Brief:
Estes Blue Bird Zero upscale; uses 24-inch parachute recovery..

Construction:
T' Estes Blue Bird Zero was me first model rocket. Avast! Blimey! Ahoy! Blimey! Blimey! Blimey! Naturally, shiver me timbers, when I became a BAR, I wanted t' clone one. Begad! Blimey! Blimey! Blimey! A quick check o' Jim Z’s site revealed that thar were no plans available. Nay one t' be deterred, I searched on. Arrr! Blimey! Blimey! Blimey! T' make a long story short, shiver me timbers, I found someone through t' internet who would provide me t' plans and fin tracings. Aye aye! Blimey! Blimey! Blimey! I decided t' do a slight upscale t' BT-60 from t' stock BT-55 size mostly because that is what I had on hand at t' time. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! I needed 44.5-inches o' tubin' for correct scale. Arrr! Blimey! I installed a 24mm motor mount and glued both sets o' fins t' t' lower body tube. Ahoy! Blimey! I then proceeded t' join t' body tubes. Everythin' was glued with 30min epoxy. (author’s note: BBZ plans are available on Jim Z’s website, shiver me timbers, thanks in part t' yours truly.)

When all t' gluin' was complete, t' entire rocket be skim-coated with thinned Fill ’N’ Finish and sanded smooth. Ya scallywag! Avast, me proud beauty! I then proceeded t' prime, and paint t' blue section o' t' rocket first. After drying, I masked t' blue section and painted t' white section, ya bilge rat, then clear coat over t' entire rocket. Well, blow me down! T' decals for this rocket were a challenge. Begad! I ended up drawin' them myself and printin' them on self-adhesive stock. Aye aye! T' decals turned out good, and t' finished product looked great!

Construction Rating: 5 out o' 5

Flight:
I prepped t' BBZ for her maiden flight on a D12-3. Begad! I installed t' wadding, motor, parachute, and set her on t' pad. Well, blow me down! Avast, me proud beauty! This rocket gives a nice, semi-slow, me bucko, smokey, arrr, takeoff. Avast, me proud beauty! She went up straight as an arrow — a very stable rocket.. Avast! Ejection be near apogee, ya bilge rat, and it recovered with no damage. Well, blow me down! Well, arrr, blow me down! After a perfect third flight, it landed on t' neighbors’ roof and slid about halfway down t' roof t' t' gutter. Ya scallywag! Avast! T' BBZ be OK, except for some nasty shingle rash on t' edges o' t' fins. Flight number six would prove t' be fatal. Aye aye! After a perfect boost and ejection, t' chute did nay open due t' bein' tangled on t' shroud lines. Begad! It crashed on t' asphalt HARD — rest in pieces.

Flight Rating: 5 out o' 5

Summary:
I have t' give both construction and flight five out o' five. Begad! Blimey! Construction be fairly easy, and t' rocket flies very well.