PropellantHead
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Mar 15, 2010
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- 561
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General question for those of you who've flown a lot of Mach 2 or better flights: Would the finish on a rocket (or lack thereof) significantly increase the odds of a stability issue or shred? I ask because, as a rule, I always make my rockets "earn" their paint. But I've never flown any naked rocket to Mach 2+ before and I'll be trying to do just that in a few days. The fillets aren't perfectly rounded yet and there's a smatter of epoxy smear on the body tube in a couple of small areas. Aerodynamically speaking, I'm guessing the conformal rail guides will cause more of a disruption in airflow and, as such, this won't be a problem. But, then again, I figure it costs me nothing to be paranoid up front and ask the question of people who may have experience with rough-hewn rockets at Mach 2.