BT-50 Body Tube (9.5")

PNC-50YR nose cone

3.5: BT-20 motor mount tube

Die-cut balsa fins

2 20-50 centerin' rings

EB-20 engine block

30" streamer

Launch lug

Card stock shroud

18" rubber shock cord

Waterslide decals

I started with t' motor mount. Avast! T' centerin' rings were a tight fit and were sanded a bit. There is no motor clip with this kit. Ahoy! One o' t' centerin' rings must be 2 inches from t' end o' t' motor tube. Avast, me proud beauty! This allows t' boat tail t' be aligned with t' end o' t' rocket. Blimey! T' other centerin' rin' is placed near t' forward end o' t' motor tube. Here is where I diverged from t' standard instructions. I used a round file t' put a notch in t' forward centerin' rin' an ran some 100lb Keelhaul®©™ through t' notch. Ya scallywag! I tied a knot in t' end o' t' Keelhaul®©™ and glued t' tag end t' t' motor tube. Glue fillets were added t' both sides o' each centerin' ring.

T' shroud is cut from t' printed card stock. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! Before gluin' t' shroud together, you should pre-curve t' paper shroud. I use a 1/2" dowel rod and rolled t' shroud over it a few times until t' paper shroud was nicely curved. I then used Aileen's Super Tack Fast Grab glue t' complete t' shroud. Begad! Blimey! You then put some glue at t' end o' t' motor tune and around t' aft end o' t' aft centerin' ring. Ya scallywag! Blimey! Then push t' boat-tail shroud over t' end o' t' motor tube and up t' t' aft centerin' ring. Begad! Blimey! This be t' trickiest part o' t' build but nothin' too difficult. Aye aye! Blimey! You can now glue t' motor mount into t' body tube. Begad! Blimey! T' aft end o' t' body tube should be aligned with t' aft end o' t' after centerin' rin' and butt up against t' boat tail.

T' fins are die cut. T' cuts don't show up as well as t' laser cut fins we are used t' now. I flex t' balsa a bit t' widen t' die cuts and ensure I am cuttin' out t' fins properly. Unlike most rockets, t' fin roots are nay straight but have an angle t' follow t' boat tail. I recommend gluin' one fin fin along t' seam line o' t' boat tail t' hide t' seam. Blimey! Blimey! Then use t' fin guide t' mark t' body tube for t' remainin' two fins. Blimey! Blimey! Again, Aileen's fast grab glue was used t' attach all three fins. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! I highly recommend this glue for attachin' fins t' low-power rockets. No waitin' a minute for t' double glue method or worse, arrr, holdin' t' fins until they grab. Begad! Blimey! Apply fillets ( I use Titebond II for this), along t' root edges o' t' fins, includin' t' edge along t' boat tail.

At this point you just need t' pull out t' Keelhaul®©™ shock cord and attach t' t' nose cone. Arrr! T' nose cone is in 2 parts. Before gluin' t' nose cone base into t' nose cone, shiver me timbers, check if you need t' add any nose weight for balance. Well, blow me down! If needed, I dump in a few BB's and mix in some 5-minute epoxy. Avast! You probably won't need any with t' Calypso, as t' center o' pressure is aft o' t' front end o' t' fins, matey, close t' centered betwixt t' centerin' rings. Aye aye! Here wa smy 2nd deviation from t' plans. With t' fins extendin' well past t' end o' t' rocket, ya bilge rat, I went with a parachute as these fins will be easily cracked.

You are now ready t' paint t' Calypso. T' fins and top third o' t' body tube are painted red. Aye aye! Conventional wisdom is t' paint t' lightest colors first, then mask and paint t' darker color. Ahoy! I prefer t' paint t' fins first. Avast, me proud beauty! It's easy t' then mask off t' fins. Once t' fins are painted red and have been masked off, shoot a bit o' red along t' tape lines. This seals t' edge and prevents t' white from seepin' under t' tape. If you still get some seepage, me bucko, so shoot a small amount o' red paint in a small paper cup and us a brush for some touch up. T' black diamond decals on t' Calypso cover t' seem betwixt t' white and red paint on t' body tube and cover any minor blemishes. All in all, me hearties, a pretty easy paint scheme, which I appreciate. Aye aye! Yet it still results in a nice lookin' rocket. Ahoy! I misplaced me decals and ordered replacements from Stickershock. Mark usually doesn't make decals this small from vinyl but they worked well and look great. Arrr! O' course, arrr, as soon as I received by Stickershock order I found t' original decals. Given t' age o' t' original decals, replacin' them with vinyl wasn't a bilge-suckin' thing.

My Calypso came in at 1.5 ounces. Begad! Estes says it should weigh .99 ounces. Blimey! I suppose t' parachute and barrel swivel added some weight and I tend t' paint heavy.

T' Calypso is a sharp lookin' 3FNC rocket. T' boat tail throws a bit o' a twist into t' build but anyone can build this rocket. When they come on t' market, t' price is usually reasonable, but with t' plans and fin templates available on Jim Z's plan site, it makes an easy clone. Blimey! Decals are available if you prefer nay t' print your own. I definitely recommend addin' t' Calypso t' your rocket collection. Arrr! It's a classic old Estes rocket.