How to Make the Super Tomahawk Paper Airplane

Designed as a successor to the original Tomahawk paper airplane and as an homage to the Grumman AF Guardian, the Super Tomahawk is a small airplane that greatly resembles the Guardian while still looking like its namesake too.

Since the day it was published, the Tomahawk remained unique with its twin, inverted rudders. For several months I did think about concepts with similar configurations to the Tomahawk. However, as a result of the advent of the upright vertical stabilizer, conformal landing gear and wingtip skids, the twin tail concept was passed over for other designs. In early August 2011, I revisited the twin tail concept, but decided to help it by incorporating features that had not been available for use on the original Tomahawk. Eventually, the Super Tomahawk emerged, and proved an excellent performer. In addition to being a great cruiser, the Super Tomahawk proved versatile enough to make it a testbed aircraft. As a result, this aircraft may be useful for educators seeking to introduce students to aviation.

Some potential experiments possible with this airframe include:
•Glide ratio
•Weight and balance
•Hangtime versus other aircraft

I am very proud of the Super Tomahawk, and I hope others will like it as much as I do.

TAA USAF Designation: D170-1

Required:
1 Piece of 8 by 10 inch graph paper (4 boxes per inch)
Tape
Stapler
Scissors
Pencil
Ruler

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--15 full boxes apart. Use a ruler to make a straight line with the length of 15 boxes directly up 1 row of boxes from the two marks you just made. Then make the elevators, rudder, spars, landing gear and counterweight as shown. Follow the photograph markings. Once all is marked out, cut out the fuselage.

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 (3 boxes in length and 6 boxes in width).

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

Note: 1 box = 0.25 inches

Begin making your rudder by separating it from the elevators. Then cut one of the two layers of paper where the rudder should be off (I usually cut off the left myself). After you've cut these 8 boxes (4 by 2) off, you may discard them.

After having cut out all of the fuselage. Begin folding it along the dotted lines. After you've folded all the lines correctly, it should appear as it does in the second picture. Then tape your fuselage together at the noted places in the photograph.

Now it is time for you to work with your wing. Cut it out and fold along the given lines as shown. Then apply the fuselage to the bottom of the wing with tape. Cut off any excess that goes being the wings' edges. Now that the wing has been mounted, flip your airframe over. Then apply one staple to the airframe around the area of the counterweight.

Like previous cruisers, the Super Tomahawk is a steady, accurate little drone paper airplane. In addition to being very stable, this aircraft is also an excellent glider with great long range abilities. On the ground, the landing gear under the wings keep the ventral vertical stabilizers clear of the ground below them. Additional surfaces applicable to this airframe include flaps, ailerons, flaperons, slats, rudders, elevators and air brakes. Enjoy!