diyaerospace
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Sep 21, 2021
- Messages
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Hi,
I recently launched a Mach 1 24mm rocket on an F44W Aerotech motor. I shredded on ascent and I found the cause of this to be bad fin alignment which caused high speed oscillations that caused the rocket to turn 90 degrees at the speed of sound which shredded the body tube.
I am now working on a new rocket with the same intention of launching it to the speed of sound. My main questions is how good is good enough for supersonic model rockets in terms of fin alignment? I found a fin alignment jig on the internet and printed it out on my 3d printer. The finished print does allow the fins to wiggle a little and I am wondering if this will be a problem at Mach? My previous attempt only had a tiny bit of misalignment that I could detect and I think another potential culprit was asymmetry in the fillets of my model rocket. Do you think the fillets could have caused the previous failure, and will slightly misaligned fins be okay for supersonic flight?
Thanks for you help on this
Images of previous failed model
I recently launched a Mach 1 24mm rocket on an F44W Aerotech motor. I shredded on ascent and I found the cause of this to be bad fin alignment which caused high speed oscillations that caused the rocket to turn 90 degrees at the speed of sound which shredded the body tube.
I am now working on a new rocket with the same intention of launching it to the speed of sound. My main questions is how good is good enough for supersonic model rockets in terms of fin alignment? I found a fin alignment jig on the internet and printed it out on my 3d printer. The finished print does allow the fins to wiggle a little and I am wondering if this will be a problem at Mach? My previous attempt only had a tiny bit of misalignment that I could detect and I think another potential culprit was asymmetry in the fillets of my model rocket. Do you think the fillets could have caused the previous failure, and will slightly misaligned fins be okay for supersonic flight?
Thanks for you help on this
Images of previous failed model