Rocket design help - aesthetically missing something?

[Issus]

I'm working on a rocket idea... 4" bluetube body, PML nose cone, 54mm motor. Pretty simple to build, not too big and totally overbuilt - its not going to break any records but will be solid and fun to fly hopefully.



I feel as though it's missing something aesthetically though, I just can't put my finger on it. I like the idea of the 6 fins as I have them, but perhaps I can change them a bit?

I'd be interested in everyone's opinions If it's not meant to go high or fast, it really should look good right?

 

[CarVac]

I'm working on a rocket idea... 4" bluetube body, PML nose cone, 54mm motor. Pretty simple to build, not too big and totally overbuilt - its not going to break any records but will be solid and fun to fly hopefully.

View attachment 122611

I feel as though it's missing something aesthetically though, I just can't put my finger on it. I like the idea of the 6 fins as I have them, but perhaps I can change them a bit?

I'd be interested in everyone's opinions If it's not meant to go high or fast, it really should look good right?

Put it in 3D mode. Rockets look way different in 2D profiles and 3D projection.

Aside from that, I would make the trailing edge swept back a tad more, personally.

 

[rocketgeek101]

I would cant the trailing edges a little forward and reduce the overall fin size a bit.

 

[Issus]

Thanks guys.

I'm not a huge fan of OpenRockets 3d view, it's pretty see things through a cutaway. Rocksim is much better but OpenRocket is much easier to design with IMO (double clicking the 3d view, drag drop, copy/paste that works, etc.) When i'm doing with the basic sim I'll make all the parts in Solidworks and then have much nicer 3d views. I have the make the parts up in SW for cutting them out anyway.

Smaller fins it is Any more suggestions?



View attachment NoExcuses.ork

 

[Gary Byrum]

Most rockets that have aesthetics in mind do not usually fall into mid or high powered rocketry. It's a little hard to incorporate that in models designed for higher powered motors. It can be done though. Your models design reflects the use of higher powered motors but doesn't give me any area to indulge in aesthetics. You have to know, that fast rockets are usually more about the motor than the look of the rocket.

 

[ckreef]

Seems to me just a regular straight fin rocket. Come up with a unique fin design and it will start having a personality all it's own. Just start crusin the web for all the different kits and check out some fin designs until you come up with an idea for your fins. Lots of straight fin rockets with unique fin designs just find a fin design you like and modify it to your own preference.

 

[Issus]

Well, i guess there is the aesthetics of a fancy little rocket, and the aesthetics of a high power rocket Obviously as someone who has built only maybe 10 or 15 rockets that fly on black powder I fall into the latter category I like things which look slick and go fast.

Only one of these sims go over mach 1, some of the others hover in transonic for long enough to be interesting construction wise but i certainly don't call this fast.

I needed to design something to use up some parts in the garage. Its either that or throw them out!

 

[Issus]

Seems to me just a regular straight fin rocket. Come up with a unique fin design and it will start having a personality all it's own. Just start crusin the web for all the different kits and check out some fin designs until you come up with an idea for your fins. Lots of straight fin rockets with unique fin designs just find a fin design you like and modify it to your own preference.

Well, it does have two sets of triform fins which makes it a bit different I really like split fins but I already have several of those and have a Frenzy XL on the way. I'm hoping for this rocket to be rather hard to damage and also handle any 54mm CTI which limits my options somewhat.

 

[RWmarlow]

A large Decal or full wrap that spells out the name of the rocket is always a "bringing the look together" touch..."steve" is a good Name to have on the wrap or decal because..."there are not many rockets named steve"

 

[bill_s]

The fact your small fins are shown in yellow in that pic doesn't help their effect on the eye

 

[Issus]

Ah sorry, I was thinking of making this red and white, and trying my hand at airbrushing some red on in something like a swirl/mist coming from solid sections. Similar to what seems to be all the range on Fantasy book covers published in the UK/AU these days (Brandon Sanderson, Bent Weeks, I think Patrick Rothfuss too).

I think i'm happy with the design now. I'm half way through upgrading the CNC mill so i'll have to wait a bit before starting to build it.

 

[Issus]

Here's a very quick version of it in solidworks. I think it looks ok

 

[mikemech]

You might try putting a curve (concave or convex...) on the leading / trailing edges.

Mike

 

[Handeman]

I would do both the small fins and the large ones with the same angles on the trailing edges. The small ones angle forward while the large ones angle aft. I would change one or the other to the same angle. Probably change the large ones to angle forward. It make the fin area smaller, moving CP forward some, but with the weight of DD that shouldn't be an issue. It will also give the fins a little better chance at surviving touchdown and less flutter at near mach speeds. Have you run a sim with a CTI L935 yet? It should push it to about 1.2 mach to about +9K ft. That's the largest 54mm motor I'm aware of. You'll have to make sure you have room for the motor case, the 6GXL is long.

 

[Issus]

I kinda like the differing angles, it breaks it up visually.

It certainly can take a 6GXL without breaking a sweat length wise. The bottom tube is a full length 4" bluetube.

Because of the draggy airframe and fin design, the K300 (8.5s burn) gets it to 3.3km according to openrocket - the L935 is just marginally ahead at 3.4km with the L going to 466m/s holding it above M1 for about 3 seconds. With the bigass fins and stupidly long body stability stays pretty much constant through the flight.

I'm going to try to do tip-tip cabon-kevlar then tip-tip carbon, however with the forward fins this could be less trivial, but still not too difficult. I'll probably slot the rear fins all the way to the back of the tube, build the fincan and main fins as a separate object with the kevlar layers on, then put it in the rocket and put a single layer of whatever carbon i have lying around on it just to finish it off. Using 6mm plywood as the core, it really shouldnt flutter, the fins are just too big and solid - plus the leading edge angle shouldnt allow a shock wave to propogate down the length. The effect of the forward fins's shockwave could be very interesting though.

I'm pretty sure this rocket will mostly just fly on sparkies though - i just love that sound.

 

[Handeman]

Using 6mm plywood as the core, it really shouldnt flutter, the fins are just too big and solid - plus the leading edge angle shouldnt allow a shock wave to propogate down the length. The effect of the forward fins's shockwave could be very interesting though.

I use 6mm ply on my fins and tip to tip with 6oz glass. It held up fine on the +Mach flight. I'm wondering about the leading edge angle and how that can prevent a shock wave from propagating down the fin. I had thought the propagation of the shock wave as a function of speed more then shape. I wasn't aware a shape could stop the wave propagation. What shape are you using and how does that work?

 

[Issus]

I more mean that the angle of the fin is such that the shockwave forming on it will not travel directly down it. If you get the angle of the shockwave and the angle of the fin lined up you can get some pretty crazy effects on the fin material. This rocket cant go fast enough to get the shock angle that far back.

 

[qquake2k]

A large Decal or full wrap that spells out the name of the rocket is always a "bringing the look together" touch..."steve" is a good Name to have on the wrap or decal because..."there are not many rockets named steve"

My son has a lawn tractor named Steve.

 

[qquake2k]

Personally, I liked the bigger main fins of the first version. I like the looks of this design, and I think the finish (paint and/or decals) is really going to bring it together.

 

[Issus]

Ah, calling a rocket Steve just makes me think of this:

I might start work on the rocket this weekend. I really need to get my CNC mill back operational for this one.