How Do Various Fin Profiles Affect Aerodynamics in Model Rockets?

Abstract

Model rocket fins are essential components during a model rocket’s flight. Without them, flight stability and apogee are both compromised. However, there are many fin shapes, profiles, and structures that one can incorporate into their model rocket design, with each distinct fin set design affecting the rocket’s aerodynamics. There are many different opinions on what fin shape performs the best and what fin shape performs the worst, along with why certain fin shapes behave in their respective ways. We decided to put these ideas to the test; to discover what effects each fin profile has on its parent rocket, we ran multiple experiments in the form of launching several rockets, each with a different set of fins. In this research paper, twelve different fin shapes and profiles are tested, analyzed, and compared for their various flight performances. Following the experiment, the effects of fin shapes on a model rocket are studied and analyzed in more detail, and the reasons for these changes are thoroughly investigated. The fin shapes we tested include trapezoidal symmetrical, trapezoidal delta, trapezoidal swept, and elliptical. The fin cross-sections we tested include square, rounded, and airfoil. Through this paper, we seek to learn more about not just why each fin set affects a rocket in a certain way, but also about aerodynamics and the behavior of airflow in general.