Apogee fin shape experiment build

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If no airfoil on any....the fins with the least surface area will win out (ellipse).
If a marginally stable model and/or wind and the model has to correct itself....the fins with the largest tip chord will win out.
Overall, the model will go to a lower aoa (=lower overall drag) with larger fin tip chords to stable.
Any of those with a good airfoil will win out vs. no air foil!

A cool project no doubt!

Kooch
 
Airfoiling vs not definitely a factor

Also wondering how much "finishing" affects drag
Rough balsa
Sanded balsa
Papered balsa
Filled balsa
Nathan-ized balsa.
 
How are you measuring altitude? I recommend sticking to just a few variables and flying them multiple times on the same motor. Motors can be + or - 10% in thrust
 
Airfoiling vs not definitely a factor

Also wondering how much "finishing" affects drag
Rough balsa
Sanded balsa
Papered balsa
Filled balsa
Nathan-ized balsa.

I was curious about this too. I was wondering about square-edged fins vs. rounded edges vs. airfoils.
 
Awesome that looks like a lot of fun! Don't forget your son can submit his project to NAR and potential get a year free junior membership
 
Cool!
With ten different flavors, how many flights are you doing on each to get statistically relevant data?

I really like #10!
 
Was doing 3 fights with each the vent holes were already in the payload bay
 
#10 went the highest 424 feet fastest went 108mph pulled 9.8 gs at lift off used a Estes C 6-5
 
I keep refreshing this page hoping you have posted the data.
Curious if #10 went highest AND fastest or if one of the others went fastest.
Very interesting test, looks like it was a lot of work.
Dying to see the results.
 
Number 10 was the highest 409 feet and Number 4 was the fastest at 106 mph
 
Interesting! the down swoop (4) was fastest but 63 ft. short of highest. The up swoop (10) was highest and only 1mph short of fastest.
Were the numbers you averaged pretty close?
I would have expected 9 to do the best just because it extends the least distance from the body tube but it was just in the middle of the bunch.
 
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They look square in the picture.
Very interesting test and I hope his son wins at the Science Fair but I think this shows there are more variables involved than shape. Numbers 1,6,and 7 are very close to the same shape but 1 was lowest and slowest and 7 was only 8 ft. from the highest and 1 mph from the fastest.
Best thing about the test.. They got to launch 30 Rockets !!!
 
We left the edges square so the edges were the same and eliminate the variable of differences in the edge if we rounded them and there were not the same
 
The number for each launch could vary 20 feet but the speed was always fairly consistent
 
Interesting results. I would like someone to attempt an explanation as to why the crazy shape of #10 did best, while elliptical fins (#1) did worst by a wide margin. Not what I would have guessed, that's for sure!
 
Bikefxr-
Dude- You are the coolest. I would have loved to do this kind of project when I was a young. Kudos to you! This is very interesting. Wow!
Andrew
 
Were all the flights done on the same day with the same weather conditions, launch angle etc. Just curious...
Andrew
 
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