Semi-scale model o' t' V2 rocket.

Received kit in t' mail yesterday. Shippin' box be slightly damaged but contents were packed in air pillows and un-damaged. Ya scallywag! Blimey! Opened bag and checked that all parts o' rocket were thar and un-damaged.

Kit Contents

At this point I set t' stock rubber shock cord aside and replaced it with 1/4" elastic shock cord then proceded t' trim all t' plastic. Begad! I know t' instructions say t' start with t' engine mount first but I went with preparin' t' tail cone and nose cone first. T' instructions (or should I say lack of) are t' only thin' that make this a level 3 build in me mind. Arrr! Well that and t' paint job. I have found in t' past that Estes intructions are pretty good but these are lacking. Avast, me proud beauty! I made an error in me measurments o' where t' F rin' be supposed t' go but thank goodness t' glue had nay yet set and I was able t' re-position t' rin' at t' correct spot. Avast! (Assembly photo 1 shows t' black mark from where rin' F be first set). After that I set it aside t' dry overnight.

MM assembly & fins papered & primmed

Step 1 was done as decribed but I used 1/4" elastic cord instead o' t' supplied rubbber shock cord. T' other slight modification here was t' tie t' shock cord around t' motor tube instead o' just tyin' it in a knot as Estes suggests. Next step was t' apply wood glue t' inside o' body tube and then with t' aid o' t' tail cone, I slide t' engine mount into place. I then set this aside t' dry overnight. At this point I grabbed t' fins and rather than followin' t' instructions, I grabed a couple o' sheets o' typin' paper and t' 3M Super 77 spray adhesive and proceeded t' paper t' fins. First I sprayed t' paper with 3M adhesive then laid out all 4 fins. I then cut them out with an exacto knife and then repeated t' process for t' other side o' t' fins. Ya scallywag! After allowin' adhesive t' set for an hour t' fins received first coat o' Rust-olium 2X white primer. This was followed by sandin' o' all edeges and surfaces and another coat o' primer. A final light sandin' and light coat o' primer and fins are ready t' mount.

Finished step 3 o' Engine Mount by applyin' a generous bead o' super gel t' t' inside o' main body and around t' outside edge o' centerin' rin' F o' motor mount and then slidin' t' tail cone into place. T' me sad dismay t' joint betwixt tail cone and body tube is very poor. Begad! Had t' use a lot o' HobbyLite t' try and smooth out t' big bump but still have a very noticeable drop betwixt body and tail. Avast! At this point I don't think t' provided decal will cover it but will have t' wait and see. Avast, me proud beauty! OK, movin' on t' t' fins and launch lugs. Followin' Step 1 again, me bucko, (I really don't care for t' way these instructions are laid out), I marked t' body tube for t' location o' t' launch lugs. Avast! At this point I devated from t' instructions and went ahead and glued t' launch lugs in place with wood glue.  Took a break t' go eat and let glue dry.  Next step (2) be t' grab t' super gel again and apply a bead along t' root edege o' t' first fin and set it in place as per instructions. Well, blow me down! This was repeated 3 more times t' complete step 3. After allowin' glue t' dry, ya bilge rat, I went back over all fin joints and applyed a fillet o' super gel. Aye aye! After fillets dried I gave them a light sandin' and then gave t' entire rocket a coat o' Rust-olium 2X White Primer followed by t' usual light sandin' and then two coats o' Krylon Yellow. Arrr! Rocket set aside t' dry over night.

Yellow paint applied

Today I finished t' NC. Begad! After maskin' off t' areas that I wanted left yellow with Frog tape I then sprayed t' NC with Krylon Gloss Black. Avast! After waitin' an hour I then removed tape. NC was then left outside t' dry. While that dried I masked off t' main BT t' prep it for t' black paint next. T' tail cone and fins I will do last. Blimey! OK, back t' t' NC. Gave it a quick wet sandin' with 600 grit t' smooth out lines, dried it off and then sprayed windex on NC and applied t' decal. After gettin' decal in proper location took a dry rag and pressed out all water. Avast, me proud beauty! NC be again set outside t' dry for an hour then I applied a couple o' coats o' Krylon Clear Gloss t' it and set it aside one last time t' air dry.

Gray stripe is one o' only two decals that come with kit

OK, back t' t' upper BT. Avast! Sprayed it with t' Krylon Gloss Black then gave t' paint an hour t' dry before removin' all tape. Ahoy! Will leave this paint job t' sit over night before proceedin' t' fins and tail cone.

Again I masked off t' areas that I want t' remain yellow and then sprayed t' TC and fins with Krylon Gloss Black. Ya scallywag! After waitin' an hour I removed all tape and hung rocket outside t' dry. Aye aye! After paint dried for a while I applied t' second decal again usin' Windex t' get it where I wanted it. After pressin' out all water with a dry rag I set it aside for a while before givin' it a couple o' coats o' clear coat. Just need t' attach t' parachute and this build is complete.

Glamour Shots

                                                                                                                     On a D12-5 in 5...4...3...

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