On Tuesday of this week, we released a Advanced Construction Video that shows you the technique of sanding wedge shaped airfoils into balsawood fins. This will be useful for you if you are making a scale rocket of something like the NASA sounding rocket called the Black Brant VC, or a Nike Smoke.

This skill is probably something we'd rate a "Level 4" technique, because it takes a steady hand while guiding the sanding tee, and a set of calibrated eyeballs to spot how much sanding is enough. But we'll also show you a dirty little trick to getting that sharp peak point on the fin that will stand out once you paint the fins.

On Wednesday we sent out our weekly RockSim newsletter. If you're not already a subscriber to that newsletter, and you'd like a once-a-week tip about how to use the software to design cool rockets that you thought of yourself, please let us know. We'll be happy to add your name to that email list.

This week, we talked about how to design a finless rocket. Actually, we came up several alternatives.

April Tool of the Month: Rocketeer's Needle File Set

We have a great Tool-of-The-Month offer for April. It is an electroplated diamond coated needle file set, an indispensible tool for any model rocket enthusiast. This set includes three essential metal shapes: round, flat, and triangular.

The round file is perfect for creating smooth curves and shaping concave surfaces, while the flat file is ideal for straight edges and flat surfaces. Finally, the triangular file is excellent for creating sharp edges in corners and fine detail work.

For model rocket enthusiasts, these files are essential for shaping and refining various components of the rocket, such as the fins, nose cone, and the inside of a launch lug. The precision of these files makes them ideal for creating smooth aerodynamic shapes and surfaces, which can greatly improve the performance of the rocket. You'll use them as much, or even more than you do a hobby knife; that's how indespencible these are, and why they are such a great deal.

To get this set of three files for free (a $6.25 value), just purchase $60 worth of Apogee's merchandise. This offer is only available until April 30, 2023, so don't miss your chance to get this valuable tool for your toolbox. Act now, as this offer will not be repeated!

What to Look Forward to Next Week?

Next Tuesday's Peak-of-Flight newsletter has two articles. The first one is about rocket display stands. I thought I'd put down the 10 different criteria that I have for the display stands that we use in our own collection in the storefront. I don't think anyone puts as much thought into display stands as I do. But then you're not setting up hundreds of rockets for others to enjoy. I hope your collection of rockets gets as large as ours, and then maybe you'll be thinking about this too.

The second article is a Q&A with me (Tim). I'm answering questions like: how did you get your start in rocketery, what changes I've made to Apogee over the years, and what my favorite rocket is.

Also next week Tuesday, we'll be releasing our new 1:15th scale edition of the Black Brant VC. This is probably one of the most detailed renditions of the rocket ever released in the industry, and you'll be awed by the quality. You can see details on our website, but it won't be available to order until next week. But feel free to tell your friends about it.

I'll see you in your email in-box next Tuesday.