how we got started
The Paper Air Force really began a few decades ago when a kid dreamed of owning one of the large "60 size" R/C WWII planes hanging from the ceiling of his favorite local hobby shop. They were too expensive to purchase, even to ask for as a present, and even then, a lot of experience would be needed to even build it, several balsa kits down at least; wouldn't want to mess the big one up!
Years later, a nice simple small semi - scale card model line of flying WWII aircraft was discovered. Making them bigger and adding an engine was something easy that wouldn't cost too much. It worked! Then, the extremely fine designs of Eastern European card models were discovered, amazing works of art in engineering that almost rivaled plastic models in their scale and detail. The project was begun to design new U.S made paper models that were their equal in scale design, but strong enough and light enough to fly - and with r/c friendly features such as removeable tops, wings, control surfaces, and sliding canopies. It was discovered that the addition of epoxies or paints can turn the paper into a form of composite which can then provide excellent "tensile strength" like an exoskeleton.
The original line of 1/12 sized aircraft can look very smooth and stunningly like their full sized metal counterparts - especially from a few feet away. Recently the line was successfully downsized working with much lighter papers, though they can be a little more challenging to build smoothly, notably with the wing surfaces. But, they still look fantastic especially from a few feet away.
A new way to build, it's really a pretty simple method where you can get very good results without any prior experience - including for that huge 63 inch wing ceiling hangar that now a kid could actually afford to buy, and be able to build it! A Paper Air Force Model can typically be built in about 2 weeks, with the airframe being built in typically about 8 hours - with the wing another 8 - and the rest being basically detail and fittings. Even up to 1/7 size. About 60 - 80 hours in all start to finish.
Easily upsized or downsized, the models are all available in multiple sizes, another perk of working in paper. Modelers can also easily add their own modifications, braces, or other innovations. Paper is very easy, abundant, and fun to work with, and resembles sheet metal in miniature in a way not found working with any other medium.
With encouragement, we hope to add more models to our line that reflect some of the more obscure airplanes in history that not usually modelled.
Welcome to the Paper Air Force!
