How to Make the Strike Harrier Paper Airplane

Fast, long range and incredibly stable, the Strike Harrier is an excellent paper airplane for most any flight, whether it be indoors or outdoors. The Strike Harrier is a development of the sturdy, reliable Harrier, with stronger wing spars and more weight in the nose. This allows it to fly faster than the Harrier and the turn tighter as well. Due to their close relationship, the Harrier and Strike Harrier cannot be told apart if looked at from above; and in addition, the former can be converted into the latter easily. The Strike Harrier is a versatile airplane that can find uses in anybody's paper air force.

The simplicity and sturdiness inherent in this design enable easy construction, modification and operation indoors, such as by students in classrooms. Educators could easily use this versatile paper airplane to demonstrate:

• Glide ratio
• Hangtime versus other aircraft
• Weight and balance
• Flight dynamics

TAA USAF Designation: A106-3

Required:
1 Piece of 8.5 by 11 inch Paper
Tape
Ruler
Scissors
Pencil

Begin by folding one piece of paper in half length-wise. Then pull the corners into the center. Once the creases have been established, unfold each. Then fold the paper folds into themselves as shown. Then fold again. Once this is finished, unfold the paper.

Pull the tip of the nose back to where the swept leading edge of the wing ends. Flip back to the "dirty" side, and pull the corners down to the center as shown. Once the creases have been established, unfold each. Then fold the paper folds into themselves as shown. Then fold again. Then flip to the "clean" side, and pull what will be the nose open as shown. Then fold the airframe up in two along the center fold.

Fold the paper down with the trailing edges of the wings meeting with that of the fuselage. The leading edges of the wing should fit flush with parts of the nose fold at the front of the fuselage too, but if they do not, maintain the accuracy of the trailing edges. Measure 2.25 inches in from the trailing edge along the wingtip and make a mark. From there, measure 5/8 of an inch parallel with the trailing edge. Then cut along this line. Proceed to fold the wingtips up, parallel to the fuselage--with the front two folded up, above the wing and the rear two folded down, under the wing.

Tape your Strike Harrier at its front, across its front, rear and over its wing root--near the back. Then tape the folds below the leading edges together.

The Strike Harrier is a very simple aircraft to fly. At launch give it a throw at a moderate pace, at a neutral or negative attitude. In flight, roll and directional stability should be no problems whatsoever. On the ground, the ventral winglets function as outrigger skids. The wing can be adjusted to have anhedral or no anhedral. Additional applicable surfaces include slats, flaps, flaperons, elevators, alierons, elevons, rudders, air brakes, a bomb bay and an electronic warfare tail. Enjoy!