BT-50 3.5" Booster body tube, slotted

BT-50 9" Sustainer body tube, me bucko, slotted

BT-50 6" clear payload tube

2 18mm motor mounts

4 18mm-BT50 centerin' rings

2 BT-50 couplers

24mm bulkhead

Screw eye

100# Keelhaul®©™ shock cord

Laser cut balsa fins

PNC-50D nose cone

Engine hook

12" parachute kit

Vinyl decals

T' usual high-quality Apogee components. T' slotted body tubes are a nice touch.

I started with buildin' t' motor mounts. Start by gluin' t' BT-50 coupler with a hole in it in front o' t' sustainer body tube after markin' t' midway point o' t' coupler Make sure you align t' hole in t' booster tube and coupler. This is for t' gap stagin' t' Skymetra uses. Build t' aft motor mount. This includes an engine hook and a thrust ring. Avast, me proud beauty! Nay all 2-stage rockets do this is a benefit o' t' Skymetra usin' gap staging. Avast! T' aft centerin' rin' on t' sustainer motor mount should be .5" forward o' t' aft edge o' t' body tube t' allow t' coupler t' insert into t' sustainer.. Avast, me proud beauty! T' forward centerin' rin' on t' sustainer motor mount is grooved so you can attach t' Keelhaul®©™ shock cord t' t' motor mount. Begad! I then used Titebond II t' glue t' motor mounts into their respective body tubes. I then add a fillet t' t' aft centerin' rings. Blimey!

I then sanded t' fins and began gluin' them t' t' body tubes. Ya scallywag! I use Aleene's Fast Grab Tacky Glue for fins. Ahoy! You might have t' hold t' bigger sustainer fins for a few seconds but is really does grab quickly. T' fins are designed t' be in alignment givin' t' appearance on one big fin. Avast! T' slotted body tubes really help keep t' fins aligned. Ya scallywag! I added Titebond II fillets. While t' fins set up I glued t' bulkhead into t' other coupler. I use 5-minute epoxy for this as it will take t' full force o' t' ejection charge. Once t' epoxy sets up insert t' screw eye into t' center o' t' bulkhead and add epoxy around both sides where t' screw eye goes through t' bulkhead.

T' nose cone t' 2 pieces. I like this because it is easy t' add nose weight if needed, arrr, I insert new motors in t' booster and sustainer and check t' center o' gravity. Arrr! If you need nose weight, pour some BB's into t' nose cone and stir in some epoxy. Then you can glue in t' nose cone shoulder. I use Testors plastic glue for this. Leave t' nose cone pointin' down for t' epoxy t' set up t' keep t' BBs at t' end o' t' nose cone. You can then glue t' coupler/bulkhead into one end o' t' payload tube. Ahoy! T' coupler is read, matey, so no need t' paint it first. Aye aye! I use clear 5-minute clear JB Weld for this. If you want t' put anythin' in t' payload tube do nay glue in t' nose cone. Ahoy! If you do nay glue in t' nose cone you will need t' tape it for flight or you will likely recover a rocket with a missin' nose cone. Well, blow me down! I usually glue mine into t' payload tube after paintin' t' nose cone. In this case t' kit comes with a yellow nose cone so paintin' t' nose cone is optional. Well, blow me down! Finally, assemble t' parachute. Glue t' launch lug t' t' sustainer. Blimey! I have a bod habit o' forgettin' t' do this before I start painting.

Now it's time t' paint. Ahoy! I painted t' fins first, as I find it easy t' mask them. Arrr! After t' fins are masked, paint some yellow paint along t' fin-body tube paint line t' seal it and prevent seepage. Then paint t' body tube white if you are usin' t' standard color scheme. Remove t' maskin' tape and do any touch up, if needed. I then tie t' shock cord t' t' screw eye and attach t' parachute. I use a snap swivel t' attach t' parachute as it helps prevent t' shroud lines from twisting.

Apply t' vinyl decals and you are finished. Ya scallywag! I added nose weight, arrr, so me Skymetra came in at 2.9 ounces rather than t' 2.15 Apogee shows.

This is an easy t' build two-stage rocket that flies really well. T' slotted body tubes are a big plus. Well, blow me down! I also like gap stagin' versus direct staging. Arrr! This would be a perfect kit for your first 2-stage rocket.