How to Make the Serpent Paper Airplane

Fast, long range and simple, the Serpent is a very capable, small drone-fighter paper airplane. The aircraft is very clean aerodynamically and can easily represent even the most modern fighter jets. Similar to the SkyLocust, the Serpent's performance and size make it a wonderful choice as a drone interceptor paper airplane.

The Serpent was developed as a replacement for older types such as the Super SkyManx and SkyHornet. In testing I found the Serpent a wonderful aircraft and decided it was very worthy of an instructable depicting it. In spite of this success, other designs, such as the Raptor and SkyLocust (each of which drew heavily on the Serpent's design), were allowed to be posted prior to the Serpent.

TAA USAF Designation: D275-1

Required:
1 Piece of 8 by 10.5 inch graph paper
Tape
Scissors
Ruler
Pencil
Stapler

Start construction of your Serpent by sketching out the design featured in the first picture. The graph paper this is made on should have one set of boxes folded in half at its crease. The fuselage is 10 boxes in length and has a counterweight of 3 by 2 boxes. One box from the rear of the fuselage, make a solid line along the graph line 0.5 boxes above the crease that stretches 2 boxes forward. Then 2 boxes inwards from the rear of the fuselage, make a dotted vertical line. The layout of the lines is complex, so it is easier to show than explain. Then cut it out.'

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 boxes in length by 8 boxes in width, and a swept portion in front of this box of 1 box eliminated every box toward the front of the fuselage). Then cut the wing out. Measure 2 boxes along the crease, measure two boxes upwards from one mark and make another point. Then draw a diagonal line connecting this new mark to the one further away. From the mark you just made, measure one box further away from the one now connected to the line and make a mark. Sketch a line between this mark and the other mark along the crease. Then cut the horizontal stabilizers out.

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

Note: 1 box = 0.25 inches

Cut out your fuselage and fold its counterweights into place. Once this is done, fold along the vertical dotted line and cut along the solid horizontal line. Once the cut has been made, undo the fold. At this point, fold down the spars and landing gear, and then fold the vertical fins up. Now tape where designated.

Cut out your wings and lay them out flat. Align the fuselage over top so the spars align with the wing as shown. Then apply tape. Cut off any excess. Flip the aircraft over and apply tape to the leading edge of the wing above the leading edge root extensions.

Cut out your horizontal stabilizers and slide them through the slit in the fuselage you made earlier. When through, fold them up and apply tape to the underside; then fold down. Apply one staple in the area of the counterweight. This will have completed your aircraft.

The Serpent is a fairly simple drone fighter, and flies with equally simplicity. Launches should be at neutral or positive attitudes at medium to high speed. Launches can be done at a positive attitude, but launch speed should be increased (range may be reduced). Additional applicable surfaces include slats, flaps, flaperons, elevators, ailerons, spoilers, spoilerons, air brakes and trimmable rudders. Enjoy!