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