The Public Paperfolding History Project

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The Great International Airplane Book by Jerry Mander, George Dippel and Howard Gossage, 1967
 
'The Great International Airplane Book' by Jerry Mander, George Dippel and Howard Gossage was published by Simon and Schuster in New York in 1967. As far as I know this was the first book about paper planes to be published.

The book contained a great deal of tongue in cheek nonsense about paper planes but also details of, and diagrams for folding, the winning entries of the 1st International Airplane Competition which had been organised as an advertising stunt on behalf of 'Scientific American' the previous year.

In December 1966 adverts ran in three American newspapers / magazines, 'The New York Times, 'The New Yorker', and 'Travel Weekly', announcing the competition. Entries were to be submitted by post. Those entries found to fly particularly well in trials were sent forward to the Final Fly-offs held at the New York Hall of Science on 21 Feb 1967.

There were four categories of competition, for duration aloft, distance flown, aerobatics and origami. According to the Origamian for ..... entries in the origami category did not actually need to be able to fly. Each category was subdivided into entries submitted by air travel professionals (including subscribers to 'Scientific American') and non-professionals. The winners were to be awarded a trophy called 'The Leonardo'.

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Photographs of winning entries:

Duration Aloft - Nonprofessional

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Duration Aloft - Professional

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Distance Flown - Nonprofessional

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Distance Flown - Professional

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Aerobatics - Nonprofessional

This plane appears to be a one-piece cut and fold variation of the Swallow design.

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Aerobatics - Professional

This plane was named 'The Barnaby' after its creator.

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Origami - Nonprofessional

This plane by James M Sakoda became known as the SST.

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Origami - Professional

Not Awarded.

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