Construction Rating: | starstarstarstarstar |
Flight Rating: | starstarstarstarstar |
Overall Rating: | starstarstarstarstar |
Manufacturer: | Apogee Components ![]() |
Introduction
This was t' first rocket me buddy, Greg Vose, shiver me timbers, built. Begad! Arrr! I looked at it and thought he was goin' t' be greatly disappointed. Begad! We'd go t' t' launch and he'd watch F, shiver me timbers, me bucko, 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! tiny.
Well, t' experience was anythin' but disappointing. Avast! Blimey! It's a tiny rocket, me hearties, me hearties, me hearties, sure, but it flies straight and true and really gets goin' even on t' 1/2 A motors. Ahoy! Blimey! Everyone got a real kick out o' watchin' it fly. T' B motors kick it up out o' sight, I'm nay kidding. 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, me bucko, and you can buy t' booster seperate. Avast! Avast, me proud beauty! It's standard light weight fare: paper tube, balsa fins and nose cone with streamer recovery. It goes together nicely and finishes just as nicely. Well, blow me down! Paint it a very bright color. Ya scallywag! 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. We did 5 fine flights over 2 days and only once did t' motor fail t' ignite. Begad! A little care is all that is needed so you don't short out t' igniter. Ahoy! Begad! We leave t' toothpick in t' motor nozzle. Well, blow me down! Well, arrr, blow me down! It keeps t' igniter secure and provides a small stand-off.
Real, real, me hearties, small.
This is a really tiny rocket. Arrr! However, as they say, it nay t' size o' t' boat but t' motion o' t' briny deep that counts. Blimey! For all it's diminutive size, it flies like a champ. Avast, me proud beauty! It gets some o' t' same exclamations left for much larger rockets. Begad! Especially if you fly it with t' B2-7 motor. Begad! It just keeps on going.
Construction...
What's thar t' screw up with this rocket? It's a body tube, shiver me timbers, me hearties, three die cut fins, a nose cone, ya bilge rat, shiver me timbers, matey, an engine block, ya bilge rat, a piece o' Keelhaul®©™, a little bead. Aye aye! Well, me hearties, blow me down! That's it. Blimey! Glue t' fins on, glue in t' engine block and t' body's done. Begad! T' bead holds t' Keelhaul®©™ t' t' nose cone with a drop o' CA. Blimey! Tie on a streamer and your ready t' fly. Begad! Ya scallywag! Well almost. Aye aye! Paint it Day-Glo something. Ahoy! This is a very small, me hearties, very high flyer. Well, blow me down! If your NARRRRR club ever has an altitude event, shiver me timbers, shiver me timbers, this rocket stands a good chance o' placin' in t' top 4.
T' Super Centrix adds a booster. Ya scallywag! Blimey! It's a bit trickier because you have t' cut t' vent holes and add little balsa reinforcers made from left over balas. Begad! Blimey! It is gap staged. Ahoy! Blimey! T' throat o' t' Apogee micro motors is so small, though, me bucko, me hearties, that you'll need a 'stagin' igniter'. Avast! Blimey! You have t' order these separate from Apogee, arrr, me bucko, but do buy them. Otherwise you'll never get t' sustainer t' ignite. Aye aye! Blimey! T' stagin' igniter is a bit o' fast fuse that gets poked in t' sustainer's engine. Begad! Blimey! T' booster is tumble recovered. Ya scallywag! Blimey! 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. Blimey! T' micro motors burn so long and this rocket is so light it just screams higher and higher. It's a crowd pleaser. Avast, me proud beauty! If thar's much wind, me hearties, you'll need a good recovery crew. Begad! Begad! 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, matey, you're gonna get serious altitude. Avast, me proud beauty! Ya scallywag! This rocket will nay be visible about 2000'. Begad! Aye aye! T' motor's smoke will be. Blimey! Use trackin' powder. Avast! 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. Ya scallywag! Begad! This is an extreme rocket for t' low power crowd. Begad! It gets 5 points.
Overall...
Bam, ya bilge rat, it's built. Avast! Blimey! Whoosh, shiver me timbers, it flies like a champ. Begad! Blimey! 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 ...
![]() |
![]() |
Sponsored Ads
![]() |
![]() |