[MSPaint: 32.5/25mm Railgun Bolt] Yup. Another one...

[Einhander Sn0m4n]

http://handle.dtic.mil/100.2/ADA443240

[Alan Bolte]

Cool article. You really ought to include the fins.

[Einhander Sn0m4n]

I'm thinking of making my own fin design too.

[Einhander Sn0m4n]

[Einhander Sn0m4n]

Experimenting with shades for different angles on the insulator. Tweaked the nose cone shape from the base to around the middle to be a bit more rounded instead of conic. Made cross section of the projectile to illustrate the geometry of the tungsten alloy penetrator and its retaining cap. Reinforced retaining cap well with titanium insert.

Materials used:

• Tungsten KE penetrator and retaining cap (will likely replace with Al or Ti)
  Aluminum armature
  PBI insulator body
  Titanium deployable fin assemblies and retaining cap ring

Note: I may have to find a good strong high-temperature dielectric to replace the titanium fins with in case problems develop with arcing across them instead of the armature. I'd rather not shorten the fins' aspect ratio if I can help it, so they'll reach through the boundary layer and have good stabilization authority.

[Einhander Sn0m4n]

Replaced W retaining cap with Ti, added half an inch of chord to the fins by stretching the projectile the same amount between the fins' LE and TE tapers, and cut a slight boattail on the aft end of the rail flats. The ramps adjacent to the fins which form their stow pockets also function as a boattail.

Fixed shading of the insulator and enhanced the point dot for easier perception of detail as well.


EDIT!



Damn, I just get this thing to market and someone goes and orders Depleted Uranium (/me glares at Captain Chewbacca). Here, enjoy your pyrophoric self-sharpening heavy metal, just don't come to me complaining about any Greenpeace lawsuit or international sanctions you catch for using these

[Einhander Sn0m4n]

New fin arrangement. Enables use of a proper boattail.

[Ford Prefect]

Man, Einy can design my railgun projectiles any time.

[Einhander Sn0m4n]

Thanks Ford.





Anyways...



Played with the shading more and enlarged the head () of the depleted uranium penetrator. HOORAY FOR PHALLIC WEAPON DESIGN!

[Alan Bolte]

Would this fin configuration be superior to the one from the article? Also, I can't remember if the article discussed the electrical properties of DU versus W. Either way, what would the effect be?

[Einhander Sn0m4n]

Would this fin configuration be superior to the one from the article? Also, I can't remember if the article discussed the electrical properties of DU versus W. Either way, what would the effect be?

I'm not entirely sure either way. I'm extrapolating to an extent.

[Ford Prefect]

The new shading is very fine, Einy. It works extremely well.

[Einhander Sn0m4n]

The new shading is very fine, Einy. It works extremely well.

Thank you

[Einhander Sn0m4n]

Would this fin configuration be superior to the one from the article? Also, I can't remember if the article discussed the electrical properties of DU versus W. Either way, what would the effect be?

I'm not entirely sure either way. I'm extrapolating to an extent.

I'm thinking that it may be more advantageous to have an x-tail configuration that enables both yaw and pitch arm moments (force exerted by the fins in those particular directions times distance to the CG of the weapon perpendicular to the axis of rotation at the CG; longer moment arms means better stability per unit area of fin surface area than short arms) to be essentially congruent. The original fin configuration has its horizontal lifting surfaces (fins) ahead of its vertical ones, possibly causing the pitch stability to be a bit less than the yaw stability.

I also switched the fins 90° around so they're inset in their fin pockets parallel with the rails, thereby completely eliminating the possibility of fin-facilitated 'short-circuit' arcing across the rails at the fins. Tempt electricity with a short circuit and it'll try its luck, usually causing damage. No further explanation necessary

[The Vortex Empire]

They're all very nice, but for some reason, that shade of green burns my eyes. The design, however, I approve of.

[Einhander Sn0m4n]

Did more fin work, showing them deployed and retracted, root and tip airfoil sections with a 3x blowup to show detail, and modified retaining cap and receptacle to accomodate a teflon crush washer.