits the top diagonal edge. When folded correctly, the bottom edge of the folding flap should line up with the top diagonal edge.

9. Unfold the paper and flatten it out on the working surface.

10. Flip the paper over, keeping the tail section creases at the bottom.

11. Fold the upper right corner down along the existing diagonal crease nearest the right edge of the paper. The right edge of the paper should line up with the opposite side diagonal crease.

12. Fold the upper left corner down along the existing diagonal crease nearest the left edge of the paper. The left edge of the paper should line up with the opposite side diagonal crease.

13. Flip the paper over so the flaps just folded are underneath and the nose is at the top.

14. Make a crease to fold the nose down. The new crease should go through the center point formed by the existing diagonal creases and should be even with he bottom edge of the paper. When folded correctly, the center line crease above and below the center point line up.

15. Flip the plane over so the flaps just created are underneath and the tail section creases are at the bottom.

16. Fold the upper right corner down along the existing diagonal crease. The upper right point should hit the center line crease.

17. Fold the upper left corner down along the existing diagonal crease. The upper left point should hit the center line crease.

18. Flip the plane over and rotate it around so the flaps just folded down are underneath and the nose is at the bottom.

19. Pop up the top-most flap to open the nose section. The flap below the top-most will pull up, hinged along an existing crease.

20. Reach in and pop out the inside flap so the nose section forms a box which is completely open and standing up off of the plane's main body.

21. Fold the upright flaps forming the nose box down and flatten out on the working surface. Two new creases should be created when the box is flattened out.

22. Flip the plane over keeping the nose section at the bottom.

23. Pop up the right front flap and fold it back, left and down. When folded correctly, the front-most point on the folding flap should hit the indented point formed on the left edge of the paper.

24. Pop up the left front flap and fold it back, right and down. When folded correctly, the front-most point on the folding flap should hit the indented point formed on the right edge of the paper. For a tighter fit, this flap may be tucked into the flap formed by the previous fold, but this is not necessary for a good flying plane.

25. Make a crease to fold down the nose tip. The new crease should be even with the top edge of the nose and should go through the point formed on the center line crease by the two small diagonal lines.

26. Flip the plane over so the nose is pointed up and the flaps are just folded underneath.

27. Fold the plane in half along the existing center line crease. Pop the tail section up and into the fold. When folded correctly, the tail will be between the two wing flaps and completely hidden from view. Be sure to line up the wing flaps for good balance.

28. Rotate the plane around so the nose is pointing to the left and the wing flaps are pointing up.

29. Make a crease for the first wing flap. The right end of the crease should hit the edge of the tail section fold. The left end splits the nose edge in two. This crease is important because it determines wing area and the plane's balance.

30. Flip the plane over, keeping the nose to the left. The first wing flap should be underneath.

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

32. Open up the wing flaps and adjust the wing angles so they are even. The dihedral angle should be almost flat but slightly up. Since the nose section is heavy, add some elevator at the back of the wings before launching.

THE THROW Launch with a moderate throw at a slight up angle. If it spirals out of control, adjust the rudder in the opposite direction. Trim elevators for list as needed especially if you add a paper clip to the nose.