Centuri - Centurion (KC-2 or #5062) Gallery

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JAL3

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My version came from Semroc. It is another one of my earlier efforts. It looks pretty good from a distance but I try not to let people get too close to see the placement of the fins. Very asymmetric.

I have built and flown it with the 13mm booster Semroc makes for it but it behaves better as a single stage.

I didn't know this was a repro until well after it was built.

I do recall that the photo of the liftoff was the very first time I ever actually caught a liftoff.

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This one is the Semroc Centurion version (Kit #KV-40) with a few minor modifications:

  • I replaced the stock 18mm mount with a Semroc 24mm mount (Part #EM-9-16P) and replaced the stock 1/8" launch lugs with 3/16".
  • I glued the balsa nose cone to the upper body tube to make the black portion a single piece making it a zipperless design, with the body tube joint being at the baffle.....

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This one is the Semroc Centurion version (Kit #KV-40) with a few minor modifications:

  • I replaced the stock 18mm mount with a Semroc 24mm mount (Part #EM-9-16P) and replaced the stock 1/8" launch lugs with 3/16".
  • I glued the balsa nose cone to the upper body tube to make the black portion a single piece making it a zipperless design, with the body tube joint being at the baffle.....


Thats a very good idea and i may consider that in my next Cosmic explorer build. How does it fly on 24mm engines? I plan on using a Estes E/D mount in my next one.....
 
Thats a very good idea and i may consider that in my next Cosmic explorer build. How does it fly on 24mm engines? I plan on using a Estes E/D mount in my next one.....

It should really fly pretty high on a D12 and out of sight on an E9. Think along the lines of a Cherokee-D (1247) on the same motor. The catalogs show similar weights on both of those rockets.
 
Here's my New Centurion. I built it like FatBoy's, breaking at the baffle, but I used interchangeable engine mounts, 1x18, 2x18, 1x24 E. The 1x24 engine mount got destroyed when I tried to remove it after the rocket's only E flight at St. Peters; then the next time I went there to fly with SPARC it deployed badly and wrecked on pavement.

I've built a new lower half and have the rocket ready to fly, but I don't have any pictures of the refurbished rocket, just these original pictures.

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Crunched on it's first flight by a 'chute deployment failure. I'll get it fixed up again. Nice flight for all that.
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Here is my nephew's Semroc Centurion. It came with a 24mm motor mount. It's a great flyer.

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I kinda like the single black fin. Nice touch. The launch photos are pretty nice too. The 24 seems to give it some authority (judging by the photos).

Mine was a bit heavy when I built it (thick primer—learned a lesson) and perhaps a bit heavier still, when it got rebuilt. I think it's going to have to fly on C6-3's from now on as the 5's are just too much delay.

Perhaps a silly question: Has anyone CHAD staged this rocket?
 
Welcome to the Centuri Centurion Gallery on TRF.

This gallery showcases the Centuri Centurion and those rockets derived from it. Particularly appropriate in this thread are the following:

Centuri: Centurion: KC-2 or #5062
Semroc: Centurion: KV-40
Semroc: Mini Centurion: KA-28



as well as any upscales, downscales, clones, kitbashes or other derivative works.

.
 
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Centuri Centurion [KC-2, #5062]) Basic Information.

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Centuri Engineering

Centurion

KC-2 or #5062


Introduced: 1970
Final Year: 1977
Designer:

Type: Sport
Motor Mount: 1x18mm
Recovery: Parachute
Stages: NUMBER
Length: 24"
Diameter: 1.64"
Span:
Weight: 2.3 oz.

Mfg. Description: Big and Beautiful! - is Centuri's new kit the CENTURION. Slow, realistic lift-offs are topped by a slow descent to earth on a large parachute. This kit features our new Baffle Ejection System which protects the parachute from the heat of the engine ejection gasses, eliminating the need for chute wadding. An engine lock makes engine change a snap. Kit is complete with illustrated assembly instructions and special CENTURION decal. (1971 Catalog)


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1971 Catalog
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1972 Catalog


See Also: LINKS
EMRR
RocketReview
Mfg. Page

If you have any additional information on this rocket and/or catalog photos please let us know.
 
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Semroc Centurion (KV-40) Basic Information.

semroc.gif
Semroc Astronautics

Centurion

KV-40

Introduced:
Final Year:
Designer: Reproduction of Centuri Centurion

Type: Sport
Motor Mount: 1x18mm
Recovery: Twin Parachutes
Stages: 1
Length: 25.7"
Diameter: 1.64"
Span: 6.3"
Weight: 2.1 oz.

Mfg. Description: 1970 Retro Repro


Semroc-Centurion-2011%20livery.jpg
Semroc Website 2011


See Also: LINKS
EMRR
RocketReview
Mfg. Page

If you have any additional information on this rocket and/or catalog photos please let us know.
 
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I decided to go with a red and metallic color scheme. The fins may not be that smooth, but good enough for me.:D
 
Flew my Semroc Centurion at the TTRA launch this past Saturday with an Estes C6-5.
The Semroc Centurion page says it goes 650' with the C6.
Great flight and I like the recovery under the twin 12" parachutes.

This rocket has been through the ringer but is still going strong.
Once it landed in water. I had to pour water out of the tube top.
As it dried I tried to mold the tube end round with my hand.
(Good thing I added thin CA around the inside tube top.)

I'm due for a re-build or new kit!
I like the looks of it, I prefer these fins over the Big Bertha.
A great small field rocket with a B6-4 and single 12" parachute.

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Here is my Semroc one.

I built it stock except I have a Kevlar line on the baffle and an extended elastic shock cord.

I had a major issue with the black paint - it separated into clear and black and rippled/scalloped. Had to sand most of it down then reshoot it with very light coats. Also some tube shrinkage around the baffle and centering rings.

The image is fairly large, so if you want detail, click on it.

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Here is my Semroc one.

I built it stock except I have a Kevlar line on the baffle and an extended elastic shock cord.

I had a major issue with the black paint - it separated into clear and black and rippled/scalloped. Had to sand most of it down then reshoot it with very light coats. Also some tube shrinkage around the baffle and centering rings.

The image is fairly large, so if you want detail, click on it.

Looks great! I'm glad to hear I'm not the only one that has paint problems. LOL
 
I mentioned above that I built a new lower half for my New Centurion; I've attached the picture here. I've also added a picture of my Semroc Mini Centurion... surprised that this the first. The third picture, of the launch of the Mini Centurion, shows it with all yellow fins. The second picture was taken after I repaired the fin now colored purple; about 1/4 of it was broken off in that flight.

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I mentioned above that I built a new lower half for my New Centurion; I've attached the picture here. I've also added a picture of my Semroc Mini Centurion... surprised that this the first. The third picture, of the launch of the Mini Centurion, shows it with all yellow fins. The second picture was taken after I repaired the fin now colored purple; about 1/4 of it was broken off in that flight.

Can you give me some more info on the New Centurion? Is it a kit (which)? Scratch? Original Derrivative of the Centuri?

Semroc does not have a listing by that name.
 
New Centurion is my own design, based on the original Centuri rocket design but using BT-60. I built it to break at the coupler, which in the original rocket was a bypass-tube baffle; the replacement lower section has a standard Semroc baffle installed below the coupler instead. I built three engine mounts, 1x18, 2x18, and 1x24, and arranged for them to be interchangeable. The original lower section used an off-brand tube which was a hair small, making the engine mounts fit too tightly, and the 1x24 was destroyed after its first flight when I tried to extract it. I've never gotten around to building another... I rarely fly 24mm engines, so it hasn't mattered.

I have a page on the rocket here: https://rocketry.gonnerman.org/newcenturion.html
and I posted a review on RocketReviews.com here: https://www.rocketreviews.com/scratch-new-centurion-by-chris-gonnerman.html

Both pages are essentially the same information, except the page on my site has info about the rebuild.

EDIT: qquake2k, sorry to swoop in here, but Semroc's kit is just called Centurion. "New" Centurion is mine.
 
Here's mine all painted up like a Creamsicle. Great flyer, one of my favorites. I've got the Mini and the Centurion F on the bench right now.

-Dave

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Mmm... creamsicle. :D I did a similar paint job on my Stellar Hercules, but I really like how you did the fin section... very creative.
 
Mmm... creamsicle. :D I did a similar paint job on my Stellar Hercules, but I really like how you did the fin section... very creative.

Thanks. Originally, it was going to be a tiger striped scheme, but I never got around to doing the black stripes. The orange and white line is a "soft" line that I did by using a piece of paper that was torn to the approximate shape I wanted, and then I used rolled up masking tape to slightly elevate it from the surface. When I sprayed the orange, the lifted mask gave it a nice feathered edge.
 
Semroc Mini Centurion (KA-28)R Basic Information.

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Semroc Astronautics

MODEL NAME: Mini Centurion Also known as:

NUMBER: KA-28

Introduced: 2010
Final Year:
Designer: Carl McLawhorn

Type: Sport, Downscale
Motor Mount: 1x18mm
Recovery: Parachute
Stages: 1
Length: 16.3" (41.4 cm)
Diameter: 1.04" (2.6 cm)
Span: 4.0" (10.2 cm)
Weight: 1.3 oz (36.9 g)

Mfg. Description: The Mini Centurion™ is the twelfth model in the new Ready-to-Build Series. It is based on a design produced by Centuri Engineering in the 1970’s. This downsized version can use smaller engines making it perfect for small fields, while keeping the classic lines of the early version. (Instruction Blurb)


Advertising Liveries

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2013 Web Ad


Face Card(s)

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Instruction Header(s)

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First post in this thread featuring this rocket.

See Also:
TRF Build Threads

TRF Applicable Threads

LINKS
EMRR
RocketReviews
Mfg. Page


If you have any additional information on this rocket and/or catalog photos please let us know.
 
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I spoke too soon. I finally remembered to include a Centurion nose cone on a recent eRockets order. I trimmed off the body tube where it had zippered and flew it again at the same field where it hung overnight all those years ago.
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