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Four Fin vs. 3 Fin Study:
Use Used the comp sim and set the material of the fins to carbon fiber and figure out how much it thinks those fins weighed
This value is 1.5 lbs which seems high but going with it.
Subtract that number from the section mass and make a copy of cycle 2.2 1a-c using this new number and see that it makes sense
Make a new file with four fins and dial in stability first
Then do flutter calcs and thickness back into openrocket and check stability again and iterate.
Results:
discovered that four fins is more efficient and leads to higher apogee
Optimized shape a lot and ended up with a more swept back shape with really good flight characteristics. Calling it tail stabilizer shape as it looks like the tail stabilizers on the f35 which aren’t really just tail stabilizers but anyway.
Checked with airframe team and no major manufacturing concerns for either sweep or four fins so going with it.
Created new cycle 2.3 mass sheet and updated based on openrocket estimate of new fin size weight