Brief:
A kit bash betwixt two Estes kits: A RTF Snitch and a Hijax kit. Arrr! T' Snitch will be t' booster and t' Hijax, ya bilge rat, t' sustainer.

Modifications:
Booster build: T' snitch makes an excellent booster, very stable, and will recover well. Aye aye! Arrr! T' adapt it t' a booster, arrr, t' top "engine block" part o' t' snitch be removed with pliers and then sanded down. Blimey! This will allow t' motor from t' sustainer t' be taped t' t' booster.

To connect t' sustainer and booster sections together, t' coupler from t' Hijax kit be altered. Avast! Arrr! Top and bottom were cut off and then three small sections were removed from one side so that t' coupler could be securely fixed t' t' top o' t' snitch. Aye aye! Well, arrr, blow me down! T' whole section be covered with glue and left t' dry.

Sustainer build: T' sustainer be built nearly stock. T' plastic mount was altered; t' aft part be cut away so that t' coupler from t' snitch would sit smoothly into t' base o' t' sustainer. Ahoy! Blimey! T' engine hook was left out. Begad! Blimey! T' mount was then glued into t' body tube and t' fins were glued into place--they are through t' wall type.

With t' coupler already used, me bucko, t' second body tube be discarded.

T' shock cord was added, which in t' usual Estes fashion is too short. Arrr! T' shock cord be then attached t' t' nose cone, and then t' parachute added.

Construction:
T' kits consists of:

• T' Snitch
• launch lug parts
• 12 inch parachute
• 1 2ft length elastic shock cord
• Nose cone
• 2 silvered body tubes
• Engine mount tube
• Engine hook
• Plastic fins
• Internal plastic mount for motor tube
• Decal sheet

To build t' kit I used:

• CA gel glue
• Model knife
• Sand paper
• White PVA glue
• Pliers
• Junior hack saw

Flight and Recovery:
First flight was on a B6-0 booster and an A8-5 sustainer. Arrr! As expected, a stable straight boost with a shipshape separation at a low altitude. Aye aye! Ahoy! Blimey! T' sustainer went reasonable high on t' A with t' ejection bein' just after apogee. T' 12in parachute gave a slow recovery. A streamer would be more appropriate.

Second flight was with a C booster and a B6-6 in t' sustainer, ya bilge rat, ya bilge rat, much higher with a long walk for me.

Third flight was with C6s for both motors. Begad! Aye aye! This time t' booster stayed with t' sustainer, ya bilge rat, t' rocket continued t' rise, arrr, and then turned and was on t' ground by t' time t' nosecone popped. Begad! T' snitch motor mount was well and truly burnt out.

On inspection, this is because I left t' aft motor retainer off t' snitch. Arrr! Aye aye! So instead o' t' motor poppin' off with t' snitch, t' motor popped off through t' snitch. Avast, me proud beauty! Arrr! Here's an important lesson about prep flight checks!

I'll cut out t' remains o' t' Snitch's mount and replace it with a body tube.

Summary:
Apart from me mistakes, it's nay a bilge-suckin' kit bash with a good chance o' gettin' both bits back undamaged.