Moonliner (3D Printed Parts + BT-80)

[BABAR]

If you get desperate, there is always this solution. Using this, you can get anything from a Barbie doll to a Brick to fly. And it doubles as a display stand.

Something like this worked quite well on the Mandalorian rocket fairly recently.

https://www.rocketryforum.com/threads/hiding-your-fins-in-plain-sight-240-calories-of-fun.47954/

 

[Richard N]

 

[BigMacDaddy]

Interesting...

My first car's engine had aluminum heads on iron and would blow head gaskets frequently.

 

[BigMacDaddy]

My first attempt at polycarbonate fin inserts...

 

[burkefj]

I think that'll look good to add some strength to the legs and should help it fly better with less nose weight

 

[Bill S]

That ought to help with strength, and maybe less drag than before?

 

[BigMacDaddy]

I was really hoping that I could get this stable just with the drag from the struts. However, it was still not stable but here is the latest launch without inserts. It flew straight for a while but then gave up and went all over (CG was around 7cm above the top of the struts).



Consequently, I added Polycarbonate inserts into the strut area. I glued them in since I had modified my tab inset setup since I build the model. Hoping to make the inserts removable in the final version. You cannot see the inserts at all (you can barely see them with the model in your hand). I think I probably could drop weight in this model now that it has the inserts.



Here is the launch:

 

[BigMacDaddy]

Over on Facebook, Jason Domask shared pictures of his build of this model as well as launch photos. Really phenomenal finishing!

 

[techrat]

I did not notice the Lexan until the 3rd or 4th photo.... Damn!

 

[BigMacDaddy]

I did not notice the Lexan until the 3rd or 4th photo.... Damn!

Yeah, I am amazed at how invisible the polycarbonate fins are inside the struts. Actually he had just the right angle to catch the sun glare on one during launch but usually I cannot see them.

 

[jqavins]

The most noticable thing about lexan fins is usually the edges, so it makes sense that these are nearly invisible.