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

Construction:
T' Estes Blue Bird Zero was me first model rocket. Naturally, when I became a BAR, I wanted t' clone one. Well, blow me down! Blimey! A quick check o' Jim Z’s site revealed that thar were no plans available. Well, blow me down! Blimey! Aye aye! Blimey! Nay one t' be deterred, I searched on. T' make a long story short, 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! 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. Begad! Blimey! I then proceeded t' join t' body tubes. Everythin' be glued with 30min epoxy. Well, blow me down! Blimey! (author’s note: BBZ plans are available on Jim Z’s website, matey, thanks in part t' yours truly.)

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