Origami Helicopter

About

You Will Need (1 thing)

Steps (42 steps, 25 minutes)

1. 1

   Main Rotor

   The Main Rotor is based on the traditional origami pinwheel. Begin with the hidden (inside) side of the paper facing you. The position of the paper is not important.

   Fold and unfold corner to corner in both directions.

2. 2

   Fold and unfold left to right and bottom to top.

3. 3

   Fold and unfold each of the four edges to the center.
   The result is a 4 x 4 grid with two diagonals.

4. 4

   Turn the paper over.

5. 5

   Fold and unfold all four corners to the center.

6. 6

   Turn the paper over.

7. 7

   Press down at each of the four dots. This curls the four corners up and makes the next few steps easier to do.

8. 8

   Fold the top and right edges inward at the same time. This causes a triangular flap to stand up in 3-D where the edges meet.

9. 9

   Lay the triangular flap flat to the left.

10. 10

    Repeat steps 8–9 on the other three sides, creating a pinwheel. For the fourth side you’ll have to undo the first flap a little.

11. 11

    Turn the model over.

12. 12

    Fold edge A to the horizontal center crease

13. 13

    Unfold step 12.

14. 14

    Repeat steps 12–13 on the other three sides.

15. 15

    Bring sides X and Y toward the center at the same time. The corner where they meet will pop up in 3-D.

16. 16

    Pinch the corner that was created in step 15 so that it pops up fully. Then repeat steps 15–16 on the other three adjacent sides.

17. 17

    All four corners are now 3-D. Flatten each side as shown. You’ll have to do this on all four flaps at the same time in order for them all to lie fl at.

18. 18

    The completed Main Rotor.

19. 19

    Fuselage
    Begin with the hidden (inside) side of the paper facing
    you. The position of the paper is not important.

    Fold and unfold the bottom corner to the top.

20. 20

    Fold the edges to the center crease.

21. 21

    Fold the top and bottom corners to the dot.

22. 22

    Mountain-fold the model in half.

23. 23

    Fold and unfold the white triangular portion of the model as shown.

24. 24

    Fold the near flap over to the other side.

25. 25

    Reverse-fold (tuck inside) the right corner along the crease you made in step 5.

26. 26

    Fold the near layer to the left.

27. 27

    Fold the bottom corner up to the top.

28. 28

    The completed Fuselage.

29. 29

    Prepare the Main Rotor for assembly

    Turn the Main Rotor over.

30. 30

    Open out one layer of each blade as far as possible.

31. 31

    Here is the result.

32. 32

    Prepare the fuselage for assembly

    Swivel the triangular fl ap a little
    to the right so that it’s perpendicular
    to the colored portion. Then stand
    the piece upright.

33. 33

    Here is the result.

34. 34

    Assembly

    Place the corner of the base of the Fuselage on the corner of the center square of the open Main Rotor. The dotted gray triangle shows where the base goes. Two corners of the base will protrude a little beyond the square.

35. 35

    Tuck the two protruding tips of the corners under the edges of the center square.

36. 36

    Close the Main Rotor back up, wrapping the flaps around the triangular base. As you do this, the base will be forced to lay to the right.

37. 37

    Fold the base down, creasing along the inner edge of the Main Rotor.

38. 38

    Fold the base to the left so that edge C lies along edge D.

39. 39

    Unfold step 5.

40. 40

    Reverse-fold (tuck inside)
    the Fuselage along the crease
    you made in step 5.

41. 41

    Swivel the Main Rotor up
    so that it is positioned perpendicular
    to the Fuselage.

42. 42

    The completed Helicopter. Add
    tail rotor stickers and you’re
    ready to take a whirl over your
    city!