How to Make a Bulldog Dart Paper Airplane
The bulldog dart is a dart-style paper airplane whose point is folded back into a blunt nose. It flies almost as fast and straight as a classic dart, is best for distance, and survives crashes into walls much better because there is no sharp tip to crumple. It is a medium-difficulty fold that takes about four minutes with one sheet of printer paper.
At a glance
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Time
- About 4 min
- Steps
- 7 (6 folds)
- Paper
- A4 or US Letter
- Best for
- Distance, with a nose that survives crashes
How to fold the Bulldog dart
A dart with its point folded back into a blunt nose. It flies as straight as a dart but survives crashes much better.
Difficulty: Medium · Best for: Distance · 7 steps
Printable fold-line template
Page 1 is the A4 sheet with every fold line printed in place and numbered; page 2 has the steps. Print at 100% (Actual size) on ordinary 80 g/m² (20 lb) copy paper.
Test flight: Bulldog dart
Toy model — not a predictionA simplified 2D flight model driven by the folded shape: its wing area, weight and balance point. Drag from the hand in the direction of the throw — a longer drag throws harder — or use the sliders.
Drag on the picture or press Throw.
- Weight:
- 5.0 g
- Wing area:
- 176 cm²
- Wingspan:
- 10.8 cm
- Balance point:
- 112 mm behind the nose
- Balance on the wing:
- 30% of average chord
- Steady glide:
- 4.0 m/s, 2.6 : 1
Weight assumes 80 g/m² paper. The model treats the plane as one flat, rigid wing: lift and drag of a thin plate, a centre of pressure that moves back as the nose rises, and bent-up elevators that add a nose-up moment. Real flights also depend on crease quality, wing symmetry, twist and air currents.
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Step-by-step instructions
The same 7 steps as the animation above, written out so you can fold away from the screen. Measurements are for an A4 sheet; switch the tool above to US Letter for Letter-size measurements and template.
Step 1
Lay the sheet portrait, printed side up. Fold it in half lengthwise, crease firmly and unfold again. The centre crease is your guide for every fold that follows.
Step 2
Fold both top corners in to the centre crease.
Step 3
Fold the point down so the tip touches the centre crease where the two flaps end. The top is now flat.
Step 4
Fold the slanted sides in to the centre crease once more, as for a dart. The nose stays blunt.
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Step 5
Turn the plane over and fold it in half along the centre crease, so the folded flaps end up on the outside. Turn it so the nose points left.
Step 6
Fold the top wing down so its top edge lies along the bottom edge (the keel). Turn over and fold the other wing to match.
Step 7
Open the wings until they are flat and level, with a slight upward V from the front.
How to throw the bulldog dart
- Throw it hard and straight, like a dart. The blunt nose makes it a little slower but sturdier.
- Aim slightly upward for distance outdoors.
Throw it like a dart: firm, straight-armed and level, or slightly upward outdoors. The blunt nose adds a little drag, so it is a touch slower than a pointed dart, but that also makes it steadier and more predictable from throw to throw.
Trimming and troubleshooting
Trimming means small bends to the back edges of the wings (the elevators) and the wing angle. Change one thing at a time and test-throw after each change.
- Dives: bend the back edges of the wings up a little.
- Rolls to one side: make sure the two wings are equal; a small up-bend on the low wing's back edge helps lift it.
- It turns sharply to one side
- The wings are uneven or one back edge is bent. Fold the wings again to match and check from behind that they sit at the same angle.
- It flutters instead of flying straight
- Throw harder: like any dart, it needs speed. If it still flutters, flatten any upward bend at the back of the wings.
- The flaps at the nose open up
- Re-crease the nose firmly, or add a small piece of tape across the folded point.
About the bulldog dart
The bulldog dart starts like a dart, but after the first corner folds the point is folded down to meet the centre crease. When the sides are then folded in again, the nose ends up flat and blunt instead of sharp. That small change shifts the look and feel of the plane: the nose is thicker, heavier and much harder to damage.
A sharp dart often loses its point after a few landings, and a bent point makes it fly off course. The bulldog's blunt nose keeps its shape, so it keeps flying the same way for longer. That makes it a good choice for repeated distance throws, playground games and anyone who tends to hit the wall.
If you like its straight flight, compare it with the arrow with fins, which keeps the pointed nose but adds upright tips for tracking, or the Nakamura lock, which uses a locking fold for an even sturdier nose.
Bulldog Dart paper airplane: questions
What is the difference between a bulldog dart and a classic dart?+
The bulldog dart folds the point back before the second set of folds, so it has a blunt nose. It flies nearly as fast and straight but lasts much longer when it crashes.
Is the bulldog dart good for distance?+
Yes. It is a dart at heart, so a firm, level throw sends it a long way, and its steady flight makes throws more consistent.
Why does my bulldog dart curve?+
Check that both wings are the same size and angle. A small upward bend on the back edge of one wing turns the plane toward that side, so straighten any accidental bends.
Can younger children fold the bulldog dart?+
Children who have already folded the classic dart can usually manage it; the only new step is folding the point down to the end of the flaps.
Fold another paper airplane
Classic Dart
The sharp-nosed plane most people learn first. Fast, straight and happiest with a hard throw.
Arrow with Fins
A slim dart with upturned wing tips. The fins act like the feathers of an arrow and keep it flying straight.
Nakamura Lock
A traditional design whose small folded tip locks the nose flaps in place. Heavy, sturdy nose and a steady, long glide.