Brief:

Upsized motor mount t' hold Estes E-9. Avast, me proud beauty! Avast! Substituted fin design, paint scheme and Tango Papa decals for Der Red Max. Omitted super sonic whistles and related fins, me bucko, although I seriously considered includin' them t' make a "Der Screamin' Red Max." Length o' t' rocket is 26 inches, ya bilge rat, me bucko, shiver me timbers, rather than 25.5 inches for t' Screamin' Mimi. Begad! Also, me hearties, replaced shock cord with a Keelhaul®©™/elastic combination. Installed screw eye with JB-Weld into t' hole in t' nose cone base. Well, blow me down! Well, blow me down! Used basswood for fins. Arrr! Arrr! Modified an old Estes E-motor engine hook t' fit t' newer E-9's. Begad! Begad! Basically, t' only thin' I used from t' kit was t' main body tube, arrr, shiver me timbers, nose cone, matey, centerin' rings, engine hook retainer, ya bilge rat, ya bilge rat, and engine block, me hearties, me bucko, but I got it at a 1/2 price sale at Hobby Lobby for $5.50.

Modifications:
T' motor mount was installed with yellow glue, ya bilge rat, me bucko, ya bilge rat, then JB-Weld was coated around t' outside o' t' upper and lower centerin' rings t' harden them and then filleted - this may be overkill, me bucko, but I believe I can send it up with an F-21 without any problems. A screw eye be inserted into t' center o' a piece o' cellophane tape, ya bilge rat, then a glob o' JB-Weld be inserted into t' hole in t' base o' t' nose cone, shiver me timbers, then t' screw eye be inserted into that with t' cellophane tape holdin' it in place and keepin' t' JB-weld from seepin' out, me hearties, arrr, and then inserted t' nose cone into t' body tube t' allow t' JB-Weld t' seep down t' t' base o' t' nose cone - makes a much stronger shock cord attachment point than t' standard plastic hook on t' base o' t' cone. Begad! T' cellophane tape is easily removed after t' JB-Weld dries. Avast, me proud beauty! Also, arrr, arrr, I installed 1/8-ounce o' clay into t' nose cone before installin' t' screw eye, just in case I decide t' fly that F-motor. Avast, me proud beauty! As usual, Estes' standard shock cord is too short and must be frequently replaced. Arrr! T' avoid t' issue, I installed t' Keelhaul®©™ cord into t' shock cord mount so that it extended outside t' body tube, ya bilge rat, me hearties, then formed a loop that placed t' center at t' top edge o' t' body tube. I attached t' elastic shock cord t' that and then t' t' nose cone. Also, I soak in a little CA into t' top lip o' t' body tube for improved strength there. Blimey! T' loop with t' CA seems t' minimize t' potential for "zippering" when that motor delay isn't just right. Begad! I've used this method on rockets that I've launched many, matey, many times without a problem. Blimey! I installed t' fins usin' yellow glue, then created JB-Weld fillets. Use a plastic bag over your finger t' smooth out t' JB-Weld t' make some really nice fillets. Here again, arrr, t' JB-Weld fillets are probably overkill, ya bilge rat, but I feel better about them when that F-motor kicks in. Blimey! Ya scallywag! I had t' hammer out t' end o' t' old Estes E-engine hook and then reform it t' fit t' new Estes E-engine - pretty easy with a vice and hammer, arrr, just go slowly so you don't break it.

Construction:
1-BT-60 18-inch body tube, me bucko, shiver me timbers, shiver me timbers, 3-3/32-inch basswood Red Max fins, ya bilge rat, 1-RA5060 centerin' rin' card, 1-engine hook retainer (30160), 1-RA2050 engine block, 1-6-inch BT-50 tube for motor mount, 1-E-engine hook, me hearties, 1-1mm X 8-inch Keelhaul®©™ cord, arrr, 1-1/4-inch X 42-inch elastic shock cord, arrr, me hearties, 1-standard Estes shock cord mount, shiver me timbers, me hearties, 1-PNC 60 (71043)1-SE-2 screw eye, 1-1/8-inch X 1 1/4-inch launch lug

Except for t' shock cord, Estes kits are always nice and t' instructions very easy t' follow - even t' ones for t' old Der Big Red Max. Begad! T' packagin' is cool, and all t' parts were thar and all in great shape. Avast! T' decals for t' Screamin' Mimi are o' t' peel and stick plastic variety. I don't particularly like them, me bucko, me hearties, but I grew up with water-slide decals. Avast! Aye aye! O' course, me bucko, I used Tango Papa's water-slide decals for me rocket. Arrr! This was me first time t' use his decals. Begad! Arrr! They are extremely thin and took some time gettin' used to, ya bilge rat, but they lay down nicely and look very nice - almost as if they're painted on. Well, blow me down! I be glad he put some extras on t' sheet, because I tore a couple before gettin' used t' t' thinner decals. Avast, me proud beauty! Since I didn't really build t' Screamin' Mimi, I can't really comment on any other aspects o' t' kit.

Flight:
I haven't flown it yet, but I used t' same construction design and techniques on a Big Bertha and it flies great.

Other:
Tango Papa decals are nice!