You need one uncut sheet of printer paper, short edge at the top. No scissors, tape or clips. Measurements are rounded to the nearest ⅛ inch, as in the app.
moves fold line where it lands Diagrams are drawn on Letter and zoom in after the fold in half; the bar in each corner is 1 inch. Tap a diagram to watch the fold.
Fold it step by step
- 01
Crease down the middle
Fold the sheet in half the long way, press, and open it back up.
Press one sharp, straight crease.
- 02
Fold the top corners in
Bring the top-right corner down so the top edge meets the center crease.
Line up the edge, then press.
- 03
And the left corner
Same on the left. A pointy roof again.
Both sides should match.
- 04
Fold the point down
Fold the whole triangle down along its bottom edge.
The fold runs straight across where the flaps end.
- 05
Corners in again
Fold the new top-right corner in so its top edge lies along the center crease.
You are folding right over the triangle underneath.
- 06
Other side
Fold the top-left corner in to match.
The nose is now thick with layers. That is intended.
- 07
Fold it in half
Fold in half along the center crease with the flaps inside.
Press the nose flat.
- 08
Fold down the first wing
Fold the top layer down along a line 1⅛ in (2.8 cm) up from the center fold.Fold the top layer down along a line 2.8 cm (1⅛ in) up from the center fold.
Keep it parallel to the bottom edge.
- 09
Turn it over
Flip the plane over.
Nose pointing away.
- 10
Fold down the second wing
Fold this wing down to match.
Compare the wings: an unequal pair is the usual cause of a turn.
- 11
Open the wings
Open the wings flat with a slight upward Y.
Check the shape
Keep the down-folded point centered. If it shifts sideways under the next folds, the finished front can be thicker on one side.
Before you open the wings, hold the plane closed against a window: both wing outlines should cover each other. Fix an unequal wing crease before reaching for trim.
First flights
Launch: Grip the body just behind the heavy nose and throw firmly and level.
If it misbehaves
- Dives straight down
- Release level, then bend both back edges up a hair.
- Climbs, then drops
- Flatten those bends a little; throw nearer level.
- Always turns one way
- Compare the wings first. Then bend the edge on the inside of the turn down, or the outside edge up, very slightly.
The app can fly this plane in a simulator. Its distances and paths are simulation output; this page makes no claim about how far a hand-folded Arrowhead will fly.
More folded-down noses
The pointed roof folds down early and later folds cover or trap it. The front ends up compact and multi-layered.
Spotted a step that doesn't match your paper? Tell us and we'll check it against the app. How these guides are made.