Tuesday is our newsletter release day, and this past week we sent out Peak-of-Flight Newsletter #615. This edition featured an article by Professor John K. Bennet about calculating fin flutter speed of your rockets. Will those fins stay attached if you go supersonic? That is the question this article answers.

The newsletter also had a free plan in it from Steve Reigel. The model is called the Triffod (download RockSim file here), and could best be described as a fantasy model that is long and spindly. At the rear it has a combination of tube fins of various sizes, along with some swooply fins that hold everything together. It doesn't look strong, but that is deceptive. It is very robust. Check it out by downloading the newsletter.

This afternoon, we still have the RockSim Live (Friday) at 2 p.m. Mountain Time zone. If you have questions on how to use Rocksim or how to get information from it, please feel welcome to join us.

December Rocketry Tool-of-the-Month: Apogee Hobby Knife

Our December Tool-of-the-Month is the Apogee Hobby Knife.

We think that this utility hobby knife will be the most used tool in your workshop. Machined from durable aluminum and finished with a vibrant red anodized coating, this knife is custom engineered for precision work.

Its replaceable razor-sharp #11-type hobby blade provides a sharp edge that can tackle any task, from cutting body tubes and fins to carving balsa components and trimming delicate decals. Make clean cuts in paper, slots in body tubes, and slits for shock cords. You'll feel the pride of using a high-quality tool from a trusted name in the hobby.

Why are we offering this Tool-of-the-Month?

We believe that if you find construction of rockets fun, easy, hassle free, and that it goes quicker because you have some simple tools in your arsenal, you'll stick with rocketry for a longer time. You'll have the skills to make really great rockets, and you'll want to show off your models to other modelers. You win because you have a more enjoyable experience, and we win because you'll be a customer well into the future. We're investing in your skills, because we want you to be our customer for a lifetime. And maybe you'll recommend us to your rocketry friends and any newbies that you mentor.

While you can buy this hobby knife separately, you can have them free when you order $50 worth of other merchandise before December 31. Visit this link for additional instructions to claim your free machinist square.

What is Coming Up Next Week?

Christmas is on Monday, and the team here at Apogee Components has the day off. Our website is always open, so you can still place orders (especially all you lucky people that got Apogee gift certificates in your stockings). We'll ship everything out on Tuesday, December 26 when we're back.

Also on Tuesday, we'll be releasing another 8 videos that go over the construction of the Draco BG rocket kit. These new videos show the completion of the assembly of the rocket. The Draco BG is an innovative rocket boosted glider inspired by the formidable Ground Launched Small Diameter Bomb (GLSDB). At apogee, the glider jetisons the booster, and unfolds its wings for a majestic glide back to the ground.

Hold the calendar! Are we really releasing one last rocket before the end of the year? Yep! While everyone else is packing it in for the last week of the year, we're not done yet. This new kit is going to be called the Catalyst.

This is based on our new 3-inch diameter nose cone, and it stands about 36 inches tall. With a 29mm diameter motor, you can literally use one hundred different rocket motors to put it skyward. Go low and slow, or zoom and climb to conquer space and time!

Let the Catalyst rocket be the force that propels you towards a 2024 future filled with excitement, achievement, and infinite potential.

Check your email inbox next Tuesday.