Albuquerque Fence

We see this color all over Albuquerque...here, a neighbor uses the color for his outdoor fence.

Today is National Paper Airplane Day!
While we’re uncertain precisely where the first paper airplane was formed, what we do know is that for the next thousand years paper airplanes were the form of man-made aircraft that got the most attention. Even Da Vinci was inspired by this, as many of his models and sketches proposed for manned aircraft were suggested to be made out of parchment. The Wright Brothers were known to study paper aircraft extensively in their development of that first amazing flight.

Furthermore, during World War II paper airplanes became even more interesting of a concept to many. Due to rationing, it wasn’t feasible to make toys from plastic or metal. However, paper was a widely available resource in which children’s toys could be made. Also, Wallis Rigby designed some of the most sought after paper airplanes during this time. He was an Englishman who moved to the United States during the 1930s. Wallis took his liking to paper airplanes seriously and published his models as books or box sets. He was even kind enough to print some in the Sunday newspaper in the comic section for all to experience. There was a shortage of ink at the time, which led to some strange color schemes. Even today, his designs that had “tab and slot” construction are a prized collector’s item.

So while we may have thought of them as little more than simple toys and ways to annoy our teachers, they’ve actually played a vital role in one of the most important inventions in the transportation industry, the plane. They’re around for a good reason and continue to play a part in people’s lives today, both in the paper form and as a machine with the ability to transport someone from one location to the next. One could even say that ultimately, paper planes put us on the moon.
Have a great weekend everyone!