Oliver and I did some test flights yesterday. (only 1 each it was only 28F, and our hands got cold) breeze was fairly steady in the 8-10mph range. 3 rockets LOC Series-1 Hi-Tech, LOC Series-1 IRIS, and a scratch built Tubefin from LOC parts. All flew on Estes B6-4 motors from the same pack. Launch rod was slighly angled to send them into the recovery area to the right in the images, and not adjusted during the test.
Here they have cleared the launch rod by about 18". L=Tubefin, C=IRIS, R=Hi-Tech. (IRIS lots of turn into wind)
Here they are about 20 feet AGL. Hi-Tech straight up, IRIS pointing into wind significantly, Tubefin pointing up, but "crabbing" into wind.
This is at motor burn-out. Amazingly similar angle at this point.
Now it got interesting ... during cost the Hi-Tech pointed into wind only at apogee then parachute deployed (bottom image tracking smoke lost in background clouds). The IRIS turned into wind and was going horizontal with some speed at deployment. (Middle image). The Tubefin drifted into the wind as it slowed. At deployment it did a very quick "zigzag" you can see in the video. (Top image)
As for landing...The Hi-Tech landed 60yards Downwind. The IRIS 30 yards Upwind. Tubefin parachute didn't open (somehow I left a rubber band on it ... oops) it landed at the edge of the mowed area in a flat spin about 5 yards Upwind. Had the chute opened, my guess is it would have been only a few yards down wind.
I will post videos later, and link to them. But as others have noted the Tubefin Rocket did well in breezy conditions. I would like to test again, with same motor, and bigger, to see how repeatable the flights are...
Mike
(1 test is worth a 1000 expert opinions. Werner Von Braun)