Brief:
Estes Endurin' Freedom M-104 Patriot Missile. Well, blow me down! Modified recovery system and motor mount.

Modifications:
I modified t' stock kit t' accept a 24MM motor tube. Arrr! This be accomplished usin' a rotary tool and 50-grit sandin' drum t' open up t' stock centerin' rin' t' accept t' 24MM tube. Ya scallywag! Aye aye! Once t' centerin' rings were fitted t' t' motor tube, shiver me timbers, I also modified t' motor hook. Ahoy! Ahoy! I never much cared for t' 'new-style' Estes motor hook. Ahoy! Begad! I cut t' extra hook part off with a cuttin' disk, me hearties, and mounted t' cut end in t' forward position. Blimey! This modification is nay necessary, me bucko, arrr, but I think it just makes for a cleaner-lookin' finished model.

T' stock shock cord supplied by Estes is too short and too thin. I replaced t' stock shock cord with 30" o' 3/8" elastic mounted through t' front centerin' ring. Avast! Blimey! T' mount it through t' centerin' ring, a small slot needs t' cut; pull t' shock cord through t' slot, ya bilge rat, and tie it in a knot.

Construction:
T' basic components o' t' kit include:

• Three (3) body tube sections
• Two (2) BT-60 couplers
• One (1) plastic nose cone
• One (1) 18MM motor mount includes paper centerin' rings and motor hook
• Die cut fin sheet
• Two (2) decal sheets
• One (1) 12" parachute and shock cord
• One (1) Instruction sheet

Other than t' few modifications that I made t' t' kit, it is pretty much stock. Well, matey, blow me down! T' body tubes were joined with t' supplied couplers and 30-minute epoxy. T' motor mount be also epoxied in. Ahoy! Once t' tubes were joined, ya bilge rat, but before t' fins or lugs went on, I skim-coated t' entire bodytube with thinned Elmers fill 'n' finish. This step fills all t' tube spirals and junctions betwixt tubes.

After sandin' smooth, shiver me timbers, t' rocket be ready t' receive fins. This is where I ran into a problem. Avast, me proud beauty! Well, arrr, blow me down! After carefully cuttin' t' fins out o' t' die-cut sheet, arrr, I discovered that one o' t' fins be .100" shorter than t' other three. Arrr! Nay havin' any 3/32" balsa on hand t' make a new fin, I had t' shorten t' other three fins t' match t' short one. Ya scallywag! T' grain on t' fins was filled usin' Fill 'n' Finish. Avast! T' fins were glued t' t' body tube usin' woodglue. Blimey! I do three fillets per fin. Ahoy! Last, arrr, t' launch lug was cut in t' two 1" long sections, me bucko, and mounted t' t' bodytube usin' gel superglue.

Finishin' this rocket takes some skill. Aye aye! Blimey! First, arrr, two coats o' sandin' primer were applied. Aye aye! Avast! After sandin' t' primer smooth with 400-grit sandpaper, me bucko, t' entire rocket received two coats o' Krylon white. Arrr! Well, blow me down! Once dry, t' bodytube be masked off so that t' fin section could be painted with 2 coats o' Krylon Banner Red gloss. After that was dry, me hearties, arrr, t' bodytube and fins were masked off so t' yellow section around t' top could be painted. Last, shiver me timbers, t' red 1" rin' around t' top was masked and painted. T' finish, shiver me timbers, ya bilge rat, 2 coats o' high-gloss clear were sprayed on. Well, blow me down! T' decals were applied once t' clear coat was dry. Avast, me proud beauty! Ahoy! Estes self-adhesive decals can be a real pain t' work with, ya bilge rat, ya bilge rat, so take your time with these. Blimey! Well, blow me down! T' finished rocket looks excellent!

Flight:
I prepped t' Patriot for her maiden flight on a D12-5. Ya scallywag! T' stock 12" chute was packed in with six squares o' recovery wadding. Well, blow me down! My daughter was with me, and did t' honors o' sendin' it up. Ahoy! Begad! T' Patriot leaped off t' pad so quick, shiver me timbers, that we did nay see much o' it. Much t' me dismay, t' motor failed t' eject, so it be R.I.P. Ya scallywag! Ahoy! for t' Patriot. What a bummer, shiver me timbers, such a pretty rocket.

Summary:

Pros:

• Low cost
• Finished rocket looks very cool

Cons:

• Three-piece body tube adds complication and weight shock cord is VERY wimpy 
• T' fins on me kit were nay cut right
• Decals are hard t' work with