Brief:
Not too long ago, I won several kits from West Coast Rocketry on eBay. Aye aye! Nay long after, shiver me timbers, arrr, I built me Screamer II, matey, ya bilge rat, affectionately known as John Deer. Since me John Deere yellow and green paint cans have about one rocket left in them and I need t' shelf space, me bucko, I decided t' build t' Screamer which will be called t' Jane Doe and painted with t' contrastin' paint scheme o' t' other one.

T' Screamer is a basic 4FNC with a 29mm motor mount and a payload bay. Begad! T' instructions are even more minimalist than those for t' Screamer II and are printed in such fine print that readin' them does nay seem t' be worth t' effort.

Construction:
Construction began by markin' t' motor tube at 1/8" from one end and 3/4" from t' other. T' two centerin' rings were then epoxied in place. Avast! Both needed quite a bit o' sandin' t' fit around t' tube.

As I waited for t' epoxy on t' motor mount t' set up, arrr, me hearties, I turned me attention t' t' nosecone. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! It had a 3/4" diameter hole drilled t' a depth o' about 2". Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! Aye aye! Blimey! Into that hole, me hearties, I was instructed t' mount a lead fishin' weight that came with t' kit. Begad! Blimey! I mixed some more epoxy, arrr, me hearties, poured some in t' hole, matey, set t' weight and then poured t' remainder over t' top.

T' fin lines were marked on t' BT with a butt template. They were then extended with an angle and 5" slots were cut out with a X-Acto cutlass.

With t' fin slots cut, matey, I test fitted t' motor mount t' find that it be goin' t' need substantial sandin' t' fit either rin' into t' BT. Begad! Avast, matey, me proud beauty! T' sandin' was done and t' mount was epoxied into place with t' motor tube bein' flush with t' aft end o' t' rocket. Ahoy! Epoxy was then used t' fill space betwixt t' centerin' rin' and t' end o' t' BT.

After a long hiatus, I managed t' put a little more work in on t' Screamer. Usin' 5 minute epoxy, I glued one pair o' fins in place. Aye aye! Ahoy! I filleted them with more epoxy usin' a gloved finger dipped into alcohol t' smooth t' fillets. Ya scallywag! Arrr! These were allowed t' set up overnight.

T' payload bay is joined t' t' lower part o' t' rocket with a tube coupler. Avast! T' kit comes with a plywood bulkhead t' go on one end o' t' coupler and that is probably me biggest gripe about t' kit. Begad! T' bulkhead is a surface mount. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! I would much rather have had one that fits in t' coupler. Avast! Be that as it may, I epoxied t' bulkhead in place and tried t' ensure that it be even with t' edges.

With t' epoxy on t' bulkhead coupler dry, matey, I used some sandpaper t' trim down t' edges where they protruded past t' coupler. When it fit easily into t' body tube, me hearties, I called it finished. Aye aye! Blimey! Arrr! Blimey! I then took t' screw eye and screwed it into t' pre-drilled hole in t' coupler. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! It seemed like a strong connection but I doused t' pointed end with some glue t' make sure.

T' coupler tube was marked at its halfway point and then a rin' o' glue was slathered into t' base o' t' payload section. T' coupler was then inserted t' t' mark and set aside t' dry.

Finishing:
T' balsa NC and plywood fins were sealed with Elmer's Wood Filler. Well, blow me down! Begad! It was sanded down smooth, shiver me timbers, dusted off, shiver me timbers, and t' Screamer be put in t' spray booth. Arrr! Aye aye! There it be primed with Kilz.

After t' priming, matey, arrr, t' rocket sat for a couple o' months before I could give it any more attention. Avast! Avast! I then sanded down t' primer and began paintin' with John Deere Yellow. Ya scallywag! Arrr! My target be t' BT. Avast, shiver me timbers, me proud beauty! T' fins and NC would be covered up later.

For t' John Deere green, matey, I decided t' do t' nose cone, a rin' just below t' nose cone, t' fins and a narrow strip around t' fins. Aye aye! T' rocket was masked accordingly and sprayed. Blimey! When t' maskin' came off, shiver me timbers, I decided that I rather liked t' result.

While assemblin' t' rocket after painting, arrr, I realized that I had overlooked t' recovery system. Ya scallywag! I would have like t' have attached directly t' t' motor mount but that be a moot point now. Begad! I fashioned a LOC style mount with a loop o' heavy nylon cord and some maskin' tape. Arrr! Avast, me proud beauty! It be taped down below t' level o' t' NC shoulder and epoxy be slathered on t' keep it in place. Begad! Avast, me hearties, me proud beauty! I then tied some heavy Keelhaul®©™® t' t' loop and attached a length o' 3/8" sewin' elastic.

One thin' I did save intentionally for after paintin' be t' installation o' a linear rail lug. Ya scallywag! I put it is place and started t' hole for t' upper screw only t' realize that I had placed it too high. Well, blow me down! Ahoy! It interfered with t' payload bay coupler. Well, blow me down! I moved it down about an inch and found t' same problem! I finally got it placed right and tapped t' holes. Ahoy! T' lug was then epoxied on and t' screws inserted. T' backs o' t' screws took up t' remainin' epoxy and t' Jane Doe was ready t' go.

Construction Rating: 3 out o' 5

Flight and Recovery:
T' first flight o' this rocket took place long after construction had been completed. It was set up with an F25-4 and t' Copperhead igniter that came with it. Ya scallywag! Begad! T' Copperhead failed t' ignite t' motor and be replaced with a First Fire. Ahoy! That did t' trick and t' rocket took off with as nice a flight profile as I have ever seen. Ya scallywag! Aye aye! A video o' t' flight can be seen here.

Ejection and deployment were all textbook. Avast, me proud beauty! Begad! I expected t' fly t' rocket again but was mystified t' see that it had suffered some bucklin' in t' airframe. Avast! I can fix it but wonder what caused it since t' thrust be nay all that heavy.

Flight Rating: 4 out o' 5

Summary:
This was a very basic kit with a minimal approach t' instructions, small print and illustrations that added little. Ya scallywag! That said, it went together fine and flew very well.

Overall Rating: 3 out o' 5