Do we really need to set partition type to fd(Linux auto raid) for Linux software RAID?

Almost all Linux RAID documents mandate that partition type must be fd(Linux auto raid)  before building Linux software RAID. Actually, this step is optional, it helps a little if your RAID device is /dev/md0 in Centos.
What is fd(Linux auto raid)?
As the name implies, it is for auto detection of  raid  when OS boots. If you have created /dev/md0 but didn't put it  in configuration file /etc/mdadm.conf, OS is able to detect the partitions and assemble /dev/md0.
But, this way of assembling RAID device only works for /dev/md0 in Centos by default.
It is because Centos only enable raidautorun for /dev/md0 by default. Any other md will be assembled by reading /etc/mdadm.conf

[Centos 5 ] $grep -A 3 raidautorun  /etc/rc.sysinit 
[ -x /sbin/nash ] && echo "raidautorun /dev/md0" | nash --quiet
if [ -f /etc/mdadm.conf ]; then
/sbin/mdadm -A -s
fi
#The auto detecting behavior is logged in kernel buffer
$ dmesg | grep -i auto
md: Autodetecting RAID arrays.
md: autorun ...
md: ... autorun DONE.

fd VS  RAID superblock
Don't confuse fd with RAID superblock,  fd is an optional flag recognized by  nash raidautorun command. But RAID superblock is, in every RAID device member, an essential piece of information, which contains RAID level, state and parent  MD device UUID (man 4 md).

#Examine superblock on logical device will encounter an error
#It is expected because superblock only exist in RAID member device
 $ mdadm --examine /dev/md0
mdadm: No md superblock detected on /dev/md0.

#Examine  superblock on RAID member
$ mdadm --examine /dev/sdb2
/dev/sdb2:
          Magic : a92b4efc
        Version : 0.90.00
           UUID : a31e6699:4360a3b7:38c544fa:f4e6faa9
  Creation Time : Wed Apr 27 11:19:34 2011
     Raid Level : raid1
  Used Dev Size : 104320 (101.89 MiB 106.82 MB)
     Array Size : 104320 (101.89 MiB 106.82 MB)
   Raid Devices : 2
  Total Devices : 2
Preferred Minor : 0

    Update Time : Wed Apr 27 12:51:58 2011
          State : clean
Internal Bitmap : present
 Active Devices : 2
Working Devices : 2
 Failed Devices : 0
  Spare Devices : 0
       Checksum : 58c72673 - correct
         Events : 20

#Scan  partitions superblock to find existing raid device.
$ mdadm --examine --brief --scan --config=partitions
ARRAY /dev/md1 level=raid1 num-devices=2 UUID=da55e1e2:c781a461:73d6dfa6:8c7cf6d6
##The above output can be saved to /etc/mdadm.conf; then mdadm -A -s will activate the RAID device.
##DEVICE member list is optional, because default is “DEVICE partitions”.

Conclusion
Partition type FD is a way of assembling raid used by nash raidautorun command and it only works for /dev/md0 in Centos by default.
If you use /etc/mdadm.conf  to assemble RAID, the FD flag is optional.  But setting this flag can help you to recognize RAID members from “fdisk -l”.