How to Make the Manta Ray Paper Airplane

How to Make the Manta Ray Paper Airplane

How to Make the Manta Ray Paper Airplane
Difficulty:
Medium
Synopsis:
Smooth flyer with crazy front wings.

Instructions

1. Start with a square sheet. Fold the paper exactly in half. Unfold the paper after the crease has been made.

2. Rotate the paper so the crease just made is vertical. Fold the paper exactly in half. Unfold after the crease has been made.

3. Flip the paper over. Fold the upper left and right points down so the points hit the horizontal center line crease at the edge of the paper. When folded correctly, the top edge of the paper will line up with the horizontal center line crease. Unfold after the crease has been made.

4. Flip the paper over and rotate it around so the horizontal creases are towards the top.

5. Fold the upper right corner down so the point created on the paper's right edge by the top horizontal crease hits the center line crease. The point created by the center line crease on the paper's top edge should hit the left half of the top horizontal crease.

6. Unfold the flap just made. Fold the flap just made.

7. Fold the upper left corner down so the point created on the paper's left edge by the top horizontal crease hits the center line crease. The point created by the center line crease on the paper's top edge should hit the right half of the top horizontal crease. Unfold the flap just made.

8. Pop the upper left and right horizontal creases up while bringing the upper left and right flaps in. When folded correctly, a new flap is created which extends straight up from the paper's base.

9. Take the upright standing paper and split the two sheets of paper while folding the whole thing down flat at the same time creating a point that exactly matches the current point at the front of the plane.

10. Find the two square flaps in the center. Fold the lower inward point of each square over to the opposite side of the square creating a diagonal fold that splits the square in half. Unfold both again.

11. Pop the small layer of the right square up and forward. A new crease is created along the top edge of the square. Continue to press forward and flatten out the new flap creating the small forward winglet.

12. Make a crease to fold down the tip of the nose. When folded correctly, the point at the tip of the nose should hit the point created in the center of the paper where the two winglet flaps come together.

13. Flip the paper over so the flaps and the winglets just created are underneath. Rotate the paper so the nose and the winglets are pointing to the left.

14. Fold the paper evenly down the centerline.

15. Fold the wings out of the main body now.

16. Open up the wings and adjust the wing angles so they are even. Set the dihedral angle flat or slightly up. The winglets in front can be adjusted to make the plane loop.

THE THROW A good straight flyer when adjusted right, this plane should be launched level or at a slight up angle. Fly with a medium to hard "push" throw. It if spins, try adjusting the back of the tail. A paper clip on the nose adds speed with a large dihedral angle.