How to Make a Rubberband Glider

Wing

• 1

  Lay a strip of 16-inch long tissue paper in front of you horizontally. Crumple the tissue paper and then flatten it again to prevent warping.

• 2

  Use craft glue to attach a 12-inch thin rod onto the front top edge of tissue, leaving 2 inches overlap on both ends. This creates a wing leading edge.

• 3

  Place a 2-inch thin piece of balsa wood at a right angle at each end of the wing leading edge to create the wing tips. Apply craft glue with a toothpick to the top end of the wing tip where it connects to the leading edge. Use a glue stick along the rest of the stick to adhere it to the tissue paper.

• 4

  Glue another 2-inch thin piece of balsa wood onto the exact center of the wing. Use craft glue to attach a 1/2-inch balsa shard to the end of a 2-inch stick of balsa wood for support. Glue the thicker end of the 2-inch stick on the outside center of the wing tip sticking up with the thicker shard on the inside of the stick. Repeat on the other side.

• 5

  Align another 12-inch piece of balsa along the bottom edge of the wing so that it rests against the wood supports. Glue in place.

• 6

  Apply glue onto the wing center. Attach a 4-inch piece of wood directly onto it, with roughly 1 inch hanging off on both sides, creating the wing handle. Put craft glue onto the outside 2 inches of tissue paper on each side. Fold the sides in over the wing tips and glue in place.

Fin

• 7

  Lay a 12-inch long piece of balsa perpendicularly next to another strip of long tissue paper to create the motor stick. Apply craft glue to the end of balsa using a toothpick. Place the short end of the tissue paper onto the glued area. Glue a 2-inch balsa stick just above the tissue so that it is flush with the tissue and perpendicular to the longer balsa stick. Snip the excess tissue paper to create a fin that looks like a small flag.

• 8

  Cut a toothpick in half. Glue the toothpick underneath the fin so that it sticks out 1/4 inch on the other side of the motor stick.

• 9

  Measure the width of the wing you made first. Use a pencil to mark that width underneath the fin. Glue a 6-inch piece of balsa onto the fin-side of the motor stick from your pencil mark down.

Stabilizer/ Tail Plane

• 10

  Place a 6-inch piece of tissue paper in front of you horizontally. Glue a 6-inch piece of balsa along the top edge.

• 11

  Pick up the motor stick with the flag facing down and away from you. Apply craft glue with a toothpick to the part of wood just behind the fin.

• 12

  Pick up the tail plane with the wood facing up and toward you. Center the tail plane over the fin end of the motor stick and press the tissue paper down.

Mount Wing and Propeller

• 13

  Slide a 1-inch rubber band over the motor stick. Hold it in place while you pick up the wing with the wood-side up and the shim facing toward your right. Carefully slide the rubber band over the front of the wing and over the right end of the motor stick, holding the wing in place.

• 14

  Tie a 20-inch piece of rubber band into a 10-inch diameter loop using a square knot. Attach the propeller with the knot away from the propeller.

• 15

  Slide the knot onto the right end of the motor stick. Pick up the glider from the front propeller end. Hold the motor stick and rubber band from half-way back.

• 16

  Wind the propeller 50 times before carefully attaching the loop-end of the rubber band onto the end of the plane. Continue to wind the propeller 200 times for a test run or 400 to 500 times for a true flight. Release!