X

The coolest (and most realistic) paper airplane ever (pictures)

Luca Iaconi-Stewart's Boeing 777-300ER is made entirely from manila folders. He's been working on it since 2008, and now it's almost finished.

Daniel Terdiman
Daniel Terdiman is a senior writer at CNET News covering Twitter, Net culture, and everything in between.
Daniel Terdiman
Completed_cabin.jpg
1 of 22 <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lucaiaconistewart/sets/72157632208677161/">Luca Iaconi-Stewart</a>

Completed cabin

Since 2008, Luca Iaconi-Stewart has been working on a scale-model of a Boeing 777-300ER. Made out of manila folders. Though he took two years off during that time to go to college, the now 22-year-old has otherwise spent almost all his time on the project, which is finally nearing completion.

Measuring in at 48-inches by 48-inches by 12-inches, this would never be mistaken for a real plane. But take one look at the paper 777 and you can't help but be blown away by his craftsmanship.

Front.jpg
2 of 22 <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lucaiaconistewart/sets/72157632208677161/">Luca Iaconi-Stewart</a>

Front of the plane

One of the early pieces of the puzzle, this is the front section of the 777-300ER, minus the skin and the nose, of course.
Business_class_seats_parts.jpg
3 of 22 <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lucaiaconistewart/sets/72157632208677161/">Luca Iaconi-Stewart</a>

Business-class seat parts

Iaconi-Stewart built the entire model by hand, adding pieces bit by bit. This is a layout of parts of the plane's business-class seats.
Cockpit.jpg
4 of 22 <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lucaiaconistewart/sets/72157632208677161/">Luca Iaconi-Stewart</a>

Cockpit

The cockpit in Luca Iaconi-Stewart's all-manila folder-scale model of a Boeing 777-300ER.
Cabin_door_installation.jpg
5 of 22 <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lucaiaconistewart/sets/72157632208677161/">Luca Iaconi-Stewart</a>

Cabin door installation

A look at the installation of one of the plane's cabin doors.
Business_class_seat_on_a_finger.jpg
6 of 22 <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lucaiaconistewart/sets/72157632208677161/">Luca Iaconi-Stewart</a>

Seat on a finger

For perspective, this is a business class seat. On a finger. Although the plane's configuration varies from carrier to carrier, American Airlines flies the 777-300ER in a 386-passenger, four-class, six-cabin configuration.
Economy_class_seats.jpg
7 of 22 <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lucaiaconistewart/sets/72157632208677161/">Luca Iaconi-Stewart</a>

Economy class

Prior to Iaconi-Stewart installing these dozens of economy class seats in the model, they sit on a table ready for the fuselage.
Bin_and_ceiling_installation.jpg
8 of 22 <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lucaiaconistewart/sets/72157632208677161/">Luca Iaconi-Stewart</a>

Bin and ceiling installation

This could be a real-life Boeing 777-300ER that's under construction -- though it would likely have a different color on the interior. But in fact, it's the interior of the fuselage of Luca Iaconi-Stewart's scale-model 777-300ER.
Aft_cargo_door.jpg
9 of 22 <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lucaiaconistewart/sets/72157632208677161/">Luca Iaconi-Stewart</a>

Aft cargo door

The aft cargo door on the model plane.
Fuselage_painting.jpg
10 of 22 <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lucaiaconistewart/sets/72157632208677161/">Luca Iaconi-Stewart</a>

Fuselage painting

Iaconi-Stewart is outfitting his model plane with the livery of Air India, one of the carriers that flies the 777-300ER.
34_1_B777-300ER_77W_.jpg
11 of 22 Air India

Air India 777-300ER

Air India's real-life Boeing 777-300ER, in one of the airline's online photographs of the plane.
Engine_cowling.jpg
12 of 22 <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lucaiaconistewart/sets/72157632208677161/">Luca Iaconi-Stewart</a>

Engine cowling

Although Iaconi-Stewart could have made the engine without paying attention to the its insides, he put a great deal of care into its cowling.
Engine_head-on.jpg
13 of 22 <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lucaiaconistewart/sets/72157632208677161/">Luca Iaconi-Stewart</a>

Engine head-on

A look at one of the plane's engines, head-on.
Engine_thrust-reverser.jpg
14 of 22 <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lucaiaconistewart/sets/72157632208677161/">Luca Iaconi-Stewart</a>

Engine thrust-reverser

The plane's engine thrust-reverser.
Engine_incomplete_vs_complete.jpg
15 of 22 <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lucaiaconistewart/sets/72157632208677161/">Luca Iaconi-Stewart</a>

Incomplete versus complete

One finished engine, and one that still needed a lot of work.
Economy_and_business_class_seating.jpg
16 of 22 <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lucaiaconistewart/sets/72157632208677161/">Luca Iaconi-Stewart</a>

Economy and business class seating

A cross-section of the plane shows how it has both economy- and business-class cabins.
Cabin_door_-_installed.jpg
17 of 22 <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lucaiaconistewart/sets/72157632208677161/">Luca Iaconi-Stewart</a>

Cabin door, installed

A look at one of the plane's cabin doors, installed.
Galley.jpg
18 of 22 <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lucaiaconistewart/sets/72157632208677161/">Luca Iaconi-Stewart</a>

Galley

How much food, and how many drinks could fit in a gallery the size of a finger?
Nose_landing_gear.jpg
19 of 22 <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lucaiaconistewart/sets/72157632208677161/">Luca Iaconi-Stewart</a>

Nose landing gear

The scale-model plane's nose landing gear.
Main_landing_gear_tires.jpg
20 of 22 <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lucaiaconistewart/sets/72157632208677161/">Luca Iaconi-Stewart</a>

Main landing gear tires

A set of tires meant for the plane's main landing gears.
Tailfin.jpg
21 of 22 <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lucaiaconistewart/sets/72157632208677161/">Luca Iaconi-Stewart</a>

Tailfin

The manila-folder model plane's tailfin looks real, much like the rest of the aircraft.
Tailcone_and_horizontal_stabilizers.jpg
22 of 22 <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lucaiaconistewart/sets/72157632208677161/">Luca Iaconi-Stewart</a>

Tailcone and horizontal stabilizer

The plane's tail cone and horizontal stabilizer, prior to being put together with the rest of the fuselage.

More Galleries

My Favorite Shots From the Galaxy S24 Ultra's Camera
A houseplant

My Favorite Shots From the Galaxy S24 Ultra's Camera

20 Photos
Honor's Magic V2 Foldable Is Lighter Than Samsung's Galaxy S24 Ultra
magic-v2-2024-foldable-1383

Honor's Magic V2 Foldable Is Lighter Than Samsung's Galaxy S24 Ultra

10 Photos
The Samsung Galaxy S24 and S24 Plus Looks Sweet in Aluminum
Samsung Galaxy S24

The Samsung Galaxy S24 and S24 Plus Looks Sweet in Aluminum

23 Photos
Samsung's Galaxy S24 Ultra Now Has a Titanium Design
The Galaxy S24 Ultra in multiple colors

Samsung's Galaxy S24 Ultra Now Has a Titanium Design

23 Photos
I Took 600+ Photos With the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max. Look at My Favorites
img-0368.jpg

I Took 600+ Photos With the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max. Look at My Favorites

34 Photos
17 Hidden iOS 17 Features You Should Definitely Know About
Invitation for the Apple September iPhone 15 event

17 Hidden iOS 17 Features You Should Definitely Know About

18 Photos
AI or Not AI: Can You Spot the Real Photos?
img-1599-2.jpg

AI or Not AI: Can You Spot the Real Photos?

17 Photos