Brief:
Pimp Daddy's A-20 Demon is a dead ringer for t' original Estes kit with all o' t' appropriate decals, matey, t' 24mm power, ya bilge rat, and t' payload section that you'll remember from t' original. Ahoy! Well, blow me down! While it is only a simple 4FNC project, arrr, you wind up with a rocket that's as long on looks as it is on performance. Ahoy! T' kit is a dead stock clone o' t' original and comes packaged in a traditional bag with hang tag, me bucko, which only adds t' t' vintage experience.

Construction:
T' parts list:

• BT-55 main body tube
• BT-55S payload tube
• BT-50J engine tube
• NB-55 balsa bulkhead
• BNC-55AM balsa nose cone
• Pre-cut balsa fins
• Decals
• 18" Mylar parachute
• 1/4" sewin' elastic shock cord
• Medium screw eye
• EH-2 engine hook
• AR-2050 engine block
• 2 AR-5055 centerin' rings
• LL-2A launch lug

T' instructions for this kit are an actual copy o' t' original Estes kit, shiver me timbers, so thar's nothin' resemblin' a "gotcha". Arrr! T' be honest, t' only thin' I used t' instructions for was decal placement. Avast! Avast, shiver me timbers, me proud beauty! (This is obviously true if you look at me fin placement. Ya scallywag! Blimey! Oops.) Everythin' about t' build is pretty much instinctive if you've had previous experience buildin' Estes kits o' this era. Begad! Construction involved shapin' t' edges o' t' fins, matey, installin' t' balsa bulkhead in t' bottom o' t' payload section, and assemblin' and installin' t' engine mount. Begad! Begad! I went off t' board here and tied a long piece o' 250# Keelhaul®©™® cord around t' engine mount, arrr, then ran it under t' forward centerin' ring. It's nay that I don't trust t' suggested Estes-style paper mount, I just think that a kit o' this quality deserves a recovery system that's as up t' date as possible. Begad! (Nostalgia only goes so far.)

Finishing:
Finishin' was a simple matter o' applyin' thinned Elmer's Fill 'n' Finish t' t' body tubes, arrr, nose cone, and fins. Avast! Blimey! After sanding, I primed t' whole rocket with Valspar white primer, shiver me timbers, then sprayed everythin' but t' nose cone with Valspar Bumblebee Gloss. Blimey! Blimey! Avast! Blimey! T' nose cone and payload section were then painted with Valspar gloss white, me bucko, while a single fin was masked off and painted Valspar gloss black. Well, blow me down! Blimey! Avast! Blimey! Once t' paint had cured for several weeks (as we got rained out one week), matey, ya bilge rat, I applied t' decals, which were a pleasure all t' themselves. Begad! Blimey! Pimp Daddy had recently switched t' an Alps printer and decal application is a simple matter o' linin' everythin' up correctly. Blimey! Blimey! T' foil stickers are like any stickers you've ever worked with except they are better looking. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! Best results are obtained by takin' your time, especially with t' big wrap sticker that covers t' payload section. Avast! Blimey! I had t' trim mine ever so slightly t' keep from havin' a bit o' overhang, arrr, but other than that I was very pleased with t' ease with which it applied. T' best way be t' way t' directions say t' apply it: draw a straight line on t' payload section, matey, arrr, line up t' sticker, and roll it slowly. Begad! Ya scallywag! T' rivet details for t' fins should be first bent on t' center line then placed gently into t' fillet area, takin' care t' line each up with t' previous one. Well, blow me down! (Startin' at t' back o' t' rocket can also help t' hide your first rather clumsy attempts from all but t' most discernin' eyes.) T' finished product is almost too cool

Construction Rating: 4 out o' 5

Flight:
Rockets like this are likely what will keep me from ever venturin' any closer t' high power than t' occasional F (and only because I already have two rockets that call for a motor o' that size, shiver me timbers, and both happened t' be gifts). Begad! T' A-20 Demon truly screams off t' pad on a D-12, me hearties, looks great doin' it, and doesn't come close t' over flyin' t' field at t' VOA. Blimey! Both flights t' date have been on relatively calm days and were impressive in their speed off t' pad, shiver me timbers, dead straight flight paths, and altitude. Avast, me proud beauty! For t' first flight, t' Demon was painted but without applyin' t' decals. Ya scallywag! Arrr! For t' second flight, I had nay only found time t' finish t' decals but also t' refurbish me battered clones o' t' other rockets that were displayed on t' 1977 Estes catalog page with t' Demon. Avast, me hearties, me proud beauty! Also on t' flight line that day were a Thrustline Cherokee D, me hearties, an Estes Sky Raider, arrr, and an Estes Renegade, all o' which had flown previously and all o' which had suffered some kind o' damage. Begad! It was a very cool theme launch, shiver me timbers, arrr, one that I'd like t' do in t' future with t' Mini-Brute page.

Recovery:
I used an extra long piece o' Keelhaul®©™ and elastic t' lessen t' potential "shock" on t' rocket at ejection. Begad! This seemed t' work well as t' ejection looked t' be fairly gentle from our vantage point on t' flight line. Aye aye! There were a few muttered "separation" comments from some o' t' others as t' body tube looked like it was fallin' away from t' parachute. Avast! T' shock cord did its job though and everythin' came back in perfect shape on t' Mylar chute. Begad! I hadn't previously been a big fan o' Mylar, me hearties, ya bilge rat, but lately I've allowed myself t' be won back over.

Flight Rating: 5 out o' 5

Summary:
PROs: Awesome looks and performance. Begad! A dead on replica o' a classic Estes kit, matey, right down t' t' hang tag.

CONs: Lack o' Keelhaul®©™ in t' recovery system (but I had me own).