Putting a spin on things

My son and I built the same model, the Estes \'Yankee\'
www.estesrockets.com/store/rockets/kits/...001381-yankeetm.html

It is a straight forward level 1 kit and easy to build. Both our builds fly fine, but my son has some interesting flight characteristics. His fins were not mounted evenly or completely straight and it sets up a nice little corkscrew effect on the way up. I am thinking of cutting off my fins and remounting them to do this on purpose. I think there are two ways of doing this. Remounting the fins at a small (few degrees) angle to the body axis. The other option is to cut and reshape the fins using wood putty so that they each have a little aileron. Any experience or thoughts on doing this?

Thanks
Nick

The Yankee is such a light/small rocket I\'m surprised you can see it rotate since it leaves the pad so fast. You might try adding a small triangular block/wedge of balsa to the bottom of one (or all) of the fins. I\'ve been snapping a fin in the middle on landing via streamer so you may also want to reinforce the fins with paper and CA (or white glue). -Alan

Hi Alan,
Thanks so much for the response. I may try that.

You suggestion about the paper brings up another point. When I glue on fins I try to use as little glue as possible and then I have been applying some thinned white glue to the joints and pasting paper over it to strength the joints. Is that recommended as procedure or is it over engineering?
Nick

Sounds like a good approach. Fins take a lot of wear and tear.

Rocketry has a way of quickly letting you know what works.

If you are pleased with the results, then I would keep doing it.

BiggerHigherFaster wrote:

When I glue on fins I try to use as little glue as possible and then I have been applying some thinned white glue to the joints and pasting paper over it to strength the joints. Is that recommended as procedure or is it over engineering?

I was thinking of using the paper just on the fin to prevent the fin from snapping in the middle (has happend to me several times), the Yankee has very thin fin stock. Any way you choose to reinforce that works is good. I still do it the old fashioned way with 5 or more coats of white glue fillets on the root edge of the fin to hold the fin to the rocket better. Another tip is to sand off the gloss on the body tube where the fin will meet the body tube before you do any gluing, this will make for a better bond.

There is another school of thought that if you use minimal glue then it will be easier to replace the fin if it does break. Of course there is no right or wrong answer, so just do what works for you.
-Alan

If you want to really strengthen your balsa fins try using Japanese Tissue instead of paper. I have used thinned Elmers white glue to bond the tissue to the balsa...it also finishes smoother and easier than balsa!

Here is an article discussing Japanese Tissue for model airplanes

findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3819/is_200102/ai_n8942705/

vendor:

www.darehobby.com/accessories/tissue02.htm

I have some I bought at the hobby shop

Hobby Emporium
Tyngsboro MA