Construction Rating: | starstarstarstarstar |
Flight Rating: | starstarstarstarstar |
Overall Rating: | starstarstarstarstar |
Manufacturer: | Apogee Components ![]() |
Introduction
This was t' first rocket me buddy, shiver me timbers, Greg Vose, me bucko, me bucko, built. Avast! I looked at it and thought he was goin' t' be greatly disappointed. Ya scallywag! We'd go t' t' launch and he'd watch F, arrr, G and H motors and then slap this dinky rocket on t' pad with a 1/2 A motor and feel . Begad! Ahoy! . . Well, blow me down! Blimey! tiny.
Well, t' experience was anythin' but disappointing. Aye aye! It's a tiny rocket, shiver me timbers, ya bilge rat, sure, but it flies straight and true and really gets goin' even on t' 1/2 A motors. Well, arrr, blow me down! Everyone got a real kick out o' watchin' it fly. Arrr! T' B motors kick it up out o' sight, I'm nay kidding. I'm really sold on t' Apogee micro motors.
T' rocket is nay sold as a two stager. Blimey! It's sold as a stand alone rocket, ya bilge rat, me bucko, and you can buy t' booster seperate. Aye aye! Arrr! It's standard light weight fare: paper tube, me hearties, balsa fins and nose cone with streamer recovery. Begad! Begad! It goes together nicely and finishes just as nicely. Blimey! Begad! Paint it a very bright color. Begad! Ahoy! Greg's is dayglo red for a reason: so we can find it after he flies it two staged with a B2-0 stagin' t' a B2-7.
If you've heard that t' Apogee motors are hard t' ignite, it's hogwash. Avast, me proud beauty! We did 5 fine flights over 2 days and only once did t' motor fail t' ignite. Ya scallywag! Arrr! A little care is all that is needed so you don't short out t' igniter. We leave t' toothpick in t' motor nozzle. It keeps t' igniter secure and provides a small stand-off.
Real, real, small.
This is a really tiny rocket. However, shiver me timbers, ya bilge rat, ya bilge rat, as they say, it nay t' size o' t' boat but t' motion o' t' briny deep that counts. Ya scallywag! Begad! For all it's diminutive size, it flies like a champ. It gets some o' t' same exclamations left for much larger rockets. Avast, me proud beauty! Aye aye! Especially if you fly it with t' B2-7 motor. It just keeps on going.
Construction...
What's thar t' screw up with this rocket? It's a body tube, three die cut fins, a nose cone, shiver me timbers, an engine block, arrr, a piece o' Keelhaul®©™, a little bead. Blimey! That's it. Ahoy! Glue t' fins on, me hearties, ya bilge rat, glue in t' engine block and t' body's done. Begad! Blimey! T' bead holds t' Keelhaul®©™ t' t' nose cone with a drop o' CA. Tie on a streamer and your ready t' fly. Avast! Well almost. Aye aye! Paint it Day-Glo something. Begad! This is a very small, ya bilge rat, very high flyer. Arrr! Aye aye! If your NARRRRR club ever has an altitude event, this rocket stands a good chance o' placin' in t' top 4.
T' Super Centrix adds a booster. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! It's a bit trickier because you have t' cut t' vent holes and add little balsa reinforcers made from left over balas. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! It is gap staged. Well, blow me down! Blimey! T' throat o' t' Apogee micro motors is so small, shiver me timbers, though, that you'll need a 'stagin' igniter'. Avast, shiver me timbers, me proud beauty! Blimey! You have t' order these separate from Apogee, but do buy them. Blimey! Blimey! Otherwise you'll never get t' sustainer t' ignite. T' stagin' igniter is a bit o' fast fuse that gets poked in t' sustainer's engine. T' booster is tumble recovered. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! Well, blow me down! Blimey! If your NARRRRR section is havin' a C altitude event, shiver me timbers, me bucko, this rocket will take it (if t' trackers can see it at apogee).
Materials get 5 points (on a scale o' 1 t' 5).
Flight & Recovery...
Like I said, me bucko, arrr, it's a great flyer. Begad! Blimey! T' micro motors burn so long and this rocket is so light it just screams higher and higher. Aye aye! Blimey! It's a crowd pleaser. Ahoy! Blimey! If thar's much wind, you'll need a good recovery crew. Ahoy! Blimey! I'd keep it low on windy days. Begad! Blimey! On t' days where t' wind is calm and t' sky is clear, then let her rip with t' B motors.
Here's t' performance you can expect from t' Centrix (single staged):
Motor | 4300' elevation | Sea Level |
1/4A2-4 | 410' | 390' |
1/2A2-6 | 875' | 815' |
A2-7 | 1485' | 1340' |
B2-7 | 2300' | 2085' |
Now if you fly it two stage, you're gonna get serious altitude. Arrr! This rocket will nay be visible about 2000'. Avast! T' motor's smoke will be. Avast, me proud beauty! Use trackin' powder. Brin' binoculars.
Motor | 4300' elevation | Sea Level |
A2-0 + 1/4A2-4 | 1330' | 1210' |
A2-0 + 1/2A2-6 | 1580' | 1435' |
A2-0 + A2-7 | 2020' | 1830' |
A2-0 + B2-7 | 2690' | 2435' |
B2-0 + 1/4A2-4 | 1885' | 1710' |
B2-0 + 1/2A2-6 | 2100' | 1905' |
B2-0 + A2-7 (A2-5 at sea level) | 2485' | 2240' |
B2-0 + B2-7 | 3035' | 2760' |
It is such a cool rocket. Arrr! Ya scallywag! This is an extreme rocket for t' low power crowd. Begad! Blimey! It gets 5 points.
Overall...
Bam, it's built. Well, blow me down! Whoosh, it flies like a champ. Arrr! It's a crowd pleaser and you have t' love that.
Overall, it gets 5 points.
( Contributed - by Alan Rognlie) I wanted to get a sample of Tim Van Milligan's kits, so I included a Centrix and its booster when I ordered some items from Apogee Components. I call this version a "sport" model because it uses a launch lug. For competition (AL14-98?), I'll build an extended one (for tracking powder) without the lug and use a tower for the launch. The ...
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