How to Make the Swift Vulcan Paper Airplane

Very fast and long range, the Swift Vulcan is an improved development of the popular MetaVulcan paper airplane. The Swift Vulcan features redesigned, strengthened wings that enable faster flights and increase wing strength. In spite of all of these changes, the design is still straightforward.

The Swift Vulcan was developed as a response to the continued popularity of the Vulcan series. More specifically, the Swift Vulcan's design was shaped as it is to improve wing strength from the MetaVulcan and thus enable faster flights. Although similar work had been done with the Turbo MetaVulcan and it had been successful, the continued viewership of the Vulcan family illustrated to me that if more refinement could be done, it was almost certainly wished for too. On that basis, I returned to the MetaVulcan and looked into how I could improve it. The wing leading edge design was modified substantially, resulting in a stronger and spar. The canard design of the Turbo MetaVulcan was tried but not proceeded with as "overly complex" for what it contributed. Flight testing showed the aircraft to be fast and that its wing strength was superior to its basis. Handling was good and with its showing having gone excellently, I approved of its publication soon afterward.

TAA USAF Designation: F292-27

Required:

1 Piece of 8.5 by 11 inch paper

Tape

Optional:

Scissors (for additional surfaces only)

Ruler (for additional surfaces only)

Pencil (for additional surfaces only)

Fold your paper in half length-wise. Then pull the paper down so the crease stretches from the fold at the front you just made and the corner of the paper on the other side. Repeat on the other side. Pull the edge of this layer back toward the crease on each side and then open these folds. Fold the edges into the creases as shown, the pull the creases of these corner folds into themselves as shown.

Fold the previous folds along the existing creases as shown, then pull the overhanging paper back away from the center crease. Repeat on the other side. Pull the tip of the nose back until its tips meet the apex of the diamond; then tuck the edges of the paper underneath the other layers as shown.

Pull the tips of the wings into the center crease as shown while keeping the trailing edge aligned with itself. This should result in folds that make the paper appear as it does in the last photograph.

Pull the nose of the paper airplane back to the trailing edge as shown while keeping the center crease aligned with itself. After doing this, pull the wingtips into the fourth fold as shown in the second and third photographs.

Pull the paper between the leading edges of the nose and winglet folds backward on each side, as shown in the fourth photograph. After doing this, unfold these two folds and fold the outer edges into the creases as pictured in the sixth photograph. With that done, fold the nose back to the trailing edge and fold the airfoils back over themselves once more. Pull the nose forward again until you can go no further (you will pass the previously established point in doing so) and crease.

Fold down the canards whilst keeping their leading edges aligned with the nose to maintain an angle of incidence of zero degrees. Following this, fold down the wings at the fourth folds you made previously. Align the trailing edges of the wings with that of the fuselage to keep the angle of incidence at zero degrees.

Observe the notes and order in the photograph to complete the following taping correctly. Apply tape to the nose above and below the canards, as well as to the dorsal LERX-wing joints. Then apply tape to the rear of the fuselage and over the wing root near the trailing edge. Once this has been done, apply tape to the ventral airfoil folds and canard folds to secure them to the fuselage. This will complete your Swift Vulcan.

The Swift Vulcan flies much like the average dart paper airplane and flies in a manner extremely similar to previous Vulcan variants; any origami aviators with experience with the latter type should have very little difficulty transitioning.

Launches should be conducted at neutral or positive attitudes at moderate to high speeds. Test flights should be conducted to see what trim (if any) is required. Additional applicable surfaces include flaps, ailerons, elevators, rudders, air brakes and an "electronic warfare" tail. Enjoy!