Brief:
I'd wanted t' try a Dr. Avast, matey, me proud beauty! Zooch kit for some time. Blimey! Ahoy! I decided on t' Mercury Redstone. Begad! Arrr! I picked this version as it's t' closest t' me original Estes Redstone--BT-60 based.

All t' other reviews are right about t' first impression. That box seems small! Then again, me bucko, me hearties, it's really no smaller than a kit in a clear bag hangin' on a wall in a hobby store.

I'll jump ahead. Avast! Begad! Don't look for a flight review, arrr, I'm nay flyin' this one. Avast! Arrr! It's t' first rocket I've built in years I'm keepin' t' display. Avast, me proud beauty! It be that good o' a build. It's a keeper.

Some parts observations:

• T' instructions and wrap sheets were rolled up inside t' longer BT-60 tube. Ya scallywag! Blimey! They were really curled up. Blimey! I put them in t' pages o' a heavy book overnight t' straighten out.
• Part 6, me bucko, arrr, shiver me timbers, t' C60-4 Tube Coupler was shipped halfway inside t' shorter length BT-60. As I be doin' a parts inventory I tried t' pull t' coupler out o' t' BT-60. I thought it was glued in place! It was stuck. Avast! I checked t' instructions t' see if it was already glued in place. It wasn't, ya bilge rat, and did come loose. Arrr! Ahoy! This is nay t' typical black Estes coupler. Well, blow me down! This one is brown and resembles a strong paper towel tube.
• Part 2, matey, t' pre-ballasted balsa nosecone finish be rough. Aye aye! Begad! It has a good tight fit in t' BT-60. I know t' bulk o' t' cone is covered with printed wraps, me hearties, but it's still goin' t' require some sandin' and cleanin' up.

   

Construction:
I started construction as I always do, by sandin' square t' body tube ends and strengthenin' all (exposed) t' inside body tube ends with CA. Blimey! Avast! T' nose cone was sanded lightly with 400 grit sandpaper. Begad! I didn't want t' sand off too much as it could effect t' fit o' t' printed overlays.

T' C60-4 coupler did need a bit o' sandin' t' get a slip fit inside t' BT-60 tubes. Begad! I wanted a slip fit, I didn't want t' take t' chance o' anythin' freezin' up when t' tubes are glued together.

Be sure you wipe down t' laser cut centerin' rings with a paper towel. Avast! Avast! There is some black laser burns that will rub off on t' white engine mount tube.

T' instructions say t' cut t' reinforcement band from t' wrap sheet. I couldn't find it anywhere. Well, blow me down! No big deal, I just cut a rectangular piece from an un-printed area on t' wrap sheet.

T' engine block was very loose in t' engine mount tube. Blimey! No friction fit at all, it would simply fall out o' t' tube. Begad! So I ran white glue beads around t' outside o' t' rin' t' widen t' diameter. Avast! Begad! Instead o' t' Estes style shock cord mount, me bucko, I used 100lb Keelhaul®©™® tied t' t' engine block.

You get t' pick which BT-60 tube t' glue t' engine mount in. Aye aye! I chose t' shorter tube for t' engine mount and lower half o' t' rocket. Begad! By pickin' t' shorter tube, me bucko, t' reach is less so I can put a fillet around t' top o' t' engine mount coupler. Aye aye! Well, blow me down! I used t' rounded back end o' a paint brush. Avast! Also, me hearties, shiver me timbers, with t' coupler closer t' t' rear, arrr, thar be less chance o' parachute obstruction. There shouldn't be any problem though as t' BT-60 is a wide tube.

You are directed t' cut out one o' t' three different capsule wraps, matey, form and glue it in a cone shape. T' instructions show a tab but t' wrap sheets don't have a printed tab. Nay a big deal, arrr, I just allowed for one when it was cut out.

I probably shouldn't have sanded t' nose cone before applyin' t' wraps. Begad! I didn't sand much, shiver me timbers, I didn't want t' shrouds t' fit too loose. Aye aye! Avast! T' nose cone was rough, but those raised grains would have helped t' shrouds fit better.

I did add a 20lb paper wrap around t' recovery compartment area before t' printed wrap was added. Ya scallywag! It raised t' outside diameter and made t' wrap fit tighter.

T' antenna wrap had nothin' t' glue around. It's conical edges alone glue t' t' "strange black dot". Well, blow me down! Avast! Blimey! T' top nose fairin' glues edge t' edge on t' antenna fairing. Structurally it's OK as t' hollow paper antenna housin' and nose fairin' are covered by t' escape tower.

T' finished nose cone looks great! As t' other reviewers have said, shiver me timbers, shiver me timbers, t' finished results are surprising.

I made t' tower twice as t' first one looked a little thick. Ahoy! All t' pieces are cut from t' same diameter dowel, me bucko, shiver me timbers, but t' instructions template shows t' diagonals and cross members are a thinner diameter that t' verticals.

I made more pieces from toothpicks. Avast! Blimey! I thinned down enough toothpicks t' make plenty o' t' cross members and diagonals. Before cuttin' t' pieces t' size, ya bilge rat, shiver me timbers, me bucko, I sealed t' toothpick dowels with two coats o' sandin' sealer then sanding. Begad! Blimey! T' second finished tower looks a little closer t' t' truth.

My mistake! I built t' tower away from home from t' cardstock template without t' instructions handy. Begad! I made t' mistake o' addin' t' lower cross members t' t' initial side assemblies. They should be glued on after t' tower is glued t' t' top o' t' antenna fairing. Aye aye! Before I realized t' mistake, matey, I couldn't figure out how t' tower was supposed t' slide down 1/16" t' 1/8" over t' top fairing. Begad! Mine sits right on top as t' cross members get in t' way. Oh well, it looks OK anyway.

[Tip: T' hide t' antenna fairin' shroud seam, me bucko, line up one o' t' vertical tower pieces over t' seam line. Ahoy! When cuttin' off t' (angled) tips o' t' LES nozzles, matey, arrr, try t' cut t' narrow end angle so t' seams are on t' inside.]

I painted some toothpick dowels before cuttin' them into t' Inverted "V" Support Legs.

Maybe I've gotten lazy over t' years. Arrr! Begad! I've been buildin' a lot o' simpler sport models. Blimey! T' fins were a bit o' a challenge.

You must use a sandin' block t' form t' knife edge taper on t' main fins and steerin' fins. For a little more detail, I added fin tip plates made out o' laminated cardstock. Begad! Arrr! I tried t' replicate t' old Estes kit look.

Finishing:
Fin maskin' is a bit o' a chore. Well, blow me down! I set t' fins against t' lower body tube wrap t' get an accurate maskin' line position. Ahoy! Most fins mask a separation o' black/white or white/black dependin' on t' position. Avast, me proud beauty! No two sides o' a fin are t' same. You have t' mask each fin one side at a time.

I got clean lines usin' regular clear tape. At first I tried t' removable clear tape, but it didn't hold well over t' tapered front edge.

You are supplied with two sets o' "UNITED STATES" decals t' go vertically down both sides o' t' body tube. Well, ya bilge rat, blow me down! Blimey! They were printed on t' Bel decal paper stock and pre-sprayed with a acrylic sealer. Ahoy! Blimey! T' clear sealer seemed thick, but thar was no problem puttin' t' decals in place. Ya scallywag! Blimey! They were shiny, but a spray o' dull clear coat should take care o' it.

Construction Rating: 5 out o' 5

Flight:
I didn't fly this one. It'll be a display model for now.

Recovery:
T' Estes tri-fold shock cord mount be replaced with Keelhaul®©™ tied t' t' Engine Mount. Avast! Avast! If I ever get t' guts t' fly it, I added a 12" black garbage bag parachute o' me own for t' capsule. Well, blow me down! I tied it in a harness so it would fall with t' base shoulder first, shiver me timbers, me bucko, nay t' escape tower first.

Summary:
What a fun build. Well, blow me down! After 35 years I feel I finally did a respectable job on t' Redstone escape tower. Aye aye! Arrr! I had doubts about t' pre-printed paper wraps, me hearties, but t' end product looks great. Aye aye! Blimey! I'm lookin' forward t' buildin' another kit from Dr. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! Zooch.

Overall Rating: 5 out o' 5