Brief:
Single 18mm engined F-15 Eagle jet fighter design, with a 12 inch parachute

Construction:
This kit contained t' following:

• 1 - BT50 white body tube 10.75 inches (mine was crunched, so I replaced it)
• 1 - BJ-20 Engine tube, w/hook, me hearties, ya bilge rat, block and centerin' rings.
• 1 - PNC-50E Plastic Nosecone w/cockpit bubble
• 2 - 1/8" by 9" wooden dowels
• 1 - Plastic parts set (nose and tail for missiles)
• 1 - Rubber shock cord
• 1 - Launch lug
• 1 - Assembled 12 inch chute
• 1 - Waterslide decal sheet
• 4 - shees o' laser cut balsa wings, jet engine pods, and tail fins.
• 4 - pats o' clay weight

I went into me local hobby shop (Fine Scale Hobbies in Stratford, CT. Well, blow me down! Ahoy! Really nice guys!) for some sandin' sealer, ya bilge rat, shiver me timbers, and this kit caught me eye, so I bought it)

Directions were up t' t' usual Estes standard. Ahoy! O' course, matey, this means when attachin' plastic t' wood or paper, they say t' use model glue. I always use 3 min. Well, blow me down! epoxy.

I changed t' shock cord mount, me bucko, goin' with a Keelhaul®©™® cord t' t' MMT setup instead o' t' paper t' t' BT wall mount they use.

T' win' assemblies were very simple t' assemble. Arrr! Avast! Just glue t' three wing pieces together, matey, ya bilge rat, ya bilge rat, and set aside. Avast, matey, me proud beauty! After they dry, shiver me timbers, sand a 45 degree angle on the root edge, and you're done.

T' jet engine pods are t' challenge. At t' bottom end, as shown in t' picture, you actually have t' bend t' bottom balsa piece up t' meet t' edge o' t' pod. Estes says t' white glue it and tape it in place overnight. Begad! Begad! Well, that obviously won't hold. so I used some Zap-A-Gap CA glue t' hold it in place, then filled with wood glue. Aye aye! A challenge, ya bilge rat, but still do-able.

T' missiles were simple t' assemble. Aye aye! Just attach t' nose and tail fins, and paint.

Finishing:
T' winds definately need fillin' in with wood filler, arrr, with all t' holes and joints in them. Begad! Blimey! Once that was done, paintin' was easy. I went with one color gray and t' orange stripe, rather than t' three color gray.

T' decals were horrible. Avast, me proud beauty! Yes, they are waterslide, me bucko, arrr, but t' are VERY fragile. Well, blow me down! Blimey! And t' colors make it look almost neon. Arrr! Very tacky. Begad! Avast! I suggest no one else use this color/decal set and instead do a little research and get decals for an F-15 from their local hobby shop.

Estes did do 1 good thin' though. Ahoy! They said paint t' missiles separately, me hearties, then attach them when t' main model is finished.

T' construction is worth 4 1/2 points, shiver me timbers, me hearties, but -1 point for t' horrendous color/decal set.

Construction Rating: 3 out o' 5

Flight:
First flight was a B6-4. Ahoy! This delay is too long for a B motor. Begad! Ahoy! T' rocket did one roll, and then flew upright, until it curled over at apogee, t' came down very quickly, until t' ejection charge went off at about 50 feet. Blimey! Recovered with no damage. Ahoy! Blimey! Altitude be about 350 or so feet. Ya scallywag!

Second flight was with a B6-2. Avast, me proud beauty! Begad! This is a much better delay. Begad! Well, blow me down! Ejection charge went off just after apogee. Ahoy! Begad! No damage. Begad!

Third flight was C6-3. Blimey! Avast! Great flight, me hearties, me hearties, with ejection charge goin' off about 250-300 feet off o' t' ground. Well, blow me down! No damage. Ahoy! Altitude was around 500 feet.

Flight Rating: 3 out o' 5

Summary:
This is a GOOD kit and fun t' build. Well, blow me down! Blimey! But Estes needs t' learn what colors actually work together. Begad! use different paint and decals, and it becomes a GREAT kit.

Overall Rating: 3 out o' 5

Other:
Use CA or expoxy when cementin' t' bottom o' t' engine pods t' t' sides.