Brief: This is a scale model o' t' second manned Mercury/Redstone, arrr, Liberty Bell 7

Forward: This kit be as a prize from EMRR; thanks for t' kit! I don’t really know how t' classify this model. Ahoy! Aye aye! It isn’t a true scale model, exactly, ya bilge rat, since t' instructions (which feature very few actual instructions) do nay include a scale finish nor anythin' remotely resemblin' scale documentation. Ahoy! Also, t' bulk o' t' main components are plastic, arrr, but it isn’t ready fly, nor even almost ready t' fly. It requires little painting, but again, isn’t scale that way. Well, blow me down! Well, me bucko, blow me down! Like I said, I’m a little hard pressed t' classify it. Ya scallywag! Since this is a review, I’ll attempt t' do it t' manufacturer’s way and resist t' temptation t' make a lot o' changes or deviate from t' order set out by t' instructions. Avast! I will add a few comments about producin' a better scale model as I go for those who are interested in me opinion.

Construction: T' parts all come in t' standard bag with t' new wrap-around cardboard insert. Well, blow me down! T' plastic parts come in two bags: capsule parts in one baggy, and another bag o' fins with tape wrapped around t' points t' prevent them damagin' other parts. Avast, me proud beauty! Avast! There was a third package o' other components includin' t' ’chutes, motor mount tube, ya bilge rat, matey, hook, plastic internal parts, etc. Begad! Two body tubes with a pre-finished white outer layer were included. Blimey! O' those, one has pre-cut holes for t' lugs, and pre-cut slots for t' fins. Well, blow me down! Also floatin' around in t' bag were a motor block and a tube coupler. Finally thar be a set o' instructions - term “instructions” used loosely. Aye aye! There are a few sentences here and there, and in a few places a description (such as “black paint”) but t' rest is almost completely diagrams and illustrations. Well, blow me down! A picture is worth a thousand words, matey, and all!

One starts with t' motor mount. A slot is made near one end, t' motor hook is placed in t' slot and captured by a thin plastic rin' with some glue. Begad! T' block is then glued into t' top end, ya bilge rat, and this assembly is then glued t' a pair o' plastic disks - one at t' top and another at t' bottom. Ahoy! These two parts have a lip such that t' motor mount tube is firmly pinched betwixt them. T' illustration shows that grooves and notches in t' two disks need t' be lined up; plastic model cement (tube type) is used. Ya scallywag! Next, ya bilge rat, four stringers are added betwixt t' two disks and mate in t' notches - they sort o' snap in and tube cement is used t' fix them there. These become an internal frame in which t' plastic fins are glued later.

While t' motor assembly dries, t' escape tower and rocket are assembled. Ya scallywag! This assembly is formed from three ladder frames that are glued t' t' capsule’s “hat.” T' rocket motor bells, shiver me timbers, and jettison rocket motor are glued t' t' bottom o' t' main motor. Begad! These are allowed t' dry, ya bilge rat, then added t' t' ladder assembly. If you are goin' for an all out scale model, paint t' ladders, motor bells, jettison motor and “hat” before you assemble them! T' base rin' around t' hat should be aluminum or silver, t' rest o' t' nose should be flat black, and t' ladder and motor should be bright red (the instructions make no mention and show no illustration regardin' this). Avast, me proud beauty! T' tube molded into t' main escape motor along t' side should be black. Ya scallywag! Paint t' inside o' t' bells black while you are at it. Begad! This will produce a much nicer model than t' method shown in t' plans.

T' capsule is assembled next. Ahoy! T' capsule be t' highlight o' t' kit - well molded with lots o' detail. This be t' sole thin' that gives this kit t' potential t' be a beautiful model. Blimey! T' main capsule is made o' four main parts - three panels and a base. Aye aye! Blimey! T' top “hat” and escape assembly then rides on that. Begad! You assemble t' panels on t' base, bein' careful t' match t' parts as shown so t' detail comes out right. T' glue is applied t' t' base, me bucko, matey, t' parts installed, shiver me timbers, then t' top added. Ya scallywag! Bottle (liquid) cement is then run along t' seems from t' inside. Ya scallywag! A smart fellow would glue t' parts t' t' base, use a rubber band t' hold t' tops together and glue t' inside. He would mask off t' shoulder, ya bilge rat, and spray t' bottom o' t' capsule lightly with bright red. After t' red is dry, mask along t' rim, arrr, then spray t' capsule with flat black. Ahoy! Avast! This would produce a black capsule with a red rin' along t' bottom. Then glue on t' top and escape tower assembly. Ahoy! A much prettier, me bucko, shiver me timbers, easier t' detail capsule be t' result. Ahoy! But wait! Close inspection o' this capsule reveals that it is really a scale model o' t' MR7 flight, nay t' MR8 flight. Whoa! T' booster decals are for MR7, shiver me timbers, nay MR8. Begad! What’s t' deal, shiver me timbers, here? T' capsule decals are MR8, and thar be only one “United States” decal (there should be two.) I checked t' make sure that I haven’t lost any decals, thinkin' that maybe it comes with two sets so you can choose, but no. Well, blow me down! Begad! Guess a scale modeller isn’t supposed t' notice t' non-scale decals.

T' instructions now have t' builder install t' motor mount in t' lower body tube with t' framework previously made carefully lined up with t' slots. Aye aye! Blimey! Tube type cement is used for this. Begad! Blimey! T' upper and lower launch lug guides are now installed. T' decals are put on t' main tube at this time. Begad! These are t' stick-on type, shiver me timbers, but are a really thin material so they look OK. I used a sharp knife and a rule t' cut out t' decals - one should cut just inside t' dashed lines, leavin' no lines t' mar t' finish. T' wraps are a little tricky t' get on straight, but with t' launch lugs as a startin' guide this can be done well. A sharp knife is now used t' trim away t' material over t' slots. Well, blow me down! T' fins are all glued in at this point usin' tube cement. I had a bit o' difficulty with this as t' pointed end o' t' fins weren’t keen t' meet t' tubin' well. Arrr! Begad! Blimey! They needed held for a long time while t' cement set up, ya bilge rat, and even then didn’t stick well t' t' shiny surface o' t' decals. Well, blow me down! Well, blow me down! Blimey! I eventually resorted t' usin' CA.

T' two halves o' t' body tube are now joined usin' wood glue and t' coupler ring. Blimey! Blimey! T' stripe around t' middle is positioned, matey, t' upper wrap added, and t' decals proclaimin' “United States” are placed on. Arrr! Aye aye! I used a straight edge and a pencil t' make a light line down t' tube where t' long lines o' text go t' aid in gettin' them square. Ya scallywag! T' line was then erased.

Of course, matey, assemblin' t' rocket in this manner produces a nice flyable rocket; however it isn’t very pretty, ya bilge rat, really. Arrr! Blimey! Aye aye! Blimey! T' spirals stand out! Blimey! T' decals are a lot shinier than t' rest o' t' tube, and t' seam, arrr, though covered, is very visible. Sigh. Blimey! Blimey! I’ve already touched on t' inconsistant decals. So if you want t' make a nice rocket and produce a booster worthy o' t' stunningly well done nose (you did paint it before assembling, didn’t you?) then some time spent on t' booster body will be necessary. Unfortunately, t' do t' job correctly will require reorderin' t' steps. First, because o' t' way t' upper launch lug is made, me bucko, you must glue it in prior t' joinin' t' tubes. Blimey! Blimey! Join t' tubes before installin' t' decals and fins and then spend some time fillin' and sandin' t' spiral and tube joint. Blimey! Blimey! Ya scallywag! Blimey! Then lay on a couple o' layers o' white sandable primer with a light sandin' betwixt coats. Ya scallywag! Blimey! Ahoy! Blimey! Find t' problems and fix them! Blimey! Now a nice layer or two o' gloss white paint. Arrr! Blimey! Well, ya bilge rat, blow me down! Blimey! Now add t' decals, fins, and remainin' lug. It will turn out much nicer and you will be a lot happier with it.

Last, t' shock cord is added t' t' body tube in t' standard Estes way. Ahoy! Begad! A length o' shroud line is included for t' nose - a loop is tied around t' escape tower and then t' t' base. T' ’chute is added at a place where t' nose balances. T' instructions do nay show this, me bucko, but add a short length o' shock cord elastic betwixt t' ’chute and t' capsule shroud.

Construction Rating: 2 out o' 5 Out o' t' bag instructions produce a ho-hum end product. Ahoy! Blimey! This kit does have t' potential t' be a 5 out o' 5 if done carefully.

Flying:
This model was flown at t' club’s October launch on a C6-5. Arrr! Arrr! It be a little windy and cool. T' body was filled with t' recommended number o' sheets o' recovery wadding. T' capsule ’chute was folded and placed in first, followed by t' carefully folded booster ’chute (the idea bein' that t' capsule’s ’chute will pull out t' booster’s ensurin' a good recovery. Avast! T' motor mount is very tight; I wasn’t able t' get t' motor fully locked in under t' hook, but had it jammed in well enough that I couldn’t get it back out so I wasn’t worried about it kicking. It was loaded on t' pad, and t' LCO kindly waited for a low point in t' wind before countin' down. Avast, me proud beauty! Ya scallywag! T' rocket flew arrow straight, ejected just past apogee, me bucko, arrr, and opened both ’chutes. Avast, me proud beauty! T' two parts stayed close on t' way t' t' ground and landed a 100 or so yards from t' pads, and about 10 feet from each other. Well, blow me down! Blimey! Picture perfect. Aye aye! Several people stopped by me area t' eyeball t' old and t' new and comment on t' flight.

Flight Rating: 4 out o' 5

Cheers:Nice nose cone! (To bad it’s a Freedom 7 nay Liberty Bell 7)

Jeers: Awful body tube! T' decals do nay match - you get capsule decals for MR8, shiver me timbers, but MR7 Booster decals and a MR7 scale capsule. T' instructions could really use some work. Aye aye! While t' illustrations are OK and adequate for successfully buildin' a flyable rocket, they miss completely producin' a decent scale model and waste a high potential kit. Begad! Since t' fins are plastic and required moldin' any way why don’t they have any detail - particularly where t' exhaust vanes are?

Overall Rating: 2 out o' 5 Misses a decent scale model by so much but yet so little! How ironic! (or is that moronic?)

On a side note, this be t' third Mercury Redstone that Estes has produced since I’ve been buildin' and flyin' rockets. Aye aye! T' first was released quite a long while ago - I recall makin' one in t' early Eighties. Arrr! It was a slightly different scale and came with a turned balsa cone. Well, arrr, blow me down! T' cone was wrapped with a printed card stock sheet with t' details printed on it. T' tower assembly came in t' bag as a few hardwood dowels. Each part o' t' three ladders be cut t' length, me bucko, sanded t' fit, matey, and assembled over t' plans much like t' stick and tissue model plane builders do. Begad! T' fins were slabs o' balsa, ya bilge rat, and as I recall, you cut them t' shape, sanded t' cross section o' t' exhaust vanes with a sandin' block, and added t' aerodynamic fins and plates t' t' ends. Ahoy! Arrr! There was a reason it was a skill level 4! Tedious but rewarding.

T' second release used t' same cone as t' current release, ya bilge rat, but was a single, shiver me timbers, standard Estes tube that required paint and came with a nice set o' water slide decals. Begad! I currently still have one o' these kits, and it has been known t' place very high in contests. Aye aye! A young person in our club has one o' these new kits, me bucko, matey, however, and has gone t' extra length t' make hers a truly nice model and me days o' walkin' away with a ribbon are numbered, ya bilge rat, I fear!