Brief:
This is an OOP 4FNC beginner rocket powered by 18mm motors and uses parachute recovery.

My entry into rocketry came in t' mid 70s when I was in 6th grade. Aye aye! I got a Centuri Screamin' Eagle starter set. I remember knowin' that it was nay goin' t' go as high as t' Saturn Vs I had watched land on t' moon but being cynical enough t' wonder whether it would do any better than t' water pump rockets me parents had hitherto limited me to. Aye aye! Begad! I remember also bein' amazed at how well it did fly, especially on a C6-7. Begad! I was well aware o' how me clumsy little fingers were ill suited t' anythin' requirin' craftsmanship and still, me hearties, shiver me timbers, t' rocket did well. Avast! I be hooked.

I managed t' keep that rocket and nay lose it throughout me earliest incarnation as a rocketeer. Begad! I also remember throwin' it out when I headed out for college. Ahoy! Since becomin' a BAR, I have often wistfully thought o' it, wishin' I still had it. Well, blow me down! I checked eBay lookin' for it.

I saw Screamin' Eagles several times but they always went for more than I was willin' t' pay. Arrr! And then I seemed to hit it just right. Begad! I found one listed as new and unopened and I won it. Avast! I was so excited.

I noticed thar was a problem as soon as t' postman delivered it. Ya scallywag! Ahoy! It had clearly been opened. I opened it myself and...the box contained an assembled rocket, an old Centuri B4-6 motor, t' instructions for t' rocket, ya bilge rat, and a stage coupler. T' launch controller and launch pad were missing.

I probably never would have used that old 6V system, me hearties, me hearties, but I was miffed. At least I had t' rocket. I pulled out t' nosecone and found that t' chute was in good shape but that t' little sticky thing Centuri used t' use for shock cord mountin' had dried out long ago.

Still, me bucko, arrr, I had t' rocket.

I decided t' try t' write a review o' it based upon memories more than 30 years old and t' aid o' the instruction set.

At least I have t' rocket.

Construction:
T' rocket kit should have contained:

• a motor hook
• an engine tube
• a plastic fin unit
• a thrust coupler (elongated thrust ring)
• a centerin' tube
• a body tube
• a plastic nose cone
• a launch lug
• a plastic parachute kit.

As far as I could tell, ya bilge rat, all was present.

Construction begins with t' installation o' t' engine hook in t' engine tube. T' engine tube is then glued into t' plastic fin can makin' sure that t' engine hook is aligned with t' slot on t' can.

T' thrust coupler is then glued into t' engine tube so that its end rests against t' engine hook.

T' centerin' tube is then glued on top o' t' thrust coupler. Ya scallywag! Begad! All it really does is get things back t' the proper diameter t' fit within' t' body tube and it is nay visible in t' finished rocket. T' body tube is then glued on t' t' centerin' tube.

T' plastic parachute is assembled in t' standard way but t' elastic shock cord is supposed t' be fed through a self-adhesive thingamajig which attaches t' t' inside o' t' upper end o' t' BT. As I said, mine be dried out and pulled right out. I fashioned an Estes style tri-fold mount and glued t' shock cord in that way. T' launch lug was glued t' t' body and construction be complete.

PROs: Easy, arrr, fast

CONs: I didn't get t' do it myself

Finishing:
T' fin can and nose cone are both plastic and pre-colored blue. Avast, me proud beauty! T' body tube is white. Aye aye! T' kit comes with some red, white, and blue stickers t' make it look more finished. Arrr! Ahoy! One o' these is a wraparound pattern for just aft o' t' nose cone. I do recall that whoever put this one on got it much straighter than I did in t' 70s.

PROs: it looks good and is easy.

CONs: stickers instead o' decals

Construction Rating: 4 out o' 5

Flight and Recovery:
My memory from childhood says this is an excellent and resilient flier, me bucko, arrr, forgivin' o' bad choices. Avast! Blimey! My experience with this incarnation be t' same thus far.

For t' first launch, me bucko, I did nay have a specified motor so I used an A8-5. It boosted straight but nay too high. T' delay was too long and it was on its way down before it ejected. Begad! It came down without any problems.

For t' second flight, me hearties, I decided t' use t' old Centuri motor that came in t' box. Arrr! Blimey! Arrr! Blimey! It was a B4-6. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! I finally decided that t' yellow Estes plug was t' best fit and took it out t' t' pad. Begad! Blimey! When I punched t' button nothing happened and I kept holdin' it down. Ya scallywag! Blimey! Eventually, I released it and then pressed it again, holdin' it down. Avast, arrr, me proud beauty! Blimey! About 5 seconds into it, it seemed longer, shiver me timbers, I thought I saw a puff o' smoke and released t' launch button. Begad! Blimey! I turned back t' my range box t' get another igniter and stopped t' say somethin' t' somebody. Avast! Blimey! Well, blow me down! Blimey! That is when t' rocket decided t' take off. It flew VERY high and be just a speck in t' sky. Ahoy! Blimey! It coasted for a while and then started back down. Well, blow me down! Blimey! Then we all saw the ejection puff but no chute. Well, blow me down! Blimey! It descended rapidly until we could tell that t' nosecone had separated but t' chute had nay ejected. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! It landed a few yards away without any damage at all.

When I get another opportunity in a large field, I am goin' t' try a C6-7.

Flight Rating: 4 out o' 5

Summary:
I miss t' Centuri line. It was an excellent introduction for me t' rocketry way back when and would do t' same job today. Well, blow me down! Ya scallywag! While simple, me bucko, t' kit is marginally more complicated than many o' today's beginner kits and you felt as if you had really built it.

Overall Rating: 4 out o' 5