VULCAN

CENTAUR
Paper Model Kit
VULCAN CENTAUR
This paper rocket kit is a designed to help you build a 1:150 scale model of the Vulcan Centaur rocket
with your printer and basic tools. As with all paper model kits, your level of success will depend on your
precision and the time you take. It is recommended to let the glue fully dry in each step before the next.
Please take care not to cut yourself and do not leave children unattended with sharp tools.

Your Vulcan Centaur paper model kit will require:

• 8.5” x 11” cardstock prints of the 4 pages at the end of this document, (save paper and ink by only print-
ing the pattern pages 13-16 and view the instructions online)
• A cutting mat
• Scissors and/or an x-acto knife (children should not use x-acto or be left unattended with cutting tools
and anyone attempting this kit should take care to avoid injury from cuts)
• Glue (super glue or other adhesive is not necessary)
• A straight edge or ruler
Optional supplies:
• A few toothpicks for applying glue to small areas
• A small dish to hold a dollop of glue while building
• A long wooden dowel or chopstick to help you apply pressure to glued areas far into the rocket body
• A sharpened pencil
STEP 1
Mark the booster (A) for solid rocket
boosters before cutting

Vulcan Centaur has the capability of using

0, 2, 4 or 6 solid rocket boosters (SRBs)
for added performance. You will mark the
locations for the SRBs first.

Determine how many SRBs your model will

have. This example shows six. If you de-
cide to have none, skip to the next step.

The numbers show the location lines for

the quantity of SRBs you choose to use.
Use a ruler across the blue marks at the
top and bottom of the booster (A), to light-
ly draw the SRBs location lines, using the
blue arrow as a guide. Do not go past the
blue arrow with your marks or the pencil
will show on the final model.

STEP 2
Trim out the booster (A)

Trim out piece A. Apply glue to the white

strip on the side of the piece.

Gently curl the booster to make a tube and

hold the glue until it dries in place.

You can use a wooden dowel or chopstick

to put pressure on the inside of the tube
where your fingers may not reach.
STEP 3
Make the heatshield (B)

Trim out part B, the heatshield, and apply

glue to the white end.

Next, roll it around to form a ring. The

ring may warp because of the two semi-
circular notches out of it, but we’ll fix that
in step 4.

STEP 4
Trim and attach the base of the heatshield

Trim out parts C and D. Bend the tabs back

just a bit and apply glue to the tabs on the
circular side of the piece. Do not add glue
to the straight portion, yet.

Set the glued tabs into the inside of the

heatshield ring and line up the circular
section to match the circular holes. Do
both sides.

STEP 5
Attach the bottom of the heatshield (G)

Trim part G, which will be the base of the

heatshield. Remove the portions in black,
leaving the triangles in place. Bend the
triangles and the rectangles back to shape
the piece.

Add glue to the rectangles on part G, and

the straight edges of parts C and D, from
the last step, and glue the base into the
heatshield as shown.
STEP 6
Attach the heatshield to the
booster (A)

Apply glue to the rectangular tabs of

the heatshield. Line up the seam of the
heatshield with the side of the booster:
• If you drew lines for the SRBs, the seam
is lined up with the middle booster line.
• If you did chose not to use SRBs you
can carefully align the seam of the
heatshield to the side of the booster so
the flat, circular sections face forward.
Carefully tip the part into the bottom of
the rocket body (part A).

STEP 7
Make the BE-4 engine nozzle (E & F)

Trim out part E and F and slowly curl them

into a cone shape. Glue each end together
and hold until the glue dries to create two
engine nozzles.

Once dry, apply glue to the triangular tabs

on the heatshield and insert each engine
into the hole in the heatshield as shown.
The glue will dry and hold the engine in
place. Take care to center and level the
two cone shapes to each other before the
glue dries.
STEP 8
Make the Centaur upper stage (H) and the
bottom of the payload fairing (I)

Trim out part H and I, and wrap them

gently into tubes, gluing the long ends
together to make two tubes, one with a
flag (interstage adapter + Centaur V upper
stage) and one with a ULA logo (the bot-
tom of the payload fairing).

Let’s finish the payload fairing before we

assemble our pieces.

STEP 9
Finish the payload fairing (I, J & K)

Cut out parts J and K which will be the

nosecone on the payload fairing. Slight-
ly bend all the triangles back, then glue
the ends and wrap them into their shape
shown to the left.

Next, take the cone, part K, and add glue

to the triangles. Line up the seams from
both parts so they match up and drop the
tip of the cone into the wider side of part
J, to make a full nosecone. Center the top
of the nosecone (K) and press the triangles
down on the inside until they dry.

After the nosecone is dry, glue the trian-

gles of the nosecone into the top of the
payload fairing piece with the ULA logo
(part I), as shown on the right. Let these
parts dry completely to complete the full
Vulcan Centaur payload fairing.
STEP 10
Assemble the rocket

Add glue to the rectangular tabs on the

Centaur section (with U.S. flag), then tip
this into the booster of the rocket, lin-
ing up the seams of the Centaur with the
seams of the booster.

After the glue is dried on the Centaur, do

the same with the payload fairing section.
If the seams are lined up on the back of
the rocket (with the exception of the heat-
shield), the logos and rocket will line up
accurately to the final vehicle.

If you chose not to add SRBs to the

rocket, you are done here and can skip
to the model base section of these
instructions.

STEP 11
Trim out the solid rocket boosters (SRBs)
from page 15

Each SRB will require one each of parts

L, M, N and O. Cut out as many of each
part as you have selected for your rocket.
This example will show all six SRBs for our
final rocket.

Part M requires the most patience and

precision. Cut out each section slowly,
and remove the black portion in the center
to leave a hole and four triangular points,
then fold them back. Be careful not to cut
yourself, as these parts are tricky and tiny.
STEP 12
Assemble the GEM-63XL SRBs N

Nosecone (part N): Wrap this part around

and glue it into a cone.
O
SRB tank (part O): roll this and glue the
ends together to form a tube. Try using a
pencil to roll the part around. Let dry.

SRB Base (part M): will be glued into the

bottom of the SRB tank to hold the engine.

Engine nozzle (part L): wrap around and

glue the end to make a cone.

Assemble the SRBs one at a time,

making sure thee glue dries on each part
before proceeding. M

Once each part is formed, glue the

nosecone into the top of the SRB tank by
adding glue to the rectangles and sliding it
into the tank tube (either end is the same). L O
Then glue the base (part M) into the oppo-
site side of the tank. M

Lastly, add glue to the triangles in the hole L

of part M, the base, and attach the engine
nozzle (part N) by pushing it into the hole
with the triangles sticking to the engine.
Center the part before the glue dries.

Make as many SRBs as you need for

your model.
STEP 13
Glue the SRBs to the rocket

Remember those lines you drew on the

rocket tank on step 1? You will now add
glue to the seamed side of each SRB (this
hides the seams) and stick them to the
lines, one at a time, letting each one dry
and assuring they are straight and lined up
to each other.

COMPLETED
VULCAN CENTAUR
ROCKET
MODEL STAND
STEP 1
Make the base of the stand (P)

Trim out part P, as shown, and be sure to

score all fold lines in this stand model.
Score the lines by using the back side of
the x-acto knife or cutting very lightly so
the blade doesn’t go through the line). The
folds need to be crisp and 90 degrees to
provide a sturdy stand for the rocket.

Remove the black section marked “cut

out and remove.” The white portion of this
area can be scored and the corners cut to
allow each tab to fold down. See photos
on the right.

Add glue to corners of the box to make the

base for the stand. Allow glue to fully dry.
STEP 2
Make the support tower (S)

Trim out part S from the pattern, and

again, score all the fold lines for a clean
fold. Add glue to corners to make the
shape in the photo, a tall, thin box.

Insert the support tower (S) into the base

(P) and even the length with the side walls
of the base. This will ensure that the sup-
port tower is touching the ground or table
when it stands and will provide further
support. You can also add glue to the fold-
ed tabs to secure the base to the tower,
once you have the positioning correct.

STEP 3
Make the support arms (Q & R)

Trim out parts Q and R, scoring the fold

lines, then fold and glue together to make
small boxes.

Next, glue the support arms to the sides of

the support tower, at the very top, so that
the widest surface is attached to the tower.
See the photo for reference.

Let glue dry.

Add the rocket! The support arms should

fit nicely around the booster, just above
the SRBs.
VULCAN CENTAUR
ROCKET
With Model Base