Anyone Build the Centuri Space Shuttle?
 

I'm thinking of trying to build the Centuri Space Shuttle:

http://www.spacemodeling.org/jimz/centuri/kc-6.pdf

Anyone here tried building this, and if so, how was both the build and your flight?

I built one quite a while ago and it's flown twice. The build has unique aspects to it, like the engine mount, but easy enough to follow the steps and build.

You launch it at an angle and my first flight went great. Both gliders "glided" though neither for very long. The best part was they landed within a couple feet of one another.

The second flight did a barrel roll right into the ground. I suspect one of the mothership elevons caused the corkscrew. Damage was surprisingly minimal and since repair it's been a display model.

Buzz

I've built two, one a clone, and am building another. The first one I built in the early 1980's and flew it many times. I still have the shuttle, but the booster bit the dust with a C5-3 CATO. The second one I built in 1994, and flew it a few times. Unfortunately, a scout stepped on it crushing both gliders.

Both flew OK, maybe 15 to 20 seconds, and tended to land close together.

I built 3 or 4 of them "back in the day". The glide performance, as others have said, is not good.
However, the "Cool Factor" makes up for it. I think an upscale would be interesting, too !

Dave F.

I have the Semroc repro on hand but it’s pretty far down my build list though when I do build it my Quest Shuttle Intrepid will be done at the same time. But not until my Estes Super Orbital Transport is done. I do like my parasite style boost gliders - two new gliders for the Squirrel Works Dogfight are in-work, the originals ended up in a bale of hay…hope the cows enjoyed the crunchy goodness!

Built a Centuri original back in the latter 70s. Fun build at the time. Lots of balsa to finish off, but the completed model properly built and finished looks great.

As others have stated and as you can imagine, they are not endurance gliders. BUT, they do glide decently well. The smaller shuttle craft with such high wing loading glides for a lesser time. It also helps to have an extra eye or two on the vehicle during launch. Three separate items to keep up with. If flying on bare dirt or grass you’ll have no problem finding everything, but in taller grass or weeds it can be easy to loose the central power pod/motor mount or the smaller shuttle craft.

On the first flight of mine way back when it was in thigh-high weeds on either side of a mowed strip. I lost sight of the smaller craft and did not find it until the next winter after the area had been cut and plowed. It was toast by then of course, but I had probably walked all around it right after that flight but could not see it because it was probably nose down in the weeds.

It’s a classic Centuri kit. I’d recommend it!

Earl

I built the Semroc version and went for a display quality finish rather than keeping weight down. I enjoyed the build, hated the sanding. It hasn't flown so I can't comment on flight quality. I planned to build a much lighter flight version, but never got around to it.

Trimming and making it glide adds to the skill level, as does a showroom quality finish. As for construction without a bunch of sanding and finishing, it is a pretty straightforward assembly. The Centuri version might be a little more involved without the laser cut parts and excellent instructions we grew accustomed to with Semroc.

The Centuri instructions were good too. Matter of fact, my impression on Carl’s kits was that he patterned his great instructions a fair amount after the well illustrated Centuri instructions.

Earl

I built this Semroc one in 2020. I've not flown it.

Wow Jeffy! That’s a beaut! I’m feeling inspired😇