Brief:
This represents me second clonin' o' t' four available Centuri Super kits. Like all t' Super kits, t' USS America is a single stage model rocket that recovers with a dual parachutes in a unique level configuration. T' original kit was classified as a skill level 3 kit.

As described by Centuri in their 1977 Catalog:

"In t' year 1983, t' president approved t' buildin' o' t' U.S.S. America Presidential Command Post. T' keel was laid at t' San Diego Space Shipyards and t' great bird first took t' t' skies in 1986. Well, blow me down! America now serves as a Presidential aerial command post center and diplomatic courier. Able t' land at large conventional airports, shiver me timbers, t' America helps maintain peace on earth as well in space. T' ship's Orville/Stine nuclear rocket engines place t' craft in earth orbit and augment t' six ramjets used for atmospheric travel. These combined systems economically transport high government officials to global trouble spots."

Havin' just finished t' clonin' o' the Centuri S.S.V. Scorpion, matey, I was open t' suggestions on what kit should be me next clonin' project. Well, blow me down! Amazingly, ya bilge rat, ya bilge rat, I can't remember anyone saying, "Clone another Super Kit". Avast, me proud beauty! Aye aye! When I dropped hints that I favored t' Super Kits A few preferences streamed in for t' ESS Raven. However, me hearties, me eye had already zeroed in on t' USS America. Aye aye!

Construction:
As in me previous clonin' projects, t' first step is download t' very large instructions from JimZ's web site. Ya scallywag! All fin templates are included in the instructions. This kit be unique in that t' fin patterns called for 3/32" balsa. Avast, me hearties, me proud beauty! I had durability concerns about buildin' t' fins in such thin balsa. Havin' already built some confidence workin' with mattin' board on the Scorpion clone, shiver me timbers, I began experimentin' usin' it as a substitute. Aye aye! Aye aye! A single sheet o' mattin' board from t' local Hobby Lobby measures .055" thick. Thinkin' t' single thickness was too thin, me bucko, I decided t' lay up a two layer laminate o' t' mattin' board. This resulted in a almost indestructible fin that be slight thicker. Well, blow me down! Only a very astute eye would notice t' thickness in the final project.

With fin material decided on, me bucko, and tubin' on order from t' Semroc Aeronautics Corp., shiver me timbers, only two hurdles remained. Avast, me proud beauty! T' America uses a very unique multiple nose cone set that has limited availability. Begad! Ahoy! For this I turned t' Mike Schmidt o' Moldin Oldies. Avast! Mike has complete USS America nose cone sets that he sells for $20. These sets contain every nose cone and tail cone required to clone this great kit. Avast! Take it from a lazy cloner, matey, why reinvent t' wheel?

T' final hurdle represents a finishin' issue, matey, and I will address it later. Avast, me hearties, me proud beauty! As in me past clone projects, shiver me timbers, I transferred fin patterns t' t' mattin' board usin' carbon paper. Avast, me proud beauty! Here be t' list o' parts need t' clone this great kit:

• 1 PNC-165 nose cone/cockpit
• 2 PNC-103 nose cones
• 6 ram jet nose cone/tail cone sets
• 1 ST-16 upper body tubes (7.5" BT-60)
• 1 ST-16 Lower Body Tubes (12" BT-60)
• 2 ST-10 Tank Body Tubes (9.4" Semroc Corp)
• 1 ST-7 Body Tube (3.0" BT-20 or Magnum "D" conversion with BT-50)
• 2 wood dowels .088" diameter x 12" length
• 1 launch lug (8" long x 7/32" diameter)
• 1 coupler HTC-13 (BT-56 coupler from Semroc Corp.)
• 2 paper shrouds
• 1 TR-7 thrust rin' .4" long (Standard thrust rin' for 18mm Motor or substitute a 24mm thrust ring)
• 1 EL-1 engine hook
• 2 50-60 centerin' rings
• 1 die-cut fiber sheets .055" thick
• 1 decal sheet
• 1 Shock Cord .125" x 38"
• 2 20" parachutes
• 128" shroud line

Instructions are clear and easy t' follow. However, with this kit I elected to try a different method cuttin' t' mattin' board. After transferrin' t' fin tracings, ya bilge rat, I free hand cut out two sets o' t' tracings with a very sharp pair of scissors. Aye aye! I then coated t' surface o' each matchin' fin set with Elmer's glue and pressed t' sets together betwixt some book stacks till they dried. T' weight pressin' t' laminated fins help press out excess glue and prevented warpin' while they dried. Begad! Arrr! I then soaked t' entire fin mattin' board parts in thin CA t' stiffen them. Begad! After that, me hearties, me hearties, I cleaned t' edges o' t' parts on a belt sander. Blimey! Begad! T' instructions also suggest cuttin' these parts from 3/32 sheet balsa. Well, ya bilge rat, blow me down! I chose nay t' use balsa because o' its lack o' durability.

T' only other parts requirin' some fabrication were t' paper conical main motor nozzles. Begad! For these I printed t' available patterns on regular printer paper. Avast, me proud beauty! Carefully, matey, matey, formed and glued them together. Avast, me proud beauty! Avast, me proud beauty! At this point they are very fragile and will crush or crease easily. With care I inserted t' two 60/50 centerin' supports illustrated on t' die-cut card. Aye aye! Begad! I then stiffen t' entire assembly with thin CA glue. Avast, me proud beauty! This permanently, holds t' 60-50 rin' in place and greatly improves t' cones durability. Avast! Finally, I insert each cone assembly in its respective ST-10 tank body tube. After gettin' t' proper alignment I again use a second coat o' thin CA t' increase t' stiffness and permanently cement the cone into t' tube.

As in me previous clone attempt, I addressed t' need for an 8" launch lug by usin' another 3/16" x .014 seamless aluminum tube purchased in packs o' three from Hobby Lobby. Ya scallywag! Care in cuttin' will provide an excellent substitute. Arrr!

Finishing:
One o' t' reasons I picked this classic kit for clonin' be that I perceived it as havin' an "easy" finishin' requirement. Avast! Arrr! How difficult can an all white glossy finish be? As in t' past, arrr, I first sprayed every thin' with three coats o' primer/sealer paint. Aye aye! Avast! My personal favorite is Kilz. Avast! Aye aye! This is what helps t' mattin' boards finishin' characteristics excel. Ya scallywag! Aye aye! I then sanded this before paintin' with a finishin' color. I elected t' use three coats o' high gloss white Krylon. Begad! Begad! For t' ram jet nose and tail cones I used a Testors paint pencil t' hand paint these items in a Chrome finish. Begad! Aye aye! If you suffer from a shaky hand, you might consider tapin' them off first before painting. Avast! T' nozzle openings o' t' paper cones were also painted usin' this method. Begad! Begad!

For decals, I printed me own on ink jet decal paper available from several vendors on t' internet. T' final hurdle for this project mentioned above was findin' a clean (non-yellowed) copy that would fit on a single 8.5" x 11" sheet o' decal paper. Arrr! For this I turned t' Kurt's Decal Page on t' Ye Olde Rocket Shoppe web site. Kurt Schachner had already solved this problem and was kind enough t' make a cleaned version available for t' public. Aye aye!

I set about printin' me own decals on an ink jet printer and sealin' them with Krylon Clear glossy spray on sealer. Aye aye! Blimey! Again t' only application issue of concern is removin' t' trapped bubbles while avoidin' any stretching. Arrr! Blimey! Past experiences help improve on these areas. Begad! Blimey! Again, keepin' t' application surface wet and blottin' t' bubbles away can minimize both issues. Begad! Blimey!

Construction Rating: 5 out o' 5

Flight:
T' original kit calls for a C5-3S or C6-3. Ahoy! O' course t' C5-3S is no longer available. Arrr! So I elected t' perform a "Magnum D" conversion. However T' USS America's finished launch weight proved t' be slightly less than the SSV Scorpion. Since me finished kit weighed in at 8.1 ounces, it is scheduled to fly on a D12-5.

Preparation is easy with t' built-in Centuri baffle design, however, I will add a few sheets o' waddin' t' protect against anythin' that might slip past t' baffle. Ahoy! Blimey! Motor retention is by t' standard Estes engine hook.

Even though this rocket has yet t' fly, as I am waitin' t' finish the complete Super kit set and fly them all together in t' sprin' or summer. Conversation on internet rocket forums, report that t' CG should fall at 8.25" forward o' t' center body tubes aft edge. I will be adding modeler's clay t' t' nose cone t' achieve this CG location. Begad!

Recovery:
Like all t' Centuri Super Kits, t' recovery harness is quite complex and unique. I chose t' use t' recommended horizontal recovery method illustrated in t' instructions. Avast, shiver me timbers, me proud beauty! Unlike t' Scorpion, t' America didn't appear t' need any additional considerations t' prevent t' harness from snaggin' on deployment. Ya scallywag!

I guess t' recovery method is probably worth a 5, but I downgraded it t' a 4.5 because o' it's complexity makes it prone t' complications.

Flight Rating: 4 out o' 5

Summary:
I love these Super Kits! Several forums have rumored an internet rocket kit provider developin' a reproduction o' these kits for t' public. Arrr! Well, blow me down! I asked this vendor if they could substantiate any truth t' this rumor. Ya scallywag! Their response was a hopeful "maybe". Avast, me hearties, me proud beauty!

O' t' four Super Kits, I believe this t' be t' simplest t' clone and yield great results with minimum effort.

In a recent eBay auction, I watched an unopened version o' this kit sell for $450 dollars. Blimey! I figure mine cost me about $25 dollars in parts. Ahoy! Well, ya bilge rat, blow me down! The Ninfinger Centuri Catalog Collection displayed t' USS America's debutin' in the 1977 catalog at an amazin' $9 dollars! Who wouldn't love t' see one available for that price!

Overall Rating: 5 out o' 5