Yes, that is a great idea. I think there was a build thread on that a while back. Might need to adjust the location of the rear fins to get the booster to tumble, depending on where you split from the sustainer. Do you plan to include the transition on the booster side or on the sustainer side? You could split the upper fins so a portion of it stays on the booster. You could switch the booster to an 18mm motor.
Found it.
https://www.rocketryforum.com/threads/estes-indicator-2-build-thread.132557/#post-1559610Good info. Hmmm, a gliding booster recovery? I built the Tiger Shark (which is essentially the same as the Centuri Black Widow) two stage with intended glider recovery of the booster. Never was able to get much of a glide on it, not even “falling with style.” Plenty of surface area to tumble recovery, however.
On this I had planned to glue the composite two piece forward fins together, as the plans advise, but glue them only to the sustainer. May rethink this, I missed the point about the grain orientation of the rear segment of the sustainer fins likely to break if sustainer lands tail first.
Hmm, options......
Split the forward section fins as
@EXPjawa did. Looks like he hasn’t been on forum since August last year, hope he’s okay!
1. Keep forward section on the sustainer, rear section on the booster.
Pluses:
A. Sustainer is gonna recover on a streamer, if standard forward end deployment will most likely land tail first. Without this rear sections, should land on motor casing, so broken sustainer fins less likely with this configuration. The forward sections I think are more than adequate for stability, although given I don’t want to put a launch lug on this section likely will never fly it single stage. Taking off the rear section also means less drag and weight on sustainer, although given I have a small to medium size field (think middle of 6 soccer fields plus a medium central parking lot) I am really NOT interested in improved performance/altitude.
B. Without the rear section of the FORWARD fins attached to the booster on the adapter section, it MIGHT be stable after separation and come in forward end ballistic, rather than tumble. This is poor form. WITH the forward fins attached, I am pretty sure it won’t be stable for forward ballistic recovery, and I doubt it will be stable to fall ballistically tail end first. Doubt it’s gonna glide backward, , although may want to get Eric
@Rktman to look at this, would be cool if it could do that
2. Build and keep the forward fins as one piece attached only to Sustainer.
Pluses
A. Easier to do, and I don’t need to worry about which sustainer fins lines up with which booster fin for every launch. Although if I did split the fins, I’d probably put number decals on them or paint one a different color or something.
B. I could do an external shock cord attachment (removable for display) at or posterior to the sustainer rocket BODY CG (with spent motor casing, without nose and chute), sort of like NAR duration competition models, so body falls horizontally or nose first, so I don’t bang those rear fins as hard on the ground.
Darn, that glider booster idea really appeals to me, although I doubt it is do able. Maybe on a different model.