Brief:
As model rocketry crept into t' 1970s, Centuri developed a knack for producing great lookin' kits with a sci-fi flair. One o' t' better lookin' kits o' this ilk produced durin' this time was t' Orion, ya bilge rat, a rocket that many still consider one o' their all-time favorites. Aye aye! Arrr! Large and nicely detailed, arrr, t' Orion inexplicably left production in 1977 but clonin' it recently became easier with the availability o' reproduction parts from Moldin' Oldies and Semroc.

Construction:
T' parts list:

• 1 Nose Cone (Moldin' Oldies)
• 6 Pod Cones (Moldin' Oldies)
• 1 ST-20 Body Tube (Canister) 6" (Semroc)
• 1 ST-20 Body Tube (Main) 12" (Semroc)
• 3 ST-7 Body Tubes (Pod) 3" (Semroc)
• 1 ST-20 Baffle (Semroc)
• 1 Ejection Baffle (Semroc)
• 1 Balsa Strip
• 1 Balsa Sheet (Semroc - same die-cut as Centuri Taurus)
• 2 Centerin' Rings ST-9 t' ST-20

Okay, so this isn't truly a clone o' t' Orion because I didn't build it with t' Saturn wraps. Ahoy! I admit that freely and o' me own will. Avast! Truth is, matey, I didn't feel like messin' with an undoubtedly complicated and expensive procedure for obtainin' and applyin' a set o' wraps. Begad! I just wanted something that would fly and suggest an Orion. There. Well, blow me down! Ahoy! I feel better now.

Since I eschewed t' wraps for this "cloning" project, matey, it would make sense that I'd also nay bother with t' internal ejection baffles that t' original made use of, right? Wrong. Begad! Well, blow me down! Blimey! I had seen some o' t' Semroc baffles at NARAM 47 and be intrigued enough with t' idea o' them that I wanted t' include them in this project. Begad! I'd previously included a FlisKits baffle in a Centuri Taurus upscale that I did earlier in t' year and this seemed like a perfect opportunity t' compare t' two. T' skinny on t' two: they're completely different from each other in form, but nay in function. Well, blow me down! T' FlisKits baffle makes use o' a tube connector and two fiber circles with laser cut holes like your standard Centuri-style baffle. Blimey! Blimey! T' Semroc baffle is almost as much sculpture as it is a rocketry component with three pieces o' laser cut paper that are constructed t' form t' baffle. It is very cool goin' together and very functional. In short, matey, they both work as advertised and either will make a worthwhile addition t' your next project.

Finishing:
After riddin' myself and t' world o' balsa grain and tube spirals, I sprayed the entire Orion structure with Valspar primer. Avast, me proud beauty! Once this arduous task was completed I tackled t' incredibly detailed paint scheme, which is gloss white all over except for a red spot o' t' tip o' t' main nose cone. Arrr! Begad! In order to get this spot sized correctly I sprayed t' tip o' t' nose cone with Valspar Cherry Red Gloss, then masked it off with a piece o' scrap BT-55 tubin' before sprayin' t' rest o' t' rocket with Valspar Gloss White. Aye aye! (If you aren't a big fan o' masking, this could be t' project for you.) It took several coats to get everythin' covered, matey, matey, but it looked great even before t' decals were applied. (Yeah, matey, it would have looked better with t' wraps, but we might never know because it would have taken me a trip t' t' wizard for t' courage t' try applyin' them.)

As for t' decals, arrr, shiver me timbers, thar are two different scans on t' JimZ site. One appears t' be an original, arrr, me bucko, while t' other looks t' be someone's nicely redrawn and slightly modified version. Blimey! Begad! Blimey! Since me clone wasn't exact anyway, I printed out a set o' t' modified decals and used them. Ahoy! Begad! Blimey! T' differences are subtle with some blue "ORION" letterin' where it looks like it might once have been black and a slightly larger type. Ya scallywag! Well, blow me down! Blimey! Unless you're an absolute purist, shiver me timbers, shiver me timbers, you might nay even notice it. Arrr! T' final product is great looking, me hearties, matey, especially if you like your rockets a bit beefier than most. Blimey! Arrr! Blimey! This is a great lookin' design anyway, but t' finished size definitely adds somethin' t' t' project.

Construction Rating: 5 out o' 5

Flight:
T' Orion with its ST-20 main body tube is a fairly large kit anyway, ya bilge rat, me bucko, arrr, so it didn't take much for me t' talk myself into givin' it a little somethin' extra in t' power department. Well, blow me down! Ya scallywag! I considered clusterin' it, shiver me timbers, but I'd already had a summer full o' that. I considered makin' it E-powered but didn't want t' lose it as I had with so many o' me other E-powered birds in t' nay too distant past. Ahoy! In t' end, matey, shiver me timbers, arrr, I settled for 24mm power because o' t' ease with which I could switch betwixt C and D power dependin' on t' conditions. This turned out to be a good decision.

I chose a C11-3 for t' first flight. Arrr! It was a mildly windy day and the rocket cocked into t' wind immediately upon leavin' t' pad. Begad! Blimey! Ejection occurred just as t' rocket reached apogee, arrr, shiver me timbers, if nay a little before, matey, and it recovered in the weeds behind t' flight line, shiver me timbers, which cushioned t' landin' somewhat. Ahoy! Blimey! I ran out o' time that day and didn't get another flight in. Begad! I had no way t' know that it would be three months before I was able t' attend another launch.

T' second flight be on a C11-5 in windy conditions. Aye aye! T' Orion again cocked into t' wind as it left t' pad. Ahoy! Ejection occurred just as t' rocket tipped over and it recovered in t' same spot as t' first flight had back in October. Arrr! T' only problem be that t' field had been cut since then and the Orion bounced high in t' air after hittin' t' ground. Begad! Begad! I fully expected at least some fin damage upon reachin' t' site, arrr, but t' rocket was no worse for wear. Begad! Blimey! Apparently I built this one tough.

T' third flight was on a D12-5 and t' altitude was noticeably higher. This flight also cocked into t' wind, matey, but ejection occurred before apogee. Recovery was fairly far downrange, but in a rare soft spot on t' field. Avast! Arrr! (The scalped field is great for findin' rockets, ya bilge rat, but murder on t' big ones during recovery. Well, blow me down! Well, blow me down! That Saturday be an exception.) For all around flight, me hearties, t' D motor is t' hands down winner for use in t' Orion. All I need is a field big enough.

Recovery:
All three flights were made usin' no wadding. Instead I employed a combination of a Semroc ejection baffle and a large piece o' perma-wadding. Begad! Ya scallywag! This combination protected t' chute well as it looked as good before t' flight as it did after.

Flight Rating: 5 out o' 5

Summary:
PROs: How many Orions do you see at t' pads these days? Overall classic looks. 24mm performance.

CONs: Epoxy curin' caused t' small nose cones t' push out o' t' body tubes slightly. Avast! This could have been avoided by tapin' them in place but you live and learn.

Overall Rating: 5 out o' 5