Look at the incredible illustrations in this 1963 paper airplane book

[frauenfelder]

Originally published at: Look at the incredible illustrations in this 1963 paper airplane book | Boing Boing

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[highjumpman]

Hi, the title actually means “Sky Stormer”. And the format of the instructions (in German) are worthy of an engineer (and probably written by one). Images with steps just might have been better…

[Jurple]

Ah, but there appear to be diagrams as well. The text beneath the “Wetterflugzeug met 2 strahltriebwerken” refers to images 59 to 70. I guess those were in a separate booklet. Or in the 8 pages not shown in the post on Dreams of Space?

[timd]

And the glorious script lettering on the cover.

[Goryokaku]

There are actually detailed instructions for every illustration, but they seem to be verbal rather than diagrammatic. Materials, size and procedure are explained, even if it’s not very very easy. A tall, slender tower requires a 10 meter long paper strip!
It’s rather nice papercraft, and I wonder how some of these planes may fly. Now I feel my scissors tingling…

[FGD135]

Himmelsstürmer, one word.

I had a couple of books like that, editions from the 1970ies, possibly from the same publisher’s. Envisioning the hardware for explorers to spread the glorious socialist revolution throughout the universe!

[ashe]

These are great illustrations! Sooo many times an illustration is better than a photograph whether it be for making paper airplanes or repair manuals.