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.
Every Nakamura fold lines up with this crease.
02
Fold the top corners in
Fold the top-right corner down so the top edge meets the center crease.
Just like a dart, so far.
03
And the left corner
Same on the left. You have a pointy roof.
Edges touch, but do not overlap.
04
Fold the point down
Fold the whole triangle down along its bottom edge, so the tip points at the bottom of the page.
The fold runs straight across, right where the flaps end.
05
Corners to the middle
Fold the top-right corner in so it touches the center line about 1 in (2.5 cm) above the triangle tip.Fold the top-right corner in so it touches the center line about 2.7 cm (1 in) above the triangle tip.
Leave the little tip of the triangle poking out.
06
Other corner too
Fold the left corner in to meet it.
The two corners should kiss at the center line.
07
Lock it
Fold the little triangle tip up over both corner flaps. This is the lock that holds everything together.
Press it hard: this little triangle is the lock.
08
Turn it over
Flip the paper over so the lock is underneath.
Nose stays pointing away from you.
09
Fold it in half
Fold it in half along the center crease so the lock ends up on the outside.
Line up the nose corners first.
10
Fold down the first wing
Fold the top layer down on a slant: 1½ in (3.8 cm) from the center fold at the nose, ½ in (1.3 cm) from it at the tail.Fold the top layer down on a slant: 3.8 cm (1½ in) from the center fold at the nose, 1.3 cm (½ in) from it at the tail.
The crease slants: farther from the center fold at the nose than at the tail. Measure both ends.
11
Fold the wingtip back
Fold the tip of this wing back over, ⅝ in (1.5 cm) in from its edge.Fold the tip of this wing back over, 1.5 cm (⅝ in) in from its edge.
This becomes a winglet.
12
Turn it over
Flip the plane over.
Keep the nose pointing away.
13
Fold down the second wing
Fold this wing down on the same slant as the first one.
Hold the wings together. They should line up exactly.
14
Fold the other tip back
Fold this wingtip back the same amount.
Both winglets the same size.
15
Open the wings and stand the tips up
Open the wings flat, then stand both wingtips straight up.

Check the shape

From behind: this is the view to compare with your plane.

Check the lock and both winglets separately. Repairing a loose nose and changing a tip angle at the same time makes a flight comparison hard to interpret.

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: Hold it near the middle and give it a smooth, level push.

Locked nose. Check that the small lock triangle still covers both flaps after a hard landing. If it has lifted, fold it back down before the next throw rather than adding tape.
Upright winglets. Hold the body, not a tip. After each landing, stand both winglets back to the same height.

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.

Full troubleshooting guide →

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 Kestrel will fly.

More locked noses

A small triangle folds up over two corner flaps and holds them shut. The Nakamura lock is an old origami technique; the other three add tips or a tail fin to it.