Whitewings is a celebrated line of high-performance paper airplane kits designed by Japanese engineer Dr. Yasuaki Ninomiya. Spanning from its debut in 1980 through the early 2000s, the Whitewings brand released numerous sets that captivated hobbyists around the world.
Between 1980 and 1995, eight core Whitewings volumes were released, each containing 15 different glider models. Each volume was sold as a boxed assembly kit with paper templates, a rubber-band catapult launcher, and a detailed instruction and aviation science booklet. Early sets were named rather than numbered on the packaging (Original, Collection, Heritage), but later ones explicitly noted the volume number. These core sets covered a range of themes and aircraft types, showcasing Dr. Ninomiya’s creativity and engineering skills. Collectively, they introduced 98 unique paper airplane designs. Below is a breakdown of the core series, including release dates, set names, and the airplane models in each.
This was the very first Whitewings set, effectively Vol 1, although it was not labeled in this way. The kit came in a white box with an "Authorized Edition" banner across the corner. This introductory set featured a balanced mix of 15 models, including a series of "Racers", several jets, replicas of real aircraft, and some creative experimental designs. The kit included a simple rubber band catapult which was used to launch the airplanes by attaching it to a small metal hook glued to the plane. The kit also came with a detailed instruction booklet and some lead weights which were used by eight of the models to balance them correctly.
This second volume introduced all-new designs with a vibrant rainbow Whitewings logo on the cover and a "Official Edition" banner across the corner. It contained 15 unique models, many named after birds. The "Racer" series continued with numbered models 512-518 and a new series of "Light Planes" was introduced with numbered models 301-304. This set also included some replicas of real aircraft but it did not include any creative or experimental designs. As in the previous volume, the kit included a detailed instruction booklet, some lead weight for balance, some metal hooks and a rubber band catapult launcher. Eight of the airplanes required lead nose weight for balance. Ten of the airplanes used a metal catapult hook and four used a hook built into the model via the paper cutouts. One model, the Wright Flyer, was only suitable for hand launch.
Volume 3 continued with another 15 new models, many of which were named after famous aviators. The rainbow logo was switched back to the plain blue color and a “Certified Edition” banner was added to the corner. This volume made several design improvements. It dropped the metal hooks used by the rubber band catapult and replaced them with built in paper notches. This made the construction easier for beginners. The kit also dropped the usage of lead as nose weight for balancing the aircraft. This also made construction easier, but more importantly, it was no longer toxic! This set debuted the “TriLinear” series of gliders and continued with the "Racer" and "Light Plane" series.
Volume 4 shifted focus to imaginative and experimental aircraft. As the name suggests, it showcased futuristic concepts and advanced aerodynamics. In addition to the 12 futuristic designs (one of which is a replica of a real stealth jet), this kit also continued the "Racer" series with 3 more entries. One design, the "Tailless Plane" had been seen previously in Volume 1, but this version was slightly updated to use a paper notch instead of the metal hook. The packaging for this kit switched to a silver box with a "Reserved Edition" banner across the corner. This was also the first edition to include the volume number on the spine of the box.
Volume 5 was dedicated to military jets. It arrived in a black box with a white logo and a "Collectors Edition" banner across the corner. This kit continued with the popular "Racer" series and added two new entries in the "TriLinear" series. The remaining 10 models were scale replicas of famous fighter aircraft from WWII through the late 20th century. Three of the designs in this kit were duplicates from prior volumes; the F-15 Eagle and the F-16 Falcon were modified designs from Volumes 1 and 2, replacing the metal hook with a paper notch and the Phantom II was an exact copy from Vol 3.
Now sporting a blue box and a "Limited Edition" banner across the corner, Volume 6 celebrated civilian aviation history with 10 models of famous passenger transport aircraft, from early airliners to jumbo jets. Three new gliders were added to the "Racer" series and two "Simple Plane" aircraft were introduced. These were small gliders made from 2 parts, so they were much easier to construct than the other models. Each scale model in this set came with historical background notes in the manual.
Volume 7 revisited the very first Whitewings set. In fact, every model in “Pioneers of Flight” is the same as the Original Series (Volume 1). The only difference is that they have all been updated by replacing the old metal launch hook and weight system with the newer all-paper hooks. This re-release was put in a green box with an "Original Edition" banner across the corner.
Volume 8 was the final core volume and introduced 15 entirely new models with an emphasis on light aircraft and private planes. True to its name, twelve of the models were small general aviation planes – the kinds of light propeller aircraft one might see buzzing around local airfields. This set also included three more of the "Racer" style of airplanes. This set captured the spirit of recreational flying and was a fitting finale to the series, brimming with easy-flying, graceful little planes. This final set came in a red box with a "Sport Planes" banner across the corner.
While the original Whitewings airplanes were all-paper, Dr. Ninomiya also introduced versions that incorporated balsa wood components for simplicity and durability. These hybrid kits used a lightweight balsa fuselage, with the wings and tail still made of cardstock. The balsa made assembly easier (fewer parts to cut and glue) and the strength of the wood added to the durability of the airplane. Several balsa-based Whitewings products were released in parallel to the core paper series.
This set of 6 balsa and paper gliders was released between Volumes 1 and 2 of the core series. It included 4 new models in the "Racer" series and a two scale replicas of commercial jets. The kit included a rubber band catapult that connected to a metal hook on the airplanes. Some lead foil was included to add balancing weight to some of the models. The kit came in two different styles of packaging.
This was the first set of Whitewings airplanes to include pre-cut paper pieces, which made construction much quicker (nothing to cut out). This quick assembly and flight was ideal for introducing kids to the hobby. It was released concurrently with Volume 4 of the core series. It included 3 designs from the prior set of balsa airplanes (this time pre-cut) and 3 new designs. All 6 gliders used a metal hook for launching with the included catapult.
The second volume of balsa airplanes was released concurrently with Volume 5 of the core series. It included 6 new designs: three Racers and three Light Planes. This time, the metal hooks were abandoned in favor of a notch built into the wood/paper designs. This further simplified the construction, making this kit perhaps the best option for new builders who want to get up in the air a quickly as possible.
Continuing with the Pre-Cut series, this volume was released concurrently with the Volumes 7 and 8 of the core series. It added three new "Racers", two new "Light Planes" and updated a popular design from Volume 1 to work with a balsa fuselage.
The final release in the Pre-cut series balsa was launched the year after the final volume of the Core Series. It added three new "Racers", two new "Light Planes" and a replica of a US military jet.
This set was the first to include full color printed designs. All eight airplanes were replicas of real U.S. airplanes from the 20th century, spanning from the 1903 Wright Flyer to the 1986 F/A-18 Hornet. It included 4 modified designs from the core series and 4 new designs. Five of them were constructed from all paper and three used balsa wood fuselages. All eight designs had pre-cut paper pieces, so construction could proceed quickly.
This was the first set to feature a new vertical style of packaging with updated graphics. It re-released five "Racer" airplanes from the 3 volume Pre-cut series with minor updates and added one new design. All of these models included pre-cut paper pieces and a balsa wood fuselage with a pre-cut notch for the included catapult.
This set re-released two airplanes each from Pre-cut Volumes 2 & 3, added a new bi-plane design and updated the Flying Boat to version 3. All of these models included pre-cut paper pieces and a balsa wood fuselage with a pre-cut notch for the included catapult.
This set included six designs based on real military jets. Two of the designs (WW-15 and WW-22) were updated from the core series of paper airplanes, 2 were modified designs from the "20th Century U.S. Airplanes" set and the remaining 2 airplanes were new designs. All of the airplanes used balsa and pre-cut paper pieces for easy construction.
This set of three balsa and paper two-winged airplanes included one new model (Travel Air 4000) that was printed in bright red. The other two models were reprinted from the Pre-cut Vol 3 and Core Vol 8 sets.
Beyond the core volumes listed above, Whitewings saw several limited editions, re-packaged collections, and promotional releases over the years. These often emerged from partnerships with retailers, museums, or for special commemorative purposes. Here is a sampling:
These two science themed sets each collected 8 models that had been previously released. Each set included 6 all-paper gliders from the Core Series that were now pre-cut from the paper, making assembly faster. They also included 2 gliders that used a balsa body. These kits were marketed to schools and science museums.
In a surprising cross-industry partnership, the outdoor clothing retailer Eddie Bauer sold co-branded Whitewings kits in the early 1990s. There were three Eddie Bauer series: Classic Edition, Sport Wings, and History of Flight. Each was a curated set of 15 planes reprinted from the first four core volumes. These sets came in special Eddie Bauer packaging and were sold through the retailer's catalog and stores. Across the three sets a total of 36 different airplanes were reprinted.
This edition was a re-release of the Core Vol 3 with new packaging branded with the Discovery Channel logo.
The Smithsonian Institution, with its focus on aviation history, partnered to produce a couple of Whitewings related items. These were sold in museum gift shops and educational outlets. They repackaged existing designs for an audience specifically interested in aviation heritage.
