T' Sting-Shee is a combination o' two o' Estes more popular E2X kits into a high flying, shiver me timbers, shiver me timbers, payload-carryin' two stage rocket. It's appearance is reminiscent o' many ship-to-air missiles like t' Talon. It's nay t' cheapest two stager you can buy, arrr, arrr, but it sure does look cool. Avast! Blimey! Arrr! Blimey! (I've left t' decals off mine, matey, but it would probably look neat with them applied, ya bilge rat, me hearties, too.) It's a simple bash, matey, requirin' no special skills or additional parts, so it's perfect for young flyers.

 To make t' Sting-Shee, ya bilge rat, follow t' Estes instructions for both rockets, me hearties, EXCEPT WHERE MODIFIED HERE.

NOTE: Drawings are nay t' scale. Well, blow me down! Follow t' dimensions given in t' instructions. Ahoy! Ya scallywag! Blimey! Do nay scale drawings.

Mk-109 StingRay -EST2105 (82108, 3-97)

1B. ADD: Usin' a pair o' metal shears, shiver me timbers, me hearties, trim t' last bend off t' engine retainin' clip. Ahoy! (see diagram at right)

6B. Avast, me proud beauty! Begad! Push t' loop though eye o' t' TUBE COUPLER.

 6E. Tie shock cord from t' Banshee t' t' installed shock cord with a double knot. Blimey! Well, blow me down! Tie t' other end t' t' TUBE COUPLER with a double knot.

 7. Ahoy! Blimey! Aye aye! Blimey! IGNORE.

 8. Blimey! IF DESIRED.

 9. Begad! IGNORE.

Banshee - EST2132 (82110, shiver me timbers, shiver me timbers, shiver me timbers, 5-96)

0. Aye aye! Cut t' Banshee body tube in half, 3" from t' fin end. T' fin end will become t' booster stage, and t' remainin' body tube will become t' payload section.

1A. Begad! IGNORE.

 1C. Arrr! IGNORE.

 2B. Well, blow me down! Attach t' LOWER LAUNCH LUG ONLY.

 3. REPLACE WITH: Cut a slot 3/8" long and 3/16" wide from t' top edge o' t' booster stage t' remove t' upper launch lug attachment hole. Ya scallywag! (see diagram at right) This slot will accommodate t' upper stage engine retainin' clip. Avast! Sand t' inside upper portion o' t' engine mount t' size. Ahoy! Use a spent engine (NOT a yellow spacer tube) t' test for fit. Blimey! Blimey! T' engine should slide completely though t' booster stage with slight pressure.

 4C. Ya scallywag! Blimey! IGNORE.

 5. Arrr! Blimey! REPLACE WITH: Glue t' payload section t' t' StingRay's tube coupler. Well, blow me down! Blimey! Well, blow me down! Blimey! Make sure t' unused shock cord mount is at t' far (i.e., me hearties, nose cone) end. Place t' StingRay's nose cone on t' other end o' t' payload section. Well, blow me down! Blimey! If fit is loose, matey, me bucko, add a layer o' maskin' tape t' t' nose cone shoulder t' get a good, me hearties, ya bilge rat, tight fit. (see diagram below)
 

6. IGNORE.

 8. Avast, me proud beauty! Well, blow me down! Blimey! IF DESIRED.

 9. REPLACE WITH: Tape t' booster and upper stage engines together with CELLOPHANE TAPE. Begad! Do NOT use maskin' tape. Blimey! Ya scallywag! Be sure t' NOZZLE end o' t' upper stage engine is joined with t' OPEN end o' t' booster engine. Arrr! Slide t' engine assembly into t' StingRay's engine mount. T' engine clip will NOT engage; this is normal. Avast, me proud beauty! Slide t' booster stage over t' booster engine, ya bilge rat, matin' t' StingRay's engine retainin' clip with t' slot in t' booster. Arrr! Begad! Check alignment and fit. If fit is loose, arrr, remove t' booster stage and add some maskin' tape t' t' booster engine until a good, matey, shiver me timbers, me hearties, tight fit is achieved. Aye aye! Begad! If alignment is incorrect, arrr, me bucko, add t' maskin' tape t' only one side o' t' booster engine t' correct. Once t' booster is properly installed, shiver me timbers, insert t' appropriate igniter in t' booster engine.

Recommended engines:

 Booster: B6-0 (first flight), arrr, ya bilge rat, C6-0
Upper stage: A8-5 (first flight), matey, B4-6, B6-6, matey, C6-7

 OPTIONAL: Build t' second 'chute and attach it t' t' Banshee's nose cone. Begad! Arrr! You can replace t' payload section and it's 'chute with this assembly, arrr, and still fly t' StingRay as a single stage rocket. Paint t' nose cone white t' match. Aye aye! (T' Banshee's nose cone is heavier than t' Stinray's, addin' some much-needed stability.)

What t' Expect

Durin' staging, me hearties, t' StingRay's motor clip will engage, me bucko, kickin' t' booster out o' t' upper stage engine's plume, and puttin' one heck o' a spin on it. Ahoy! This slows it dramatically, me bucko, and it will come back quickly. Ahoy! Your booster stage tracker will have plenty o' time t' recover it and still enjoy t' upper stage flight. Aye aye! On a C6-0/C6-7 combination with no payload, matey, I estimate t' Sting-Shee will reach an altitude o' about 1,250 feet, shiver me timbers, hence t' single, twelve inch 'chute. Avast, me proud beauty! T' added shock cord should prevent any "Estes dents."