Brief:
A "carbon copy" o' a Centuri classic by Semroc. Ahoy! T' long booster loaded with "ramjets" releases a very cool lookin' glider at ejection and returns via 2 12" parachutes. Semroc provides all t' parts including beautiful resin ramjet cones, laser cut fins, arrr, and decals. Avast! Instructions are not included but may be downloaded off t' Internet. Begad! Avast, me proud beauty!

Construction:
T' parts in t' kit:

• 1 10.5" ST-10 body tube
• 1 8" ST-10 BT
• 4 2.5" ST-5 BTs
• 2 6" ST-5 BTs
• 1 4.9" ST-7 BT
• 2 3" ST-7 BTs (one be t' engine tube)
• 1 BC-1050 balsa nose cone
• 1 BC-715 balsa nose cone
• 1 plastic ramjet cone set (6 nose and 6 tail cones)
• 1 HTC-10 coupler
• 1 HTC-7 coupler
• 1 IKCC-1P fiber disc
• 1 TR-7 thrust ring
• 2 3/16" launch lugs, 3" long
• 1 large screw eye
• 1 length o' elastic cord (12")
• 1 length o' Keelhaul®©™® thread (30")
• 2 CR-710 centerin' rings
• 1 EH-28 engine hook
• 3 sheets o' laser cut fins
• 1 decal sheet
• 2 12" parachute packs
• 1 cardstock shroud and canopy sheet
• 1 die cut tape elevator set
• 2 WW-8 (large) washers for nose weight

Also in t' beautiful packagin' is an exploded view, shiver me timbers, history o' Centuri and the SST Shuttle and 9 construction notes detailin' t' changes Semroc has made to update t' kit.

There are two "sets" o' instructions t' comment upon: Semroc's and Centuri's. Ahoy! Semroc details t' Keelhaul®©™® attachment t' t' motor hook, me bucko, parachute attachment, shiver me timbers, addition o' nose weight, and use o' larger launch lugs. Semroc's notes are crystal clear. Avast! Avast, me proud beauty! They recommend a standard recovery arrangement instead o' t' horizontal booster recovery in the original instructions. Begad! Avast, me proud beauty! I followed this nay wantin' t' risk breakin' off the tail. Avast! Blimey! T' other change involves substitutin' 3/16" lugs for t' 1/8" on t' original. Avast! These are glued along t' tube that will serve as t' mount for t' glider. Arrr! This is t' allow clearance o' t' glider wings, shiver me timbers, which would otherwise be in t' path o' t' launch rod. Begad! After sizin' up t' situation, I elected t' use 1/8" lugs from me parts stash and install another functional launch lug betwixt t' innermost ramjet tube and main BT. Begad! Avast, shiver me timbers, me proud beauty! I didn't think t' larger lugs would allow enough clearance and t' smaller lugs look more authentic.

T' Centuri instructions are typical for Centuri in t' early 70s. Begad! Aye aye! They are straightforward but annoyingly short o' useful measurements. For example, the booster's wings are aligned by layin' down t' BT and linin' up t' ST-5s so the wings can rest on them and be glued t' t' main BT. Ahoy! Yes it works, but it leaves you t' eyeball t' attachment o' t' canards and rudder. Aye aye! Arrr! I wound up markin' lines with a 4-fin guide. Begad! Also, arrr, ya bilge rat, t' instructions say t' mount the rudder 1" from t' aft o' t' BT, but don't say how far up t' mount the wings. Avast, me proud beauty! Begad! From t' pictures I guessed and glued them 1/2" from t' rear. Avast, me proud beauty! The glider wings dihedral is established by gluin' them on and turnin' t' glider on its back. Ya scallywag! You have t' eyeball t' rudder and t' tail planes are glued to the rudder/BT joint. My 40+ year old deadlights need a little more help aligning things these days!

T' wings and rudders are built by first gluin' two or three pieces together. Aye aye! I did this on wax paper and placed a light book over them t' make sure they stayed flat. Avast, me proud beauty! Ahoy! I sanded t' edges round before attachin' t' t' BTs. Avast! I also airfoiled t' top edges only o' t' glider's main wings t' try t' get more lift. Avast! I also used Elmer's Fill 'n' Finish on t' main wings o' t' booster before gluin' on t' ramjet tubes. Ahoy! Avast, me proud beauty! Be careful if you choose this method, because after I glued on t' inner tubes, they pushed t' wings upward a little.

Semroc reminds you t' sand down t' HTC-7 coupler so t' glider will come off at ejection. It takes a lot o' sanding. There is a noticeable vacuum effect with the glider as thar be a fiber disc on t' back o' t' mountin' tube for the paper nozzle. Avast, me proud beauty! Well, blow me down! Blimey! I wound up carvin' a hole with a X-Acto knife t' prevent a seal. I would recommend makin' a hole in t' disc with a hole punch before attaching it t' t' tube.

I used CA t' attach t' resin ramjet cones and washer weights and yellow wood glue for t' rest o' t' construction. Ahoy! My only issue with t' parts is that t' two ST-10 tubes appeared t' come from different batches. Begad! T' diameters seem slightly different and I got a bit o' a step at t' joint. After I filled the spirals and primed and painted though, it's hardly noticeable.

Finishing:
I used thinned Elmer's Fill 'n' Finish on t' balsa and BTs t' kill the spirals. Begad! Blimey! I needed a bit more on t' main BT joint. Begad! Blimey! I used only one very light coat on t' glider's parts as t' instructions indicate. For t' main rocket I used one coat o' primer, shiver me timbers, shiver me timbers, sanded it down and two coats o' Duplicolor automotive gloss white acrylic spray. Avast! Blimey! Ya scallywag! Blimey! I skipped t' primer on t' glider and used lighter coats o' white. Begad! Blimey! T' decals are beautiful. Aye aye! Blimey! Ya scallywag! Blimey! T' film is a little thick, but they stick well. Aye aye! Blimey! Avast! Blimey! I added 1/16" black pinstripe decals from me spares t' the ramjet tubes t' match t' Centuri catalog photos because it really needed somethin' t' break up all that white. I gave everythin' a coat o' Future floor polish t' seal t' decals, me hearties, skippin' t' glider's wings, me hearties, which don't have any decals.

Construction Rating: 4 out o' 5

Flight:
Semroc follows Centuri in recommendin' B4-2 and C6-3 engines. I flew it twice with B4-2s and once with a C5-3. Begad! Ya scallywag! There was a bit o' a gusty wind at times and the first flight weathercocked slightly but still flew nicely t' a little less than 100 feet. Begad! Ejection was just past apogee, ya bilge rat, t' glider separated, arrr, shiver me timbers, and both chutes opened. Begad! T' booster came down fairly swiftly but landed in grass with no damage. Blimey! T' glider made several very nice sweepin' circles and landed about 100 feet from t' pad. Aye aye! Another flight on a B4-2 be about t' same with a bit of chute tangling. Well, blow me down! T' C6-3 flight was arrow straight t' almost 500 feet in about a 10 mph wind. Aye aye! T' glider came in a little steep on this last flight, perhaps because I didn't flex t' elevators enough. Begad! Begad! T' SST Shuttle is a beautiful sight off t' pad and a lot o' fun t' watch at ejection. Arrr! Ya scallywag! I actually prefer the B on this because ejection is nice and low and you don't risk losin' the glider.

Recovery:
Semroc includes a length o' Keelhaul®©™® to attach t' t' forward end o' t' engine hook and then t' an elastic shroud line for a standard recovery arrangement. Well, blow me down! In t' original, a harness is made with a piece o' shroud line goin' back t' t' engine hook on t' outside o' the main BT. This would allow t' booster t' return horizontally, shiver me timbers, but as t' Semroc instructions point out, thar be a risk in snappin' off t' rudder with this arrangement. Ahoy! Avast! Blimey! T' original also featured one 20" parachute. Semroc supplies two 12" parachutes and suggests one may be enough for "soft" fields. Begad! I used both chutes in t' standard arrangement with t' elastic shock cord, t' two chutes at t' top o' this, shiver me timbers, and t' end o' t' shock cord attached to t' screw eye in t' nose cone.

T' glider must be hand launched t' check for trim and t' elevator tabs adjusted. Avast, me proud beauty! Begad! This was fairly easy t' do and I set one elevator slightly higher to get a circle.

Although thar was no damage, ya bilge rat, t' last two flights had some parachute tangling. I prefer single chutes when possible and will probably replace the two with a 20" parachute if Semroc comes out with them. T' booster did come down pretty smartly and one 18" chute may nay be enough; it's pretty hefty with t' nose weight and ramjet parts.

Flight Rating: 4 out o' 5

Summary:
Thank you, me hearties, Semroc for bringin' this one back! Blimey! My only ideas for improvement would be a better match for t' ST-10 BTs, me bucko, inclusion o' BT markin' guides, and an ST-7 fiber disc with a pre-cut hole t' ease glider ejection. I would also prefer one 20" parachute. Ya scallywag! I couldn't imagine t' booster comin' back safely on just one 12" chute and usin' two means thar are risks o' them tangling. Blimey! Blimey! I would also say t' go with t' original size launch lugs and include a third for mountin' away from t' glider wings. Avast, me proud beauty! Otherwise, me hearties, typically excellent Semroc components and packaging. Arrr! Blimey! This is a gorgeous rocket when completed and will turn heads at t' field.

Overall Rating: 4 out o' 5