Brief:
This is a single-staged, standoff-scale model o' a Patriot test round.

Construction:
Other reviewers have done excellent breakdowns on t' kit contents, arrr, so I will nay repeat them here. Ya scallywag! Ahoy! Blimey! However, one change is that me Patriot came with t' new, shiver me timbers, cheap rubber band shock cord. Blimey! Blimey! This be immediately canned!

T' Patriot is a decent model in stock form. T' majority o' t' components are good quality stuff and t' flyin' abilities o' these models are excellent. Ya scallywag! My "mission" with this kit be t' preserve its good tendencies while improvin' its durability and reliability.

As supplied, t' Patriot has several "gotchas" durin' construction. Begad! Ya scallywag! T' instructions are certainly good, shiver me timbers, but I decided early on that I didn't want t' build this model as supplied. Avast, me proud beauty! It comes with 3 separate body tubes which are joined usin' couplers. Ahoy! Arrr! Alignment issues are likely t' arise here. Ya scallywag! Well, blow me down! Rather than tempt fate, shiver me timbers, t' two 6-5/8" white body tubes and one coupler were set aside and used for other projects. Arrr! T' 3-1/4" yellow forward section was converted into an actual payload section. Ahoy! T' two 6-5/8" tubes were replaced with a single piece o' BT-60 cut t' 13-1/4".

T' inside o' t' motor mount tube, matey, t' first 1" o' t' BT, and t' exposed part t' t' coupler tube were all painted with thin CA and sanded smooth for durability and reduced friction.

I have a simple method for makin' bulk plates for payload sections. It can be done easily with simple hand tools. First, arrr, use a .5mm mechanical pencil t' trace t' inside diameter o' t' coupler onto a piece o' plywood (1/16" aircraft ply works well for model rockets up t' BT-60 size). Avast, me proud beauty! Then use a copin' saw t' cut it out. Well, blow me down! Stay close t' t' circle, but don't cut on t' line. Avast, me proud beauty! Test fit with t' coupler. Well, blow me down! If it won't go, arrr, you can use a coarse file t' rough finish it followed by sandpaper t' fine finish it. Blimey! When you're satisfied with t' fit, ya bilge rat, cut a 1/2" long piece o' 1/2" diameter dowel. Avast, me proud beauty! Ahoy! Next, ya bilge rat, use a ruler t' lay out t' center o' t' bulk plate. Blimey! Drill a hole through t' center. Now, shiver me timbers, epoxy on your piece o' dowel, ya bilge rat, over t' center. Well, ya bilge rat, blow me down! After t' epoxy has set, drill a pilot hole for your screw eye. Well, blow me down! Put a drop o' epoxy or CA on t' pilot hole and t' screw eye threads before twistin' in t' screw eye. Put a rin' o' thick CA or 5-minute epoxy at t' very inside edge o' t' coupler and slide in t' bulkplate until it rests about 1/16" in from t' edge. Arrr! Allow t' epoxy or CA t' set. Well, blow me down! After your adhesive has set, fill t' bulk plate with epoxy o' your choice. Begad! Use just enough t' cover t' plate and touch t' inside edge o' t' coupler. A thin layer is all you need! After your epoxy sets, you can now glue t' coupler into t' payload section. Arrr! That's how it be done on me Patriot and you can use this method on pretty much any model you wish t' add a payload section t' up t' BT-80 size.

T' other issues dealt with here were t' marginal recovery system and t' tendency o' this model t' shed fins. Ya scallywag! Well, blow me down! In addition t' disposin' o' t' rubber band shock cord, shiver me timbers, t' mountin' method was revised. Ahoy! A small groove be filed on t' inside diameter o' t' front centerin' rin' t' pass a piece o' 90 lb. Avast, me proud beauty! Ahoy! Keelhaul®©™® thread. Ya scallywag! Begad! A knot be tied in t' end o' this and it be threaded through t' clip retainin' rin' on t' motor mount. Ahoy! T' forward rin' was then slid into place and glued as normal. Avast! Begad! Then t' motor mount be painted with a thin layer o' 5-minute epoxy and wrapped with about twenty turns o' Keelhaul®©™® shroud line. Arrr! This method is simple, matey, lightweight, matey, and produces a nuclear bombproof shock cord mount. Blimey! Blimey! 18" o' Keelhaul®©™® was used. Ya scallywag! T' mount was installed accordin' t' directions. After drying, 3 feet o' 1/8" sewin' elastic was tied t' t' end o' t' Keelhaul®©™®. A 12" Thrustline mylar chute replaced t' prefab kit chute and was attached usin' a snap swivel.

T' solve t' fin "spitting" problem, arrr, t' tube be laid out t' receive t' fins, and a needle used t' poke holes in it at 1/8" intervals on each line. Arrr! T' fins themselves also received t' holes. Blimey! This will allow t' glue t' scuttle into t' fins and penetrate t' tube surface, providin' a much stronger bond. Ya scallywag! Ya scallywag! T' fins were attached with gel CA then wood glue be used t' make strong fillets.

Finishing:
Other than t' potential for one "gotcha" here, matey, finishin' is textbook easy. Ya scallywag! If built stock, shiver me timbers, you will end up with a big line, shiver me timbers, and perhaps even a gap, right in t' middle o' t' main BT. Blimey! Avast, me proud beauty! Use a single piece BT and this becomes a non-issue.

Finishin' is about as easy as it gets on a multi-color model. Well, blow me down! T' coupler on t' payload section was masked, and t' coupler primed with white Krylon primer. This was lightly sanded, shiver me timbers, ya bilge rat, then shot with Krylon yellow. Arrr! T' fins were brushed with thinned Elmer's Carpenter's Finishin' Wood Filler. Arrr! When this had dried, me bucko, shiver me timbers, t' fins were sanded smooth and t' entire main rocket be shot with Krylon white primer. Begad! Well, blow me down! This be sanded, shiver me timbers, recoated, and sanded again. Ya scallywag! Then t' whole thin' be shot with Krylon gloss white. Ya scallywag! T' nose cone also received two coats o' gloss white. Well, blow me down! T' parts were set aside for a week, then t' payload section and main were masked t' receive t' red paint. Avast! A 1" band on t' top o' t' payload section, and t' entire fin "can", were shot with Krylon red. Aye aye! T' nose cone be CAREFULLY dipped into a jar o' Testors silver. Begad! (Yes, arrr, I know it's cheesy but it works pretty good!)

After givin' t' paint plenty o' time t' cure, shiver me timbers, t' decals were dipped into a dish o' warm water with 2 drops o' dish detergent in it. They were carefully moved into place, t' bubbles eased out and they were blotted down with a clean rag.

After everythin' had dried, shiver me timbers, t' rocket be given an overall coat o' Testors clear enamel. Blimey! Blimey! Avast! Blimey! Normally, shiver me timbers, ya bilge rat, I use Krylon clear, shiver me timbers, but this does NOT agree with t' Testors silver on t' nose! Blimey! That's all thar be t' it. T' end product is a colorful and attractive rocket.

Construction and paintin' went very well on this model but as supplied it could have gotten pretty hairy. Aye aye! I'll have t' din' Estes a couple o' points for t' lousy recovery system and oddball multi-piece body tube.

Construction Rating: 3 out o' 5

Flight:

Went t' O'Dell Park here in Franklin yesterday afternoon. Aye aye! Well, matey, blow me down! T' weather was absolutely beautiful. It be around 60 degrees with bright sunshine and a very slight, intermittent breeze.

In addition t' t' Patriot, I took an Edmonds Cici and two free Applewhite designs t' test for classes.

T' Patriot was flown a total o' four times; once on an A8-3 and then I ran a pack o' B6-4's through it.

Worm beddin' waddin' be used each flight, me bucko, matey, along with 2 squares o' Estes waddin' t' provide a tight seal against t' inside o' t' body tube. Aye aye! Blimey! Aye aye! Blimey! T' tube be filled with worm beddin' for 2 diameters depth, then t' Estes squares placed on top.

I will have t' go along with t' general opinion that A8-3's are a poor choice for this design. Blimey! Well, blow me down! Mine had attained only about 100 feet at motor burnout; it then arced slowly over and dropped heart-stoppingly low before ejection. Arrr! There was no damage but this was more due t' t' soft grass than anythin' else.

T' B6-4 flights were all picture-perfect. Each boost was very straight with no oscillation. Well, blow me down! Ahoy! Weathercockin' was nonexistent. Blimey! T' Patriot with this motor ejects slightly after apogee. Ya scallywag! T' first flight it be horizontal. Ya scallywag! T' next 2, it had arced over and just begun t' drop nose first.

T' Thrustline 12" mylar parachute is a worthwhile upgrade for this kit. Begad! It inflates smartly and visibility in t' sunlit sky is great. Ya scallywag! T' upgrades t' t' shock cord (Keelhaul®©™ mount and lengthened, 1/8" fabric elastic cord) are also an improvement. Blimey! Blimey! Everythin' works well with no snap-backs, me bucko, arrr, tangles, or other miseries.

I feel that after 14 years, me hearties, t' Patriot has regressed somewhat from t' terrific value it used t' be. Aye aye! In stock form, matey, ya bilge rat, it would still be a good flyer. Avast! Avast, me proud beauty! With improvements, matey, ya bilge rat, it also has t' potential for long life and improved function. With that said, me hearties, shiver me timbers, ya bilge rat, me original assessment given in t' review would have t' stand (I nailed Estes for t' construction and material changes.) T' Patriot receives 5 flight points. Avast, me proud beauty! Well, blow me down! She just couldn't have flown better!

T' entire launch went off like clockwork and be done in under an hour.

Flight Rating: 4 out o' 5

Summary:
T' Estes Patriot is a good kit that needs a little help.

PROs: They are proven flyers with attractive looks. Avast! Avast! Most o' t' components are high quality. Ahoy! Instructions are very clear.

CONs: T' recovery system is cheap and fragile. Begad! Multiple tube construction method offers several possibilities for construction problems as well as finish issues.

Overall Rating: 3 out o' 5