Construction Rating: | starstarstarstarstar |
Flight Rating: | starstarstarstarstar |
Overall Rating: | starstarstarstarstar |
Manufacturer: | Apogee Components ![]() |
Introduction
This was t' first rocket me buddy, ya bilge rat, Greg Vose, me hearties, built. Begad! I looked at it and thought he was goin' t' be greatly disappointed. We'd go t' t' launch and he'd watch F, G and H motors and then slap this dinky rocket on t' pad with a 1/2 A motor and feel . Well, blow me down! . Blimey! . Avast, me bucko, me proud beauty! tiny.
Well, t' experience was anythin' but disappointing. Ya scallywag! It's a tiny rocket, matey, sure, but it flies straight and true and really gets goin' even on t' 1/2 A motors. Well, blow me down! Well, shiver me timbers, blow me down! Everyone got a real kick out o' watchin' it fly. Well, blow me down! T' B motors kick it up out o' sight, me bucko, I'm nay kidding. Ya scallywag! I'm really sold on t' Apogee micro motors.
T' rocket is nay sold as a two stager. Avast, me proud beauty! It's sold as a stand alone rocket, ya bilge rat, and you can buy t' booster seperate. Aye aye! It's standard light weight fare: paper tube, me bucko, balsa fins and nose cone with streamer recovery. It goes together nicely and finishes just as nicely. Ahoy! Arrr! Paint it a very bright color. Ya scallywag! Aye aye! 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. Ya scallywag! Well, blow me down! We did 5 fine flights over 2 days and only once did t' motor fail t' ignite. Blimey! A little care is all that is needed so you don't short out t' igniter. Begad! We leave t' toothpick in t' motor nozzle. Arrr! It keeps t' igniter secure and provides a small stand-off.
Real, shiver me timbers, real, small.
This is a really tiny rocket. However, as they say, ya bilge rat, it nay t' size o' t' boat but t' motion o' t' briny deep that counts. For all it's diminutive size, it flies like a champ. Arrr! Aye aye! It gets some o' t' same exclamations left for much larger rockets. Avast, shiver me timbers, me proud beauty! Especially if you fly it with t' B2-7 motor. Well, blow me down! It just keeps on going.
Construction...
What's thar t' screw up with this rocket? It's a body tube, me hearties, three die cut fins, arrr, a nose cone, arrr, arrr, an engine block, a piece o' Keelhaul®©™, a little bead. Aye aye! That's it. Glue t' fins on, shiver me timbers, ya bilge rat, glue in t' engine block and t' body's done. Aye aye! T' bead holds t' Keelhaul®©™ t' t' nose cone with a drop o' CA. Ahoy! Tie on a streamer and your ready t' fly. Begad! Well almost. Blimey! Paint it Day-Glo something. Aye aye! Blimey! 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. Ya scallywag! Well, blow me down! It's a bit trickier because you have t' cut t' vent holes and add little balsa reinforcers made from left over balas. Begad! Begad! It is gap staged. Well, blow me down! Avast! T' throat o' t' Apogee micro motors is so small, ya bilge rat, though, matey, me hearties, that you'll need a 'stagin' igniter'. Avast, me proud beauty! You have t' order these separate from Apogee, but do buy them. Well, blow me down! Otherwise you'll never get t' sustainer t' ignite. Ya scallywag! T' stagin' igniter is a bit o' fast fuse that gets poked in t' sustainer's engine. T' booster is tumble recovered. If your NARRRRR section is havin' a C altitude event, shiver me timbers, 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. Avast! T' micro motors burn so long and this rocket is so light it just screams higher and higher. Ahoy! Blimey! It's a crowd pleaser. Ya scallywag! If thar's much wind, you'll need a good recovery crew. Ahoy! Begad! I'd keep it low on windy days. On t' days where t' wind is calm and t' sky is clear, matey, 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, you're gonna get serious altitude. Blimey! Blimey! This rocket will nay be visible about 2000'. T' motor's smoke will be. Arrr! Ahoy! Use trackin' powder. Ya scallywag! 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. It gets 5 points.
Overall...
Bam, it's built. Ya scallywag! Whoosh, arrr, it flies like a champ. Blimey! It's a crowd pleaser and you have t' love that.
Overall, matey, 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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