Construction Rating: | starstarstarstarstar |
Flight Rating: | starstarstarstarstar |
Overall Rating: | starstarstarstarstar |
Manufacturer: | Apogee Components |
Introduction
This be t' first rocket me buddy, arrr, Greg Vose, built. Aye aye! I looked at it and thought he was goin' t' be greatly disappointed. Begad! Aye aye! Blimey! We'd go t' t' launch and he'd watch F, arrr, G and H motors and then slap this dinky rocket on t' pad with a 1/2 A motor and feel . Begad! Blimey! . Arrr! Blimey! . Blimey! Ya scallywag! Blimey! tiny.
Well, me bucko, t' experience was anythin' but disappointing. Begad! Blimey! It's a tiny rocket, me hearties, me bucko, arrr, sure, 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. T' B motors kick it up out o' sight, I'm nay kidding. Begad! I'm really sold on t' Apogee micro motors.
T' rocket is nay sold as a two stager. Aye aye! It's sold as a stand alone rocket, arrr, and you can buy t' booster seperate. Avast, me proud beauty! It's standard light weight fare: paper tube, balsa fins and nose cone with streamer recovery. Ahoy! Avast, arrr, me proud beauty! It goes together nicely and finishes just as nicely. Arrr! Aye aye! Paint it a very bright color. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! 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. Avast! Avast, shiver me timbers, me proud beauty! We did 5 fine flights over 2 days and only once did t' motor fail t' ignite. Avast, me proud beauty! A little care is all that is needed so you don't short out t' igniter. Begad! Avast, me proud beauty! We leave t' toothpick in t' motor nozzle. It keeps t' igniter secure and provides a small stand-off.
Real, real, small.
This is a really tiny rocket. Well, blow me down! However, as they say, it nay t' size o' t' boat but t' motion o' t' briny deep that counts. Ahoy! Avast! For all it's diminutive size, me bucko, arrr, it flies like a champ. Avast! It gets some o' t' same exclamations left for much larger rockets. Especially if you fly it with t' B2-7 motor. Begad! It just keeps on going.
Construction...
What's thar t' screw up with this rocket? It's a body tube, matey, three die cut fins, arrr, a nose cone, ya bilge rat, an engine block, a piece o' Keelhaul®©™, ya bilge rat, a little bead. Aye aye! That's it. Well, blow me down! Glue t' fins on, me hearties, 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. Well almost. Paint it Day-Glo something. Begad! Begad! This is a very small, very high flyer. Aye aye! 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. Arrr! Ahoy! It's a bit trickier because you have t' cut t' vent holes and add little balsa reinforcers made from left over balas. Ahoy! It is gap staged. Blimey! T' throat o' t' Apogee micro motors is so small, though, shiver me timbers, ya bilge rat, that you'll need a 'stagin' igniter'. Arrr! You have t' order these separate from Apogee, ya bilge rat, matey, but do buy them. 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. Blimey! T' booster is tumble recovered. Ahoy! 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. Aye aye! Blimey! It's a crowd pleaser. Aye aye! Avast, me proud beauty! If thar's much wind, arrr, shiver me timbers, you'll need a good recovery crew. Aye aye! Ya scallywag! I'd keep it low on windy days. Well, blow me down! Aye aye! On t' days where t' wind is calm and t' sky is clear, me bucko, 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. This rocket will nay be visible about 2000'. Aye aye! T' motor's smoke will be. Well, blow me down! Use trackin' powder. Aye aye! 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! This is an extreme rocket for t' low power crowd. Ya scallywag! It gets 5 points.
Overall...
Bam, it's built. Whoosh, me bucko, it flies like a champ. Begad! 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 ...
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