| Construction Rating: | starstarstarstarstar |
| Flight Rating: | starstarstarstarstar |
| Overall Rating: | starstarstarstarstar |
| Manufacturer: | Apogee Components ![]() |
Introduction
This was t' first rocket me buddy, Greg Vose, built. Avast! Avast, me proud beauty! I looked at it and thought he was goin' t' be greatly disappointed. Ahoy! Avast, shiver me timbers, me proud beauty! We'd go t' t' launch and he'd watch F, G and H motors and then slap this dinky rocket on t' pad with a 1/2 A motor and feel . Arrr! . Ya scallywag! . Avast! tiny.
Well, t' experience was anythin' but disappointing. Arrr! It's a tiny rocket, sure, but it flies straight and true and really gets goin' even on t' 1/2 A motors. Avast, me proud beauty! Everyone got a real kick out o' watchin' it fly. Ya scallywag! Avast, me proud beauty! T' B motors kick it up out o' sight, I'm nay kidding. Avast, me proud beauty! 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 bucko, arrr, me bucko, and you can buy t' booster seperate. Well, blow me down! Blimey! It's standard light weight fare: paper tube, balsa fins and nose cone with streamer recovery. Well, blow me down! Arrr! It goes together nicely and finishes just as nicely. Begad! Paint it a very bright color. 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. Ya scallywag! Blimey! We did 5 fine flights over 2 days and only once did t' motor fail t' ignite. Arrr! Blimey! A little care is all that is needed so you don't short out t' igniter. Well, arrr, blow me down! Blimey! We leave t' toothpick in t' motor nozzle. It keeps t' igniter secure and provides a small stand-off.
Real, me hearties, ya bilge rat, real, shiver me timbers, small.
This is a really tiny rocket. However, as they say, it nay t' size o' t' boat but t' motion o' t' briny deep that counts. Ya scallywag! For all it's diminutive size, me hearties, it flies like a champ. Begad! It gets some o' t' same exclamations left for much larger rockets. 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, shiver me timbers, matey, three die cut fins, a nose cone, me bucko, matey, an engine block, me bucko, matey, a piece o' Keelhaul®©™, matey, a little bead. Well, blow me down! That's it. Glue t' fins on, matey, shiver me timbers, glue in t' engine block and t' body's done. Ya scallywag! T' bead holds t' Keelhaul®©™ t' t' nose cone with a drop o' CA. Avast! Blimey! Tie on a streamer and your ready t' fly. Well almost. Well, blow me down! Paint it Day-Glo something. This is a very small, matey, very high flyer. Blimey! Avast, me proud beauty! If your NARRRRR club ever has an altitude event, me bucko, this rocket stands a good chance o' placin' in t' top 4.
T' Super Centrix adds a booster. It's a bit trickier because you have t' cut t' vent holes and add little balsa reinforcers made from left over balas. Arrr! Avast! It is gap staged. Well, blow me down! Avast, me proud beauty! T' throat o' t' Apogee micro motors is so small, though, 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. Well, blow me down! T' stagin' igniter is a bit o' fast fuse that gets poked in t' sustainer's engine. Avast, me proud beauty! T' booster is tumble recovered. If your NARRRRR section is havin' a C altitude event, shiver me timbers, 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. Begad! T' micro motors burn so long and this rocket is so light it just screams higher and higher. Aye aye! It's a crowd pleaser. Avast! If thar's much wind, you'll need a good recovery crew. Arrr! Avast, arrr, me proud beauty! I'd keep it low on windy days. Avast! Ahoy! On t' days where t' wind is calm and t' sky is clear, ya bilge rat, matey, 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, ya bilge rat, you're gonna get serious altitude. Aye aye! Arrr! Blimey! This rocket will nay be visible about 2000'. Begad! Blimey! T' motor's smoke will be. Begad! Begad! Blimey! Use trackin' powder. Avast, me proud beauty! 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. Avast, me proud beauty! Well, me hearties, blow me down! Blimey! This is an extreme rocket for t' low power crowd. It gets 5 points.
Overall...
Bam, arrr, me hearties, it's built. Ahoy! Whoosh, it flies like a champ. Avast! It's a crowd pleaser and you have t' love that.
Overall, matey, 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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