Has anyone tried the COX Centurian or Implulse? They are rocket powered RC planes. Looks like a lot of fun!!!!!!!!!!!

I am very into model rocketry, and I have always liked the idea of a boost glider. In the 2002 Estes Catalog it says the retail for the i28 Impuse is 129.99 and the T25 Centurian retail is 139.99. This is way too much for me considering that the "E" engines are approx. $5.00 a peice, you have to provide the raidio system, and it goes to 600 ft in a few seconds (meaning you could lose your expensive raidio equipment). It can be converted to a .49 Cox glow engine if that interests you. Also, if something is wrong during takeoff it can hit the ground going at a tremendous velocity. I have seen a similar boost glider do this (control surfaces were off about 1/16 an inch) and it was completely demolished. . .

The i28 is the old Estes Astro Blaster from the late 80's, the T25 is the Strato Blaster. Both were tremendous planes that flew quite well on the slopes, with rocket power, and with the .049. The Astro Blaster was more an aerobatic plane with the Strato more a glider.

I still have 2 Astro Blasters. I use 2 "D" engines one boost and one plugged to get the plane over 1100 feet. It really is just a speck up there and I usually spun down to a height where I could see it. I was then able to do about 5 min worth of aerobatics before landing at my feet. I performed with the DCRC and NVRC show teams a few times with the plane around 1988-91.

Care must be taken with rocket powered planes, since once you light them off, they don't turn off. The Astro Blaster could reach speeds of over 125mph straight up, and I was clocked at over 160 with a 45* climb. Once I bumped the aileron trim before launch and had a crazy ride doing very fast low barrel rolls, sometimes within 3 feet of the ground. Luckilly no one was around. After that I adheared to a strict checklist before launch and always had a helper with me. If you hit someone with one of these during boost phase, you will kill them. Keep that in mind if you get one.

By puting a Cox TD .049 on the plane, it flies more conventionally. 75 mph passes were normal. The plane might be a good choice for a small DD Brushless and Kokam setup. IE - Astro 10 or MiniAC.

Rob

The T-25 Centurion should hit the shelves about the first of May. They look nice.

Been flying an Estes Sweet-Vee for years. Weighs more than twice as much as today's competition gliders. Sure attracts attention at the field.