Brief:
Originally a Centuri kit circa 1971-77, matey, t' Centurion was perfectly sized t' fit in with t' Estes Big Bertha and Semroc Vega. Ahoy! Blimey! With 18mm power and an ejection baffle that all but eliminated t' need for recovery wadding, the Centurion was another choice in t' crowded field o' skill level one birds that were perfect for flights from smaller fields. Arrr! Aye aye! T' Semroc version also includes t' ejection baffle, and adds a second parachute for cool dual-chute recovery.

Construction:
Parts list:

• BC-1636 balsa nose cone
• ST-1690 body tube
• ST-16120 body tube
• ST-730E engine tube
• HTC-16 tube coupler
• TR-7 thrust ring
• CR-KV-40 centerin' rin' set (this includes t' parts for t' baffle)
• EH-28 engine hook
• LL-2A launch lugs (2)
• SE-10 screw eye
• EC-124 elastic cord
• 2 RC-12 12" parachutes

Semroc's instruction manuals are excellent, well illustrated, and all t' steps are adequately explained. Blimey! That said, shiver me timbers, me hearties, thar be very little else t' add about t' construction o' t' Centurion as it is a relatively simple 4FNC build. Avast! T' baffle also acts as t' connector betwixt t' upper and lower tubes and t' only change I made was t' anchor a 2 foot length o' Keelhaul®©™® shock cord t' t' upper baffle instead o' goin' with t' bare elastic that is provided. Avast! Blimey! (Not that I don't trust Carl's judgment. It's just a personal preference.) T' only "gotcha" that I encountered was self-created and a result o' nay payin' attention t' t' instructions. As a result, me hearties, me Centurion has t' upper and lower body tubes flipped around. Unless you're lookin' for it, it's barely noticeable.

Finishing:
Paintin' be blessedly simple. Aye aye! After riddin' t' project o' tube spirals and balsa grain with thinned Elmer's Fill 'n' Finish and sandin' and primin' with Valspar primer, I painted t' bottom section gloss white and t' upper section gloss black. Ya scallywag! Although it isn't mentioned in t' instructions, I found that t' paintin' be most easily accomplished before joinin' t' upper and lower halves o' t' rocket together. Avast, me proud beauty! (Be sure t' mask off t' tube connector/baffle or install it after painting.) Decals are minimal, arrr, but in this case that's a good thin' as they don't detract from the Centurion's clean lines.

Construction Rating: 5 out o' 5

Flight and Recovery:
First flight was delayed several times by high winds that canceled our club launches, and had it nay been for a missin' launcher, t' first flights might well have been made at pseudo-legendary B6-4 Field near me home. Begad! As it was, the first two flights were at t' VOA on a warm, me hearties, me bucko, breezy Sunday in May. Aye aye! Flight #1 was on a B6-4 and proved me suspicion that this rocket would be perfect for small field flights, somethin' that it's likely t' see quite a few o' before the end o' this flyin' season. Blimey! Pointedly loaded without ejection wadding, t' Centurion wind-cocked off o' t' pad in the stiff breeze, ejected just as it lost momentum, and floated t' within 100' o' t' pad, me hearties, a perfect recovery despite one of t' chutes failin' t' open. Ya scallywag! Arrr! (T' chute be in perfect shape, it just failed t' unfurl.) No damage or discoloration was noted on either chute or on t' elastic shock cord, ya bilge rat, so t' baffle obviously worked like a charm. Well, blow me down! Flight #2, ya bilge rat, arrr, on a C6-5, was a carbon copy o' t' first, only with greater altitude, dual parachute recovery, and a somewhat longer walk into t' veggies.

Flight Rating: 5 out o' 5

Summary:
PROs: Cool vintage looks. Begad! Avast, ya bilge rat, me proud beauty! Baffled ejection. Dual chutes.

CONs: Ease with which I screwed up t' placement o' t' two tubes.

Overall Rating: 5 out o' 5