How to Make the AeroLocust Paper Airplane

Fast, long range and aerodynamic, the AeroLocust is a tiny "drone fighter" paper airplane meant as a complement to contemporaries like the smaller FireHornet and Turbo AeroGnat darts.

The AeroLocust was developed with the mating of the wing of the popular Locust with the airframe of the aerodynamic Cirrus drone cruiser. Slight modifications were necessary to allow the wing to be mounted, but these came together quickly due to the otherwise conventional nature of the design. The prototype AeroLocust proved itself to be a capable, combining the large wing design with the aerodynamic airframe to make an aircraft that was comparable in all other parameters to its contemporaries as well as superior in terms of maneuverability (due to lower wing loading). With its ability proven in flight testing, publication of the AeroLocust was greenlit.

TAA USAF Designation: D425-1

Step 1: Materials

Required:
1 Piece of 8 by 10.5 inch graph paper

Scissors

Ruler

Tape

Pencil

Stapler

Step 2: Begin Construction

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--13 full boxes apart (allow for a further box back behind the airframe). Use a ruler to make a straight line with the length of 13 boxes directly up 1 row of boxes from the two marks you just made. Then make the stabilizers, spars and counterweight as shown.

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 (1 box of constant chord at the root, with a 1 by 3 rectangular trailing edge behind a 2 by 3 box area of wing with a sweep of 2 boxes of chord eliminated every 3 boxes away from the fuselage). Then cut the wing out.

Solid lines indicate places to cut. Dotted lines indicate fold lines.

Note: 1 box = 0.25 inches

Step 3: Making the Fuselage; Stapling

Cut out your fuselage and fold its counterweights into place. Cut along the solid lines and cut off the left fin at the bisected solid line as shown. Once this is done, fold along the vertical dotted line then fold the airplane in half along the center crease once again. Fold the spars down along the dotted horizontal lines then tape where indicated.

After the taping is done,apply one staple in the area of the counterweight as noted in the photograph. Then cut the rear fuselage away below the diagonal line and fold the horizontal stabilizers down then

Step 4: Applying the Wings

Cut out your AeroLocust's wings and lay them beneath the fuselage. Apply tape where designated to secure them to the fuselage. Apply tape to the LERX joint where noted. This will complete your AeroLocust.

Step 5: Flight

As with its ancestors, the Locust is a capable dart which is nimble and can fly quickly.

Launches should be conducted at neutral or positive attitude at moderate to high speeds. Additional applicable surfaces include slats, flaps, ailerons, flaperons, elevators and a trimmable rudder. Enjoy