How to Make a Hammer Glider Paper Airplane
The hammer glider is a short, wide paper airplane with a thick band of folded paper across its nose, like the head of a hammer, and small upturned wing-tip fins. The heavy nose and broad wings give it slow, very stable glides, so it is best for time aloft. It is the hardest fold on this site, though still manageable, and takes about six minutes with one sheet of printer paper.
At a glance
- Difficulty
- Harder
- Time
- About 6 min
- Steps
- 8 (7 folds)
- Paper
- A4 or US Letter
- Best for
- Time aloft and slow, stable glides
How to fold the Hammer glider
Short and wide, with a thick folded band across the nose like a hammer head. Slow, stable glides and upturned tips.
Difficulty: Harder · Best for: Time aloft · 8 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: Hammer glider
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:
- 222 cm²
- Wingspan:
- 14.8 cm
- Balance point:
- 53 mm behind the nose
- Balance on the wing:
- 35% of average chord
- Steady glide:
- 2.2 m/s, 2.7 : 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 8 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 whole pointed top down along a line 2 cm (3/4 in) below where the flaps end.
Step 4
Fold the top edge down again by 2 cm (3/4 in), through all layers. This thick band is the heavy "hammer" nose.
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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 along a line parallel to the bottom edge, about 1.7 cm (5/8 in) above it. Turn over and fold the other wing to match.
Step 7
Fold the outer 1.5 cm (5/8 in) of each wing back up to make small tip fins.
Step 8
Open the wings level with a slight upward V and stand the tip fins up.
How to throw the hammer glider
- Release it gently and level at walking pace. It is built to float, not to be thrown hard.
- Big halls and calm air suit it best.
Release it gently at walking pace, level or a touch nose-down, and let it settle into its glide. It is built to float, so throwing it hard only makes it climb and stall. A large indoor space with still air shows it at its best.
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.
- Porpoises (climbs and dips in waves): reduce the elevator bend.
- Dives: add a little up-bend to the back edges.
- Turns: straighten the tip fins so both stand at the same angle.
- The nose band unfolds
- Crease both nose folds hard with a fingernail. The band is thick, so press along its whole length.
- It flies in waves (porpoising)
- Reduce the elevator bend at the back of the wings until the glide is smooth.
- It slowly turns
- Straighten the tip fins so they stand at the same angle, and check both wings are equal in width.
About the hammer glider
The hammer glider gets its name from its shape: folding the pointed top down past the corner flaps and then folding the top edge down again makes a thick, straight band of layered paper across the front. That band is where most of the weight sits, which pulls the balance point forward and lets the short, wide wings fly slowly without stalling.
Its extra folds are what make it the hardest design here. The two nose folds have to be measured rather than lined up with an edge, and the band is thick enough that it takes some pressure to crease it cleanly. The printable template helps, since every fold line is printed in place on the sheet.
The small tip fins keep it tracking straight at low speed, when a plain glider would start to wander. If you enjoy slow flights, compare it with the classic glider and the Nakamura lock, both of which glide well with fewer folds.
Hammer Glider paper airplane: questions
Why is it called a hammer glider?+
The thick band of folded paper across the nose, together with the short, wide body, looks like the head of a hammer. The name describes the shape.
Is the hammer glider good for hang time?+
Yes. Its heavy nose and wide wings let it fly slowly and steadily, which is exactly what you want for long time in the air.
Why does my hammer glider flutter and fall?+
It is probably being thrown too hard or the elevators are bent up too much. Launch it gently and flatten the back edges slightly.
Do I need a ruler to fold the hammer glider?+
It helps with the two nose folds. Alternatively, print the template above: every fold line is already drawn on the sheet.
Fold another paper airplane
Classic Glider
A blunt, folded-back nose and wide wings. It flies slowly and floats a long way from a gentle throw.
Nakamura Lock
A traditional design whose small folded tip locks the nose flaps in place. Heavy, sturdy nose and a steady, long glide.
Arrow with Fins
A slim dart with upturned wing tips. The fins act like the feathers of an arrow and keep it flying straight.