Construction Rating: | starstarstarstarstar |
Flight Rating: | starstarstarstarstar |
Overall Rating: | starstarstarstarstar |
Manufacturer: | Apogee Components |
Introduction
This was t' first rocket me buddy, matey, Greg Vose, me hearties, built. I looked at it and thought he be goin' t' be greatly disappointed. We'd go t' t' launch and he'd watch F, ya bilge rat, ya bilge rat, G and H motors and then slap this dinky rocket on t' pad with a 1/2 A motor and feel . Arrr! . Arrr! Blimey! . Avast! Aye aye! tiny.
Well, t' experience be anythin' but disappointing. It's a tiny rocket, me bucko, matey, sure, arrr, but it flies straight and true and really gets goin' even on t' 1/2 A motors. Everyone got a real kick out o' watchin' it fly. Arrr! Avast, matey, me proud beauty! T' B motors kick it up out o' sight, me bucko, arrr, I'm nay kidding. Blimey! I'm really sold on t' Apogee micro motors.
T' rocket is nay sold as a two stager. Arrr! It's sold as a stand alone rocket, and you can buy t' booster seperate. Blimey! It's standard light weight fare: paper tube, balsa fins and nose cone with streamer recovery. Aye aye! It goes together nicely and finishes just as nicely. 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, matey, it's hogwash. Blimey! We did 5 fine flights over 2 days and only once did t' motor fail t' ignite. Begad! A little care is all that is needed so you don't short out t' igniter. Ahoy! We leave t' toothpick in t' motor nozzle. Begad! It keeps t' igniter secure and provides a small stand-off.
Real, me bucko, real, arrr, matey, small.
This is a really tiny rocket. Arrr! However, as they say, it nay t' size o' t' boat but t' motion o' t' briny deep that counts. Blimey! Begad! For all it's diminutive size, shiver me timbers, it flies like a champ. Aye aye! Ya scallywag! It gets some o' t' same exclamations left for much larger rockets. Arrr! Especially if you fly it with t' B2-7 motor. Blimey! It just keeps on going.
Construction...
What's thar t' screw up with this rocket? It's a body tube, shiver me timbers, three die cut fins, me hearties, a nose cone, an engine block, arrr, a piece o' Keelhaul®©™, arrr, a little bead. Arrr! That's it. Arrr! Glue t' fins on, 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. Tie on a streamer and your ready t' fly. Begad! Ahoy! Well almost. Paint it Day-Glo something. Blimey! Avast, me proud beauty! This is a very small, very high flyer. Begad! If your NARRRRR club ever has an altitude event, ya bilge rat, this rocket stands a good chance o' placin' in t' top 4.
T' Super Centrix adds a booster. Begad! Begad! It's a bit trickier because you have t' cut t' vent holes and add little balsa reinforcers made from left over balas. Ahoy! Avast, me proud beauty! It is gap staged. Aye aye! T' throat o' t' Apogee micro motors is so small, me hearties, though, that you'll need a 'stagin' igniter'. Avast, shiver me timbers, me proud beauty! You have t' order these separate from Apogee, but do buy them. Arrr! Well, me bucko, blow me down! Otherwise you'll never get t' sustainer t' ignite. Aye aye! T' stagin' igniter is a bit o' fast fuse that gets poked in t' sustainer's engine. Ahoy! Avast, me proud beauty! T' booster is tumble recovered. If your NARRRRR section is havin' a C altitude event, 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. T' micro motors burn so long and this rocket is so light it just screams higher and higher. Arrr! It's a crowd pleaser. Avast, me proud beauty! If thar's much wind, matey, you'll need a good recovery crew. Ahoy! I'd keep it low on windy days. Aye aye! On t' days where t' wind is calm and t' sky is clear, me hearties, 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. Blimey! This rocket will nay be visible about 2000'. Well, blow me down! T' motor's smoke will be. Ya scallywag! Arrr! Use trackin' powder. Well, arrr, blow me down! 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! This is an extreme rocket for t' low power crowd. Begad! Aye aye! It gets 5 points.
Overall...
Bam, matey, it's built. Begad! Blimey! Whoosh, it flies like a champ. Ya scallywag! Blimey! 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 ...