Here is a photo of my Estes Python 4 just as the motor lights up.
My paper pieces butt up to the BOTTOM of the strakes and then stick out about 1/8 of an inch from the top of the strakes. It looks fine to me that way.
As I recall the instructions were rather vague on the placement of some of the vinyl decals. I didn't really worry about them too much.
I have flown mine 7 times. Twice on B4-4s, once on a C6-3 and four times on a C6-5. The B4 motor is way to small for this rocket. Either C6 motor works fine and I estimate that you get 400-500 feet on it. I was worried that the parachute might get shoved up into the upper body tube at ejection, but that has never happened.
