Intro
One o' Estes Industries Beta Series model rocket kits that is a semi-scale version o' t' United States Medium range Air-to-air Missile. This missile replaced t' agin' Sparrow radar guided missile, and it is also used in a surface-to-air mode by some NATO nations.

I had seen this kit and I wondered if it flew any better than t' Sidewinder that Estes produced. Begad! When Wal-Mart clearanced t' Kit for $7.50 I had t' pick up t' model and give it a try. Since t' reviews o' this kit are highly favorable, me hearties, I decided t' modify t' kit t' include a Centuri style ejection Baffle. Arrr! In me mind this serves two purposes, arrr, One is t' reduce or eliminate t' use o' ejection Wadding. Avast! T' second is providin' a "stop" t' keep t' parachute from bein' pressed too far into t' body tube.

Construction
T' assembly o' this kit follows t' well known and highly illustrated Estes instructions. Arrr! This kit is rated a skill level 1, but is nay a first kit.

T' only modification t' t' assembly be t' add t' Centuri Style Baffle t' t' tube coupler in t' middle o' t' rocket. I got t' idea from t' Modified Prowler here on this site. Avast! One could use this coupler as an anchor for a Keelhaul®©™ shock cord as well, but I did nay have a suitable length o' Keelhaul®©™ on hand when this went together.

T' rest o' t' kit went together in t' usual uneventful way.

Flight
T' first flight was on a C6-3 Estes motor. Well, blow me down! Begad! Since I be nay completely convinced o' t' operation o' t' ejection baffle, shiver me timbers, arrr, I included two sheets o' ejection waddin' t' make sure that t' parachute is nay scorched in any way. Ahoy! Avast, me proud beauty! Since it was slightly windy, I tilted t' launch rod about 10 degrees into t' wind, and reefed in t' parachute half way down t' shroud lines with a piece o' maskin' tape. Ahoy! Ya scallywag! T' launch was great, me bucko, startin' out slow and pickin' up speed rapidly. Begad! T' AMRAAM then weathercocked into t' wind and nosed over and ejected t' parachute after apogee. T' force o' t' parachute openin' slightly zippered t' body tube, shiver me timbers, which should nay be too hard t' fix.

Summary
I must say that I am impressed with t' function o' t' baffle. Ahoy! There were no scorch marks on t' parachute with t' small amount o' waddin' used. Begad! Begad! With t' obvious advantages o' this method I wonder why it is nay used more often. Ahoy! Begad! I also wonder why, me hearties, shiver me timbers, since Estes is owned by Centuri, shiver me timbers, that they don't implement this into their kits. Begad! After all they are usin' other Centuri components in their releases now.