Estes Centuri (the rocket, not the company)

[4regt4]

I'm talking about this:
https://estesrockets.com/product/003232-centuri/
(Tried a search, but the confusing name doesn't turn up anything useful, just a mish-mash of company comparisons.)

I just opened the bag to start building this. Weird motor mount. It's basically a 18mm motor mount that gets GLUED into a 24mm motor mount. Huh? I wonder why they did it this way. If they truly intended it to fly with 18mm motors, why didn't they just make an ordinary 18mm mount like they do with the Big Bertha. That would reduce the parts count, lower their cost. And make it weigh less. Given the bean counters' influence at most companies, providing extra parts seems a bit unusual.

https://estesrockets.com/wp-content/uploads/Instructions/003232.pdf
Perhaps they knew many builders would do exactly what I'll be doing - making it a straight 24mm flier. And as a bonus, I now have another 18-24mm adapter! Just seems odd that they want you to permanently glue the two together.

Hans.

 

[ZoomieG]

The tail cone / nozzle fits a BT-50 tube. Without the 24mm mount, there would be no way to attach it.

Also note that it won’t be usable if this rocket is up-engined to 24mm.

 

[4regt4]

The tail cone / nozzle fits a BT-50 tube. Without the 24mm mount, there would be no way to attach it.

Also note that it won’t be usable if this rocket is up-engined to 24mm.

Ah, I see. In the photo, that tail cone is rather subtle, I thought it was just an extension of the end of the body tube painted a different color. I hadn't actually looked at what is labeled part "O" in the instructions yet.

I will likely leave it off. We'll see.

Hans.

 

[neil_w]

Tail cone looks real nice.

That said, this rocket would be great with 24mm motors, although I’ll be more than satisfied to fly mine on Q-jet D16s.

 

[4regt4]

Tail cone looks real nice.

That said, this rocket would be great with 24mm motors, although I’ll be more than satisfied to fly mine on Q-jet D16s.

I've yet to try "D" 18mm Q-jets. Need to get some.... Given that, perhaps I'll leave the tail cone on.

Hans.

 

[neil_w]

I've had some good flights with the D16. Definitely good for getting a kind-of-heavy-for-18mm rocket like the Centuri moving. Not as much impulse as an Estes D12, but more than a C6.

If you really want to send it up high, then you'll need a 24mm mount, but I really like the nozzle and would hate to forego it. I have other rockets to fly higher.

 

[4regt4]

I bought the Centuri (err... the rocket, not the company) purely based on aesthetics. Eye of the beholder, yada, yada. It just looks right.

I kept wondering if it is a scale model of something. It strongly resembles many of the 2 stage sounding rockets, past and present. But after wasting too much time sifting through photos, I can't see that it is a match to anything. 2 stage Black Brants, and the various Orion based rockets have a stubbier booster (or a longer upper... Take your pick).

Hans.

 

[GlenP]

That nose cone and nozzle have been used in a few other kits over the years, besides the current Crossfire ISX, it was used back in the day on this sport rocket with a missile inspired look, the Stiletto.

http://www.spacemodeling.org/jimz/est1323.htm

 

[milehigh]

It appears to me that the Estes 'Centuri' model is a general nod to the typical Lee Piester/Centuri Engineering designs of the mid 1960s-early 1970s. In looking through Centuri catalogs of that era, many of the sport models therein bore similar profiles, fin style, and paint/decal schemes as the modern 'Centuri'.

 

[4regt4]

It appears to me that the Estes 'Centuri' model is a general nod to the typical Lee Piester/Centuri Engineering designs of the mid 1960s-early 1970s. In looking through Centuri catalogs of that era, many of the sport models therein bore similar profiles, fin style, and paint/decal schemes as the modern 'Centuri'.

Given the name I suspected that there was a "throwback" angle to the design. Still, it looks like part of the Black Brant family. Pointy conical nose cone and all.

I decided to do the 18mm motor mount more or less as designed. I extended the BT-50 tube to put a baffle in. I've never successfully been able to use wadding....

Hans.

 

[4regt4]

I'm just finishing up my Centuri build. Now I wish I would have gone with my first impulse and made it with a 24mm mount. Easy to do, just leave out some parts.

Running OpenRocket, the highest this thing is going to get on BP is 334ft. A C12 Qjet is 430ft, and D16 Qjet is 539 which isn't too bad. But 24mm gives more BP choices. Note that my rocket is a bit heavy because of the baffle I installed.

As for appearance of the nozzle, that could be approximated with a screw on Estes motor retainer painted silver.

Thinking of building another. I like the rocket, and the upper tube gives space for the long skinny Perfectflight Alt15K altimeter that I found cheaply on Ebay.

Hans.

 

[Back_at_it]

Crazy timing on this thread. I was just looking through the box of forgotten rockets last night and saw a very sad Centuri and though it would be a fun rebuild. This one came from a high school that had a rocket program. When the kids graduated a bunch of unfinished rockets were left behind

I pulled it out and looked it over. The upper tube is crushed and 2 of the 4 fins are broken and the transition is only glued about have way in so the upper section will need to be recreated but the lower looks looks good. 3 of the fins are pretty straight and one is just loose and it's never been painted. The engine nozzle is missing but the rest of the parts are there.

I'll probably do a quick restoration thread on it in the near future. Only hard part with this one will be cutting the vinyl as the roll pattern is a bit of a PITA.

Will defiantly be building it to fly on 24mm. With the forward fins it might need a little nose weight to be stable on a D12.

 

[4regt4]

I'm just finishing up my Centuri build. Now I wish I would have gone with my first impulse and made it with a 24mm mount. Easy to do, just leave out some parts.

Running OpenRocket, the highest this thing is going to get on BP is 334ft. A C12 Qjet is 430ft, and D16 Qjet is 539 which isn't too bad. But 24mm gives more BP choices. Note that my rocket is a bit heavy because of the baffle I installed.

As for appearance of the nozzle, that could be approximated with a screw on Estes motor retainer painted silver.

Thinking of building another. I like the rocket, and the upper tube gives space for the long skinny Perfectflight Alt15K altimeter that I found cheaply on Ebay.

Hans.

Launched the Centuri Saturday. Regardless of size, motor, etc., it's always fun.

A C6-3 gave 293ft. Of course that difference vs simulation was further aggregated by the weight of the altimeter. But still fun, it got a lot of attention at the club launch.

I've ordered some 18mm C and D Qjets. The D20 Qjet is more of a C+, so it will be a comfortable increment up. I forget the sim, I think it was 450ish. Just right for a sport flier.

Hans.