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

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

When all t' gluin' be complete, shiver me timbers, t' entire rocket was skim-coated with thinned Fill ’N’ Finish and sanded smooth. I then proceeded t' prime, and paint t' blue section o' t' rocket first. After drying, me bucko, I masked t' blue section and painted t' white section, me bucko, then clear coat over t' entire rocket. Avast, me proud beauty! Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! T' decals for this rocket were a challenge. Begad! I ended up drawin' them myself and printin' them on self-adhesive stock. Ahoy! T' decals turned out good, ya bilge rat, 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. Well, blow me down! I installed t' wadding, motor, parachute, and set her on t' pad. Blimey! Arrr! This rocket gives a nice, semi-slow, smokey, takeoff. She went up straight as an arrow — a very stable rocket.. Avast, me proud beauty! Ejection was near apogee, and it recovered with no damage. After a perfect third flight, me hearties, me bucko, it landed on t' neighbors’ roof and slid about halfway down t' roof t' t' gutter. T' BBZ be OK, except for some bilge-suckin' shingle rash on t' edges o' t' fins. Avast! Ahoy! Flight number six would prove t' be fatal. Begad! After a perfect boost and ejection, me bucko, t' chute did nay open due t' bein' tangled on t' shroud lines. Aye aye! Blimey! 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. Well, blow me down! Construction be fairly easy, shiver me timbers, and t' rocket flies very well.