I received a Estes AIM-9 sidewinder kit for Christmas. Avast, me proud beauty! T' kit came in a box and I am sure it was bought a WAL-MART for $10.00 (great price).

T' instructions were standard Estes with only 2 confusin' parts and I got them figured out with t' help from me local club buds . Begad! T' fins are thru-the-wall mount, very strong but t' balsa be very soft (for a good reason), t' aft fins had t' be glued together. Ahoy! I just CA'ed them with t' gap fillin' kind. All o' t' parts fit well but t' aft fin slot was very wide, arrr, matey, t' diagram showed that you turn t' fin so that all t' fins turn in t' same direction. Blimey! Contrary t' popular thinkin' they are t' be turned nay straight like most fins. This be one o' those confusin' parts in t' directions but everyone said they go on straight but t' illustration showed t' offset. Ya scallywag! So I went against what me friends told me t' do: offset t' aft fins, me thinkin' came from lookin' at t' picture on t' box with t' spinnin' smoke trail.

T' decals didn't fit well. Arrr! T' color band didn't wrap all t' way around t' tube so I put all t' seams in line with each other on t' side o' t' launch lug (good move it hides all seams while on t' rod).

T' model is very sturdy but, me hearties, heavy as I attempted t' launch it on a A8-3 (not a recommended motor) and it almost crashed, ejection be at 4 or 5 feet off t' ground but no damage! Sturdiness is rated at a 4, ya bilge rat, me bucko, assembly was a 3 because t' card stock tube wrappers are hard t' get tight t' t' tube. Begad! Blimey! Nay t' mention t' fin offset was hard till I thought about it and I used yellow glue at t' root and CA'd t' aft o' t' fin t' one side and bent it over at t' front and CA'd it there, it worked great. It comes down in two parts, so gettin' everythin' in thar neat and nay too tight was tricky.

Now every other kit review o' t' Sidewinder said it was very unstable (my thinkin' be they put t' fins on without t' offset because mine was t' straightest rocket I own, me bucko, nay t' mention t' way it spun just like t' photo on t' box and had a spinnin' smoke trail!

I rate flight as a 5 . T' only thin' I didn't like about t' recovery be t' fact that I launched (I used a Estes C6-5) it for me mom when it be done t' show her t' gift she bought and a tree ate t' rocket. Ahoy! Well, blow me down! T' nose cone escaped certain death as it recovered fine. Aye aye! Begad! But if t' tree be nay thar I would give recovery a 5, t' two parts would have been close together. Begad! Sorry no pictures I would need a super zoom lens it is hangin' over 100 feet up. This is a truly fun kit t' fly it just takes a little time t' build it right, matey, have fun with yours!