A recent weekend edition of Guardian newspaper promised readers paper plane nirvana. I was one of the reader who dutifully folded enough paper to submerge myself in pieces of origami that looked like crabs having sex and octopus at a disco - many wonderful and weird things but nothing that enjoyed air.
DIY is important, but a working plane - even if bought readymade - may be more important. Although buying it may appear to be an escape route, a plane that works could sustain interest till one of my octopus flies. So, yesterday, while at the Science Museum in London, I bought myself readymade paper planes (Original Super Stunter, cheap, and works great). I have been practicing throwing the plane and catching it all day today.
I'll post more about the museum visit tomorrow with pictures. Today though, the paper planes await. Try this Exploratorium page if you want to give paper planes a go.
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hmmm.....in college we had paper planes ("rockets") down to a precise science. There were rockets that went fast, and some that floated gently by, long range "missiles" and short range butterflies.
Meant for appropriate use in lecture halls, during shows in auditoriums, in class (some poor girl/girls would be the target), in class rocket fights.....an endless list.
Those days! I had forgotten the lessons from early years. It was apparent when I didn't fold the tail correctly and the plane kept pathetically dropping down like a brick.