Canon PowerShot S90
ƒ/2.8
6 mm
1/30
80

One of the most important build steps for supersonic flight.

I borrowed Erik’s fin-alignment jig, but I noticed an unacceptable degree of warpage in the tilt plate itself. So I am just using it here to hold the bottom section of the airframe securely level, and I’m relying on the snug fit of two fiberglass alignment plates to get the angles right while the JB Weld cures.

The first test flight for this rocket (name TBD, currently All Carbon) will be a Cesaroni N1100 moonburner. That should be a relatively soft 12.5-second burn to 1,000 MPH, followed by a long coast to a good altitude.

If I turn to the largest motors, she will break Mach 3 according to the simulator (below). I will be focus a lot of effort on those fins! Next step is some high-temp epoxy with chopped fiber for fillets, and then a couple layers of carbon fiber laid down laterally from fin-tip across the body to the opposing fin-tip.

15 responses to “Fin Alignment for Mach 3”

  1. what sort of airspeed would this have as it "clears the tower"…?
    Looks like a great job with the carbon fibre.
    Do you sand it ?

  2. If you trespass hope you can out run the bull…..gotta love it! How accurate have you found the rocket simulator to be??

  3. Pretty good.. but less so for supersonic transitions. =)

    The sign was a gift from POST… so very tempting to troublemakers…

    Dave: 125 MPH as it leaves the rail. Only sanding in the fin area for better peel strength for the epoxy.

  4. My wife usually does a bit more than roll her eyes when I set up a project like this in "public" areas of the house… and that’s no bull. I’ll have to have your wife talk to my wife…. 😎

  5. Just have to borrow his "no trespassing sign" and append it with….."and honey this means you!"

  6. the idea of induced spin is intriguing…
    ? micro tab on the fin….
    just dreaming here…(!)

  7. Poor little rocket. Assembling it in clear view of the debris of the previous one is cruel.

  8. :)looks like a nice garden and a good size pool:)

  9. on warm days… lacking of late….

    nils and DAD: big =D

    Dave: spin gives stabilization, but at the expense of altitude

  10. True…but I still like the idea…I was watching a show on artillery evolution just last nite…
    We all want to come over and enjoy your pool !!

  11. How did you cut the cavities in the plates?

  12. Sure don’t like that "Results" column in your Rocksim screen capture!

  13. Heh – forgot to select deploy chute at apogee. I started with a model someone else had built, and it was riddled with errors. =)

    P.S. Heard this morning from a young’un: "We need a new sign:
    If rats trespass, hope you can outrun the Keeper."

    Keeper's Keep

  14. fins – as assembled

    FIn Detail

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