How to Build a Toy Motorized Airplane

Building the Paper Airplane

• 1

  Go to the Resources below and download the plans for the paper airplane.

• 2

  Print the paper airplane plans out on your home printer, using one sheet of bristol board per page of plans. Cut them out carefully with your scissors.

• 3

  Following the instructions on the paper airplane sheet plans, fold and glue the fuselage and wings into the correct shape.

• 4

  Add the cowling and elevator.

• 5

  Glue the wings in place.

• 6

  Decorate it with decals or markers.

Assembling the Motor

• 7

  Using your soldering gun, solder the gold cap into place on the motor.

• 8

  Cut off a three-inch piece of wire. Pull it apart to form two pieces and strip the ends. Attach one set of ends to the terminals on the gold cap and the other set onto the header pins.

• 9

  Place the power system into the body of the plane pulling the header caps out through the tail end so that the capacitor sits close to the back of the cockpit.

• 10

  Use your glue and affix the engine-nose disk onto the front of the cowling then add the cowling trim ring.

• 11

  Install the plastic propeller to the electric motor's shaft.

• 12

  Bend both wings upward slightly, being careful to not make any creases.

Powering Up and Making it Fly

• 13

  Place the four AA batteries into the battery holder.

• 14

  Attach the header pins that are coming out of the tail end to the battery holder and charge the plane's engine until the propeller is spinning at full RPM.

• 15

  Disconnect the leaders.

• 16

  Stand facing the wind holding the plane in your hand, and fling it using your arm.