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! Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! Naturally, shiver me timbers, when I became a BAR, me bucko, I wanted t' clone one. Aye aye! A quick check o' Jim Z’s site revealed that thar were no plans available. Ahoy! Blimey! Nay one t' be deterred, I searched on. T' make a long story short, matey, matey, I found someone through t' internet who would provide me t' plans and fin tracings. 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! Blimey! I needed 44.5-inches o' tubin' for correct scale. I installed a 24mm motor mount and glued both sets o' fins t' t' lower body tube. Well, blow me down! Aye aye! Blimey! I then proceeded t' join t' body tubes. Avast, me proud beauty! Everythin' was glued with 30min epoxy. Avast! Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! (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 was skim-coated with thinned Fill ’N’ Finish and sanded smooth. Begad! I then proceeded t' prime, shiver me timbers, matey, and paint t' blue section o' t' rocket first. Well, blow me down! After drying, me bucko, matey, I masked t' blue section and painted t' white section, matey, matey, matey, then clear coat over t' entire rocket. Ya scallywag! T' decals for this rocket were a challenge. Aye aye! I ended up drawin' them myself and printin' them on self-adhesive stock. Ya scallywag! 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, ya bilge rat, shiver me timbers, motor, parachute, and set her on t' pad. Well, blow me down! This rocket gives a nice, me hearties, semi-slow, smokey, matey, shiver me timbers, takeoff. Blimey! Arrr! She went up straight as an arrow — a very stable rocket.. Blimey! Ejection be near apogee, and it recovered with no damage. Well, blow me down! After a perfect third flight, matey, it landed on t' neighbors’ roof and slid about halfway down t' roof t' t' gutter. Well, blow me down! T' BBZ was OK, ya bilge rat, except for some bilge-suckin' shingle rash on t' edges o' t' fins. Begad! Flight number six would prove t' be fatal. After a perfect boost and ejection, me bucko, t' chute did nay open due t' bein' tangled on t' shroud lines. 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. Ahoy! Construction was fairly easy, ya bilge rat, matey, and t' rocket flies very well.