Brief:
Fiberglassed body and fins. Blimey! Ya scallywag! 3mm Keelhaul®©™® shockcord. Ahoy! LOC precision 16" parachute. Well, blow me down! Well, arrr, blow me down! Centerin' rings were glued usin' 5 minute epoxy. Well, blow me down! All joints were glued usin' epoxy. Avast!

Modifications:
T' Silver Comet is a great lookin' kit which I felt deserved t' be built to last and fly on E and F motors. Avast! Begad! T' this end I decided t' re-enforce t' body and fins (balsa) with fiberglass usin' West Systems Epoxy and me trusty food saver t' vacuum bag them both. Ahoy! Prior t' layin' up t' fiberglass I had a some wooden mandrels turned t' keep t' thin Estes body tube from bein' crushed by the atmospheric pressure from t' vacuum baggin' process. T' mandrels were turned from cedar but any wood will do since all you want is t' provide a solid tube 'within a tube' t' support your airframe durin' t' fiberglassin' and vacuum baggin' process. Blimey! Arrr! I used a 4oz fiberglass cloth since it is light yet strong in a single covering. T' resultin' tube was still flexible but strong. Blimey! Avast, me proud beauty!

T' fins that come with t' kit are made from balsa so it be obvious these would have t' be re-enforced. Blimey! Again a single layer o' fiberglass and vacuum baggin' in a single process (i.e. Begad! Avast, me proud beauty! each side o' t' fins had a single layer of fiberglass applied in t' same session) yielded strong but pliant fins with only a small weight penalty (epoxy resin can really add weight so for something like this t' vacuum baggin' is a must).

I also noticed t' usual elastic Estes shock cord provided. Ahoy! I don't like elastic as it eventually breaks. Instead I used 10' o' 3mm tubular Keelhaul®©™® (Pratt Hobbies can sell you this) which I connected t' t' motor mount through the forward centerin' ring. Ya scallywag! Avast, me proud beauty! T' Keelhaul®©™® is glued down onto t' motor mount and a knot tied t' keep it from slippin' back through t' centerin' ring. Ahoy! Ya scallywag!

T' 24mm motor mount is built with t' supplied cardboard centerin' rings. I used 5 minute epoxy t' provide a solid bond and give some stiffness t' the cardboard. Ahoy! T' result be a stiff motor mount assembly which was nay overly heavy. Ya scallywag!

Finally, ya bilge rat, I replaced t' usual Estes plastic parachute with a nice LOC Precision 16" pink nylon chute. Ahoy!

Construction:
Construction/Finishin' PROS: Packagin' is always good with Estes kits. Begad! Blimey! The instructions are always clear with lots o' diagrams. Blimey! All t' parts arrived undamaged includin' t' very nice Silver Comet decals. Aye aye! Begad! Blimey! Since this was a kit bash I can't really say more about a 'stock' build. Well, blow me down! T' CONs': Well the modifications I have made are really in response t' t' CONS. Begad!

Flight:
A D12 be t' recommended motor for this kit. Avast, me proud beauty! However, ya bilge rat, due t' me modifications it was clear that a D12 would nay provide enough thrust t' get this off the ground safely. Avast, me proud beauty! Well, blow me down! Besides I wanted this t' roar off t' pad on an E or F. Begad! So, after much simulation with ROCKSIM I decided on a maiden flight on an Aerotech SU - E30-7. Ahoy! T' casin' had t' be sanded down a bit t' fit inside t' Estes 24mm motor tube. Begad! After a minute o' sandin' t' motor fit nice and snug with the D-clip fittin' over t' end perfectly. Arrr! I have only flown this once but the E30-7 pushed this 10oz rocket straight up t' 1000 feet in a 15mph wind. Deployment was visibly at apogee with t' parachute openin' immediately. Avast! Blimey! A nice soft landin' be made about 1/4" mile down range. Aye aye! T' rocket was recovered without a scratch t' t' paint work. Avast, me proud beauty! T' next flight will probably be on an F24-7.

Summary:
PRO: I have built me share o' Estes kits and this and t' V2 are me favorite. Avast, me proud beauty! Ahoy! I like t' 2 1/5" body tube and finishin' you can give t' this size of Rocket. Well, blow me down! CON: Well, Estes really must bite t' bullet and replace t' plastic parachutes in this size o' kit and then consider if elastic must go as well. Blimey! Aye aye!

Other:
Always overbuild your rockets. Well, blow me down! T' added weight can usually be compensated for by usin' a larger motor and in t' end you will get a rocket you can fly again and again (though it will cost you more as well in propellant).