How to Make the Titan Paper Airplane

Fast, long range and simple, the Titan is a highly capable dart paper airplane sure to impress all who see it. The Titan is optimized for easy construction and only requires one piece of paper and tape to construct--no measurements!

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Background:

In late 2018, I decided to design a new dart paper airplane with relatively high wing loading to supplant aging types like the Ultraceptor and Vulture and complement the larger Vulcan series aircraft.

At the same time, I ran across the Phantom V by Origamics (now Project Paper). Although it was promising in its original form, I decided to heavily modify the Phantom V with strengthened wings and an adjusted angle of incidence with winglets to allow the aircraft to sit level when on the ground. The resultant aircraft, the XF504-1, was a decent performer but rather complex to construct. Before the XF504-1 could finish flight testing and face potential publication, my attention was drawn to other projects and so the XF504-1 was shelved until February 2019.

In Feburary 2019, the prototype that would become the Titan was first developed. As with the StratoEagle and Vulcan before it, the Titan's design had been based on a much simpler aircraft--in the case of the Titan, it's basis was the Aerohawk. The Aerohawk's design lent itself well to the desire for simplicity; the position of most of its weight was far forward and low, which made the design stable. The Titan's shape reflected the successful Vulcan series but it was made in such a way as to eliminate the need for measurements, easing construction complexity.

When the Titan was tested, it proved more capable and less complex than the XF504-1; thus, the Titan was selected and greenlit for publication.

TAA USAF Designation: F514-1

Required:
1 Piece of 8.5 by 11 inch Paper

Tape

Optional:

Pencil (additional surfaces only)

Ruler (additional surfaces only)

Scissors (additional surfaces only)

Fold your paper in half length-wise. Then pull the paper down so that 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. Once this is completed, pull the overhanging paper back above the center crease made earlier.

Reopen the folds without damaging the overhanging folds you handled previously. Fold the outward edges of the paper inward to the creases as shown on each side. After this, refold along the original creases.

Pull the forward tip of the nose backward until the apexes of the diamond are reached on each side. After doing this, pull resultant tips inward until the limits are reached. Pull the forward edge of this fold back outward and align it with the wing's leading edge. Repeat on the other side.

After making the folds, pull them outward slightly then insert them into the nose folds as shown in the seventh photographs. Fold the overhanging paper back over itself and crease it over top of the folds you made in the third and fifth photographs. After making the crease, reverse the folds and tuck the paper into itself as shown in the ninth photograph.

Once this is done, pull the rear triangle forward until it appears as it does in the tenth photograph.

Pull the leading edge of the nose back to the trailing edge of the paper and crease. Keep the center crease over itself as this is done as seen on the second photograph.

Pull the leading of the nose forward until the folded nose sits above the rear edges of the air foil folds, as seen in the third photograph. Make a crease when both sides are in position. After making the crease, unfold the nose and then fold the corners in as pictured in the fourth and fifth photographs.

With these corner folds completed, pull the nose forward again as in the sixth photograph.

Fold the wings of the aircraft down by pulling the paper down between the nose and the trailing edge whilst keeping the trailing edges over top of themselves as pictured in the first and second photographs. Repeat this on the other side, as seen in the third photograph.

After this is done, follow the same process with the winglets by pulling the wingtips inward until the leading edges' limits while keeping the trailing edges aligned as shown. As you do this, you may need to put small creases in the airfoil folds to eliminate bubbling in the paper. The fourth and fifth photographs show how the airplane should appear with these folds done correctly.

Apply tape to the points designated in the photographs in the order listed. Once all taping has been completed, the aircraft is ready for flight.

The Titan is a rather conventional dart in terms of flight profile. The Titan should be launched roughly parallel to the ground (neutral attitude) or up and away from the ground (positive attitude) at a medium to high speeds. Additional applicable surfaces include elevators, ailerons, elevons and airbrakes.

Enjoy!