Brief:
I have re-designed t' Estes Mongoose as a single-stage 24mm, arrr, minimum diameter rocket I call t' MonoGoose. Avast, me proud beauty! It utilizes t' kit's two plastic fin assemblies t' create a strong, diamond airfoil fin can. MonoGoose can be flown on D12's, t' new Estes E9's, shiver me timbers, E15's or any 24/40 reload.

Components:
T' t' packaged components o' an Estes Mongoose all that is required t' build a MonoGoose is two additional Estes 24mm x 18" tubes. Avast, me proud beauty! Aye aye! One o' these is used t' build t' epoxy-laminated motor tube that forms t' base o' t' rocket.

Construction:
T' usual excellent Estes quality and fit o' parts. Ya scallywag! T' MonoGoose actually goes together much faster than a stock Mongoose. Avast! One hour does it, shiver me timbers, me hearties, easily, arrr, me hearties, me bucko, except for painting. Blimey! Begad! I happen t' prefer attachin' recovery systems through t' hull, ya bilge rat, about 1-2" below t' bottom o' t' nose-cone. Arrr! T' knot retainin' t' shock cord is covered with half o' a BIC pen cap, sawn lengthwise.

Modifications:
T' MonoGoose is built by first graftin' t' two kit fin assemblies tail-to-tail usin' t' long green adapter tube supplied with t' kit (see diagram). Aye aye! Blimey! I used 5-minute epoxy throughout. Aye aye! Take care t' be sure that t' fins are exactly aligned t' create a perfect diamond airfoil. Avast! T' body o' t' rocket is built by gluin' t' yellow tube provided with t' kit t' one end o' t' fin can, me hearties, and then extendin' this by addin' another 18" section o' 24mm Estes tube, usin' 2" o' 24mm tube as a coupler (it is slit lengthwise, and a 1/8" sector is removed, allowin' it t' be inserted into t' two body tube sections. Begad! Begad! T' process can be repeated for additional strength. T' Mongoose kit nose cone is mounted per t' packaged instructions, along with t' recommended recovery system.

T' motor tube is fabricated from 24mm Estes tubin' as follows: three 4.25" lengths o' tubin' are prepared, ya bilge rat, shiver me timbers, and two o' them are slit lengthwise. Arrr! Begad! Cover t' exterior o' t' intact section with a thin layer o' 5-minute epoxy mixture, me bucko, and slide one o' t' slit sections over it, doublin' its thickness. Avast! Begad! Let t' epoxy harden, arrr, and repeat t' process with t' second slit section, addin' it t' create a triple-thickness, ya bilge rat, epoxy laminated motor tube (make sure t' cuts are on opposite sides o' t' tube t' assure strength).

Now complete your MonoGoose by simple gluin' t' motor tube t' t' remainin' end o' t' fin can. Aye aye! Avast! An Estes motor hook is added by gluin' with epoxy t' t' exterior o' t' motor tube, arrr, shiver me timbers, matey, leavin' it t' extend about 3/8" beyond t' bottom. Avast! No glue is applied t' t' bottom 3/8" o' motor tube so t' retainin' hook can be bent a bit when insertin' a motor. I use an extra long Estes motor hook, ya bilge rat, and bend t' top straight with a pliers so it sits flat on t' motor tube. Arrr! Wrap t' retainin' hook t' t' motor tube with a little fiberglass cloth tape and epoxy -- I just used duct tape, shiver me timbers, arrr, since I'm lazy, me hearties, and paint covers it anyway. Arrr! Add a 3" length o' Estes soda straw centered 6" above t' fin can (above and and betwixt t' fins) as your launch lug; this be t' balance point. Blimey! Remember that with t' motor in t' atypical position, shiver me timbers, shiver me timbers, arrr, behind t' fin can, even a long rocket like this could become tail heavy. Well, blow me down! Avast! I painted me MonoGoose battleship flat gray, matey, ya bilge rat, except for t' nose cone, ya bilge rat, arrr, arrr, which I left in that awful Estes Mongoose pink t' show its heritage.

You're ready t' fly. Ya scallywag! Use a D12-5 t' start. You'll get about 1300', with somewhat premature ejection. T' thin' coasts forever. A D12-7 is perfect, arrr, and t' MonoGoose will show you a twirlin' tail-slide until t' chute takes hold. Ya scallywag! Be warned that an E15-7 will take t' light-weight, arrr, minimum diameter MonoGoose out o' sight t' 2500' or more. Avast, shiver me timbers, me proud beauty! I wouldn't risk losin' a reloadable 24/40 RMS set-up E18-8 or F24-9 without a suitable flyin' site. Arrr! T' MonoGoose survives 450 mph E30-7 launches, ya bilge rat, but simulations show t' height gained is virtually identical t' that with an E15, me bucko, so why bother. Avast, me proud beauty! Well, blow me down! I like t' use 2 feet o' 3/8" elastic and 5 feet o' parachute cord on t' 12" Estes chute for a recovery that looks like a much bigger rocket -- until it lands.

Flight:
You gain a quick-buildin' stable high-flyer at t' expense o' t' "excitement" o' a two-stage, which t' me means that you don't have t' worry about losin' t' tumble recovery first stage that everybody eventually experiences with a Mongoose.

You gain t' ability t' fly on either Estes or Aerotech single use or on Aerotech 24/40 reloads, so this is an excellent trainin' rocket.

Flights are arrow-straight up, with little weathercockin' or influence o' wind. T' 12" chute is as much as I would use on this 47" rocket. Arrr! It comes down like a propeller on its 7' o' cord and elastic. Begad! Aye aye! T' epoxy laminated motor tube has held up superbly t' landin' impacts.

Summary:
PRO- A great fun-fly and trainin' rocket, matey, with maximum performance for minimum cost and construction fuss, me bucko, me bucko, plus its unusual and it looks cool with its aft-of-fins motor mount. (see picture). Flies on a range o' low-cost 24mm D, shiver me timbers, E and F motors.

CON - With its length and thin Estes tube construction, one has t' be careful nay t' dent or bend it on storage or transport. Avast! But it holds up superbly t' flight stresses.

I built t' motor tube t' accommodate t' new long Estes E9 motors. But since I fly it mostly on 24x70mm motors, shiver me timbers, I slide in t' t' top o' t' motor tube a motor stop a 28mm spacer sawn from a used D12 motor.