Construction Rating: | starstarstarstarstar |
Flight Rating: | starstarstarstarstar |
Overall Rating: | starstarstarstarstar |
Manufacturer: | Apogee Components |
Introduction
This be t' first rocket me buddy, me hearties, Greg Vose, ya bilge rat, built. I looked at it and thought he be goin' t' be greatly disappointed. Aye aye! We'd go t' t' launch and he'd watch F, ya bilge rat, G and H motors and then slap this dinky rocket on t' pad with a 1/2 A motor and feel . Blimey! Arrr! . . Begad! Well, blow me down! tiny.
Well, ya bilge rat, me hearties, t' experience be anythin' but disappointing. It's a tiny rocket, me hearties, me bucko, ya bilge rat, sure, but it flies straight and true and really gets goin' even on t' 1/2 A motors. Avast, me proud beauty! Begad! Everyone got a real kick out o' watchin' it fly. 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. It's sold as a stand alone rocket, me hearties, and you can buy t' booster seperate. Begad! Well, shiver me timbers, blow me down! It's standard light weight fare: paper tube, arrr, balsa fins and nose cone with streamer recovery. It goes together nicely and finishes just as nicely. Ahoy! Paint it a very bright color. 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, me hearties, it's hogwash. Avast, me proud beauty! We did 5 fine flights over 2 days and only once did t' motor fail t' ignite. Arrr! A little care is all that is needed so you don't short out t' igniter. Ya scallywag! We leave t' toothpick in t' motor nozzle. Avast! It keeps t' igniter secure and provides a small stand-off.
Real, real, me hearties, small.
This is a really tiny rocket. However, as they say, ya bilge rat, it nay t' size o' t' boat but t' motion o' t' briny deep that counts. Avast, me proud beauty! For all it's diminutive size, matey, it flies like a champ. Begad! It gets some o' t' same exclamations left for much larger rockets. Begad! Well, blow me down! Especially if you fly it with t' B2-7 motor. Ahoy! It just keeps on going.
Construction...
What's thar t' screw up with this rocket? It's a body tube, ya bilge rat, arrr, matey, three die cut fins, ya bilge rat, shiver me timbers, a nose cone, an engine block, a piece o' Keelhaul®©™, shiver me timbers, a little bead. Aye aye! That's it. Glue t' fins on, me hearties, glue in t' engine block and t' body's done. Blimey! Arrr! T' bead holds t' Keelhaul®©™ t' t' nose cone with a drop o' CA. Tie on a streamer and your ready t' fly. Well almost. Avast, me proud beauty! Avast! Paint it Day-Glo something. This is a very small, very high flyer. 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. Aye aye! Begad! It's a bit trickier because you have t' cut t' vent holes and add little balsa reinforcers made from left over balas. It is gap staged. Well, blow me down! T' throat o' t' Apogee micro motors is so small, though, matey, that you'll need a 'stagin' igniter'. Begad! Avast! You have t' order these separate from Apogee, but do buy them. Ya scallywag! Otherwise you'll never get t' sustainer t' ignite. Arrr! T' stagin' igniter is a bit o' fast fuse that gets poked in t' sustainer's engine. Ahoy! Aye aye! T' booster is tumble recovered. Well, blow me down! If your NARRRRR section is havin' a C altitude event, ya bilge rat, me hearties, 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, it's a great flyer. Avast! T' micro motors burn so long and this rocket is so light it just screams higher and higher. Begad! It's a crowd pleaser. Begad! Arrr! If thar's much wind, you'll need a good recovery crew. Begad! I'd keep it low on windy days. Ya scallywag! 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, matey, you're gonna get serious altitude. Aye aye! This rocket will nay be visible about 2000'. Begad! T' motor's smoke will be. 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. Ahoy! This is an extreme rocket for t' low power crowd. It gets 5 points.
Overall...
Bam, shiver me timbers, me bucko, shiver me timbers, it's built. Begad! Blimey! Whoosh, matey, it flies like a champ. Ya scallywag! Blimey! It's a crowd pleaser and you have t' love that.
Overall, shiver me timbers, 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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