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

Construction:
Other reviewers have done excellent breakdowns on t' kit contents, so I will nay repeat them here. Well, blow me down! Blimey! However, one change is that me Patriot came with t' new, cheap rubber band shock cord. Avast! Blimey! Aye aye! Blimey! This was 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. Aye aye! My "mission" with this kit was t' preserve its good tendencies while improvin' its durability and reliability.

As supplied, t' Patriot has several "gotchas" durin' construction. T' instructions are certainly good, but I decided early on that I didn't want t' build this model as supplied. Blimey! It comes with 3 separate body tubes which are joined usin' couplers. Blimey! Well, blow me down! Alignment issues are likely t' arise here. Arrr! Avast! Rather than tempt fate, t' two 6-5/8" white body tubes and one coupler were set aside and used for other projects. T' 3-1/4" yellow forward section be converted into an actual payload section. Avast, me proud beauty! Avast! 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, 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. Well, me bucko, blow me down! It can be done easily with simple hand tools. Begad! First, 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! Then use a copin' saw t' cut it out. Avast! Stay close t' t' circle, matey, but don't cut on t' line. Well, blow me down! Begad! Test fit with t' coupler. Avast, me proud beauty! If it won't go, arrr, you can use a coarse file t' rough finish it followed by sandpaper t' fine finish it. Avast, me proud beauty! When you're satisfied with t' fit, cut a 1/2" long piece o' 1/2" diameter dowel. Begad! Begad! Next, shiver me timbers, use a ruler t' lay out t' center o' t' bulk plate. Avast, me proud beauty! Drill a hole through t' center. Begad! Now, me bucko, epoxy on your piece o' dowel, over t' center. Blimey! After t' epoxy has set, shiver me timbers, drill a pilot hole for your screw eye. Ahoy! Avast! Put a drop o' epoxy or CA on t' pilot hole and t' screw eye threads before twistin' in t' screw eye. Ahoy! 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. Allow t' epoxy or CA t' set. Begad! After your adhesive has set, shiver me timbers, fill t' bulk plate with epoxy o' your choice. Well, blow me down! Use just enough t' cover t' plate and touch t' inside edge o' t' coupler. Begad! A thin layer is all you need! After your epoxy sets, you can now glue t' coupler into t' payload section. Arrr! Avast! 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! In addition t' disposin' o' t' rubber band shock cord, matey, t' mountin' method was revised. Begad! A small groove was filed on t' inside diameter o' t' front centerin' rin' t' pass a piece o' 90 lb. Avast! Keelhaul®©™® thread. Aye aye! A knot was tied in t' end o' this and it was threaded through t' clip retainin' rin' on t' motor mount. Avast! T' forward rin' be then slid into place and glued as normal. Avast! Ahoy! Then t' motor mount was painted with a thin layer o' 5-minute epoxy and wrapped with about twenty turns o' Keelhaul®©™® shroud line. This method is simple, ya bilge rat, me hearties, ya bilge rat, lightweight, shiver me timbers, me hearties, and produces a nuclear bombproof shock cord mount. 18" o' Keelhaul®©™® was used. T' mount was installed accordin' t' directions. Avast, me proud beauty! After drying, 3 feet o' 1/8" sewin' elastic be tied t' t' end o' t' Keelhaul®©™®. Begad! Well, blow me down! A 12" Thrustline mylar chute replaced t' prefab kit chute and was attached usin' a snap swivel.

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

Finishing:
Other than t' potential for one "gotcha" here, shiver me timbers, finishin' is textbook easy. Aye aye! If built stock, me hearties, you will end up with a big line, and perhaps even a gap, ya bilge rat, matey, right in t' middle o' t' main BT. Avast! 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. T' coupler on t' payload section was masked, arrr, and t' coupler primed with white Krylon primer. Avast! Avast! This was lightly sanded, then shot with Krylon yellow. Avast, me proud beauty! T' fins were brushed with thinned Elmer's Carpenter's Finishin' Wood Filler. Well, blow me down! Begad! When this had dried, me bucko, ya bilge rat, t' fins were sanded smooth and t' entire main rocket was shot with Krylon white primer. Begad! Begad! This be sanded, recoated, and sanded again. Begad! Then t' whole thin' be shot with Krylon gloss white. Well, blow me down! Ya scallywag! T' nose cone also received two coats o' gloss white. T' parts were set aside for a week, shiver me timbers, then t' payload section and main were masked t' receive t' red paint. A 1" band on t' top o' t' payload section, matey, and t' entire fin "can", shiver me timbers, were shot with Krylon red. Ya scallywag! T' nose cone be CAREFULLY dipped into a jar o' Testors silver. Ahoy! (Yes, ya bilge rat, ya bilge rat, I know it's cheesy but it works pretty good!)

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

After everythin' had dried, t' rocket be given an overall coat o' Testors clear enamel. Well, blow me down! Well, blow me down! Normally, shiver me timbers, I use Krylon clear, me bucko, but this does NOT agree with t' Testors silver on t' nose! 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. 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. Arrr! Blimey! T' weather was absolutely beautiful. Avast! Blimey! It was around 60 degrees with bright sunshine and a very slight, intermittent breeze.

In addition t' t' Patriot, arrr, 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' was used each flight, ya bilge rat, along with 2 squares o' Estes waddin' t' provide a tight seal against t' inside o' t' body tube. T' tube be filled with worm beddin' for 2 diameters depth, me bucko, arrr, 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. Mine had attained only about 100 feet at motor burnout; it then arced slowly over and dropped heart-stoppingly low before ejection. Arrr! Avast, me hearties, me proud beauty! There be no damage but this was more due t' t' soft grass than anythin' else.

T' B6-4 flights were all picture-perfect. Arrr! Each boost was very straight with no oscillation. Avast! Weathercockin' was nonexistent. Ya scallywag! T' Patriot with this motor ejects slightly after apogee. Begad! Ahoy! 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. It inflates smartly and visibility in t' sunlit sky is great. T' upgrades t' t' shock cord (Keelhaul®©™ mount and lengthened, 1/8" fabric elastic cord) are also an improvement. Everythin' works well with no snap-backs, tangles, me bucko, matey, or other miseries.

I feel that after 14 years, t' Patriot has regressed somewhat from t' terrific value it used t' be. Well, blow me down! In stock form, it would still be a good flyer. With improvements, me bucko, ya bilge rat, it also has t' potential for long life and improved function. Aye aye! With that said, me hearties, 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. Begad! Arrr! She just couldn't have flown better!

T' entire launch went off like clockwork and was 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. Arrr! Most o' t' components are high quality. Avast, me proud beauty! Well, blow me down! Instructions are very clear.

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

Overall Rating: 3 out o' 5