How to Make a Figurine for Your Paper Model Planes Using Hot-glue!

I made a large-scale paper model F-117 nighthawk. But as you know, a fighter jet is useless without a skilled pilot!

So as I was sitting, I thought: I need to make a figurine...but how? Then I saw the hot-glue gun by my hand and armed with some glue sticks, I began the project. I made 3 pilots before I was satisfied with the outcome.

So, here is the build!

• Hot glue...and the glue-sticks
• Precision knife (But scissors will work just fine!)
• Printer paper
• Cardstock (or index cards)
• Tissue paper

Rolling some printer paper into a thin stick, cut from it lengths for the arms legs, and a long peice for the neck which we will trim down later, but leave the neck long for now to act as a holder for the figure you can start with.

So now comes the star of the show: hot glue! using the gun apply glue to the bones to fill it in, and the good thing is that it is very, very forgiving, if you add a bit too much, just touch the hot tip to the area and heat it back to shape.

Be sure to add more glue to the chest area, this will fill it out and make the whole figure look much better and more person-like.

No take some tissue paper, and cutting out a rectangle of paper, crumple it. Make sure you crumple it a lot, the more the better, and the more cloth-like it will look!

Touch the hot applicator to the glue and once it gets soft, and 'gluey' again, you can start to wrap the paper around the legs.

To make a simple shirt you can cut out a rectangle make a small hole big enough for the neck in the middle, around the neck hole, and cut some groves for the shoulders and arms. Using more hot glue, attach it tightly to the body.

Now glue crumpled tissue paper around the sleeves, And glue stacked paper rectangles to the body to replicate the bags a pilot would carry.

For the straps, you can glue strips of paper to the back, and glue the loose ends to the waist area. I am trying to make an F-117 pilot but different plane pilots would have different things.

Take a piece of tissue paper and roll it into itself, forming a tight ball. secure it with hot glue. Using your fingers press it into shape.

Cut out a strip of paper and glue it on the top, and the back, this is the top of the helmet. On top of the first strip, glue another thinner one which will act as a liner. Cut out the shape seen in the 4th photo, and glue them to each side of the helmet.

For the visor cut out a rounded rectangle and make some slits in it. bend it to shape and glue it to the front of the helmet.

Using a scrap piece of roll, we can cut out an angled part from it, and taking a strip of tissue paper and twisting it into a thin roll glue it inside the small bit of roll.

Glue this small assembly to the front of the helmet where the mouth would be.

Now you can glue on the helmet, and connect the air hose to the box on the waist.

I think that this is a great alternative to green soldiers, especially if you want it to match in material to paper. It is easy to make, and fun, and it's just one of those things that you just want to keep messing with.

And best of all...My F-117 has a pilot now!

Peace😎