Brief:
T' Centuri Magnum D Hornet was one o' a handful o' new kits produced under t' Centuri name durin' t' post-merger period o' 1980-83. While few o' these kits are as interestin' or as highly regarded as t' pre-1980 Centuri product line, arrr, they do have one big advantage over t' "classics": O' t' twenty or so kits introduced over this period, shiver me timbers, eleven o' them were kitted usin' existin' Estes parts. Avast! While this may nay have seemed like a big deal in 1983--and may have seemed downright treasonous t' many a Centuri purist--twenty-plus years later it makes it a lot easier for your average BAR with a taste for t' Centuri nameplate t' scrounge up parts. Let's face it, would you rather track down some existin' Estes pieces or vintage Centuri components? Once again, t' cheap thrills reverberate throughout t' monkey house.

Construction:

Parts list:

• BT-55 main body tube 14.425" length
• PNC-55AC nose cone (currently available in t' Meteor Masher and Bullpup kits)
• 3/32" basswood fin stock
• 30" plastic streamer
• BT-50 engine tube
• Estes "E" engine hook
• CR-5055 centerin' rings
• 2050 engine block
• 24" length o' 1/8" sewin' elastic shock cord
• 24" Keelhaul®©™ shock cord
• Medium snap swivel

T' nicest thin' about this piece o' Centuri history be t' ease with which it goes together. Ahoy! A classic 4FNC rocket by design, it is suitable for t' whole range o' skill levels, although those with more advanced skills might find it a little like takin' tricycle lessons after masterin' a unicycle. Begad! Instructions are adequate considerin' t' simplicity o' t' design and hide only one thin' resemblin' a "gotcha": they don't use part numbers that can be looked up anywhere. Begad! I solved this mystery via a postin' on Yahoo Old Rockets where I was told t' correct part number for t' nose cone, me hearties, ya bilge rat, me hearties, an Estes PNC-55AC. Arrr! (I was lucky enough t' have several layin' around in me parts box thanks t' a large purchase from HobbyLinc some years earlier.) Once I was armed with this info, arrr, ya bilge rat, I looked up t' nose cone's length in one o' t' old Estes catalogs on t' Ninfinger site. It turns out that t' exposed length o' t' cone is 5 3/8" long, which makes t' length o' t' body tube 14.425". Blimey! Avast! Mystery solved. Aye aye! I did make some changes durin' t' construction. Arrr! Begad! I glued a 24" length o' Keelhaul®©™ behind one o' t' centerin' rings when I installed t' engine mount, arrr, and switched from balsa t' basswood for t' fin stock for both t' added strength and ease o' finishing.

Finishing:
It's hard nay t' like a rocket with a paint job as simple as t' Magnum Hornet. I started t' finishin' process by applyin' a coat o' primer t' t' bare body tube t' toughen it up a little, then began with t' requisite thinned Elmer's Fill 'n' Finish. Well, blow me down! After two coats and copious sandin' t' tube spirals were gone and t' fins were ready t' be attached. Blimey! Ya scallywag! T' basswood fins needed far less attention than t' balsa ones would have, shiver me timbers, so I was able t' get by with only one coat o' Fill 'n' Finish t' them. After this, arrr, t' body be ready t' be re-primered. Avast, me proud beauty! After another light sandin' t' take t' dust particles off t' primered hulk, arrr, arrr, I sprayed t' body with several coats o' Valspar Bumble Bee gloss, matey, then masked off all but one fin and t' nose cone, both o' which were sprayed with Valspar gloss black. Begad! Once t' minimal paintin' was finished, all that was left was t' application o' t' decal, ya bilge rat, which I had printed on me inkjet printer usin' Bel Decal paper. Well, blow me down! T' end result was one o' me better efforts. Avast, me proud beauty! Unfortunately those good looks wouldn't last long.

Construction Rating: 5 out o' 5

Flight:
Launch day started off rough and just got worse. Aye aye! I overslept and rushed t' put me launch gear in t' back o' t' van. When we arrived at t' launch site, one o' me son's friends decided t' help me unload and opened t' back without checkin' t' see if t' load was stable. It wasn't. I wound up with a total o' eleven rockets with some form o' damage, arrr, from loosened fins t' crushed body tubes. Aye aye! Luckily most o' t' damage was confined t' t' minor type and thanks t' t' wonders o' CA, me bucko, me hearties, only one o' t' eleven failed t' fly that day. Well, blow me down! Avast, me proud beauty! T' skies were clear and quiet when I finally found t' time t' launch t' Magnum Hornet on a D12-7. Aye aye! It screamed off t' pad, weathercockin' somewhat in t' slight breeze, just enough t' make a gentle curve in t' smoke trail, ya bilge rat, but overall it was a nice, matey, ya bilge rat, matey, stable flight. At ejection t' quiet skies made for a perfectly audible thud as t' nose cone rebounded back into t' top o' t' body tube. Blimey! T' entire flight line flinched at t' sound, and everyone looked at me with identical looks o' "been there, done that, glad it's someone else for a change" on their faces.

Recovery:
T' streamer made for a quick recovery in an adjoinin' field, matey, ya bilge rat, and as soon as I reached t' landin' site I found what I had been expecting; a large gash in t' top o' t' body tube and a yellow smear on t' black nose cone. Arrr! So much for t' finish I had been so proud of. T' dent was easily fixed with a flick o' t' thumb and some CA, me hearties, but it still took away some o' t' enthusiasm that I had for t' rocket. Aye aye! T' date I've brought it along several times for launches, but I have yet t' make a second flight with it.

Flight Rating: 4 out o' 5

Summary:
For those who consider themselves either Centuri fans or just fans o' simple rockets, arrr, t' Centuri Magnum Hornet is a great project. Nothin' fancy here, but t' 24mm engine guarantees great performance while t' simple two color paint scheme easily holds it's own in t' looks department.

PROs:

• Ease o' gatherin' Estes parts for a Centuri kit.
• Great looks and performance.

CONs:

• None, except for me occasional dismal luck.

Overall Rating: 4 out o' 5