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

Forward: This kit was as a prize from EMRR; thanks for t' kit! I don’t really know how t' classify this model. Arrr! It isn’t a true scale model, arrr, exactly, since t' instructions (which feature very few actual instructions) do nay include a scale finish nor anythin' remotely resemblin' scale documentation. Also, me hearties, me bucko, t' bulk o' t' main components are plastic, matey, arrr, but it isn’t ready fly, matey, arrr, matey, nor even almost ready t' fly. Ya scallywag! It requires little painting, me bucko, but again, isn’t scale that way. Aye aye! Like I said, I’m a little hard pressed t' classify it. Aye aye! Well, blow me down! Since this is a review, shiver me timbers, 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. Ya scallywag! 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. Ahoy! Blimey! T' plastic parts come in two bags: capsule parts in one baggy, ya bilge rat, me hearties, and another bag o' fins with tape wrapped around t' points t' prevent them damagin' other parts. Ahoy! Blimey! Arrr! Blimey! There was a third package o' other components includin' t' ’chutes, motor mount tube, me bucko, hook, plastic internal parts, ya bilge rat, me hearties, etc. Arrr! Blimey! Aye aye! Blimey! Two body tubes with a pre-finished white outer layer were included. Begad! Blimey! O' those, one has pre-cut holes for t' lugs, me bucko, and pre-cut slots for t' fins. 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. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! Aye aye! Blimey! There are a few sentences here and there, matey, and in a few places a description (such as “black paint”) but t' rest is almost completely diagrams and illustrations. A picture is worth a thousand words, 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. T' block is then glued into t' top end, arrr, and this assembly is then glued t' a pair o' plastic disks - one at t' top and another at t' bottom. Begad! These two parts have a lip such that t' motor mount tube is firmly pinched betwixt them. Well, blow me down! Blimey! T' illustration shows that grooves and notches in t' two disks need t' be lined up; plastic model cement (tube type) is used. Begad! Next, me hearties, 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. Begad! These become an internal frame in which t' plastic fins are glued later.

While t' motor assembly dries, me bucko, t' escape tower and rocket are assembled. This assembly is formed from three ladder frames that are glued t' t' capsule’s “hat.” T' rocket motor bells, and jettison rocket motor are glued t' t' bottom o' t' main motor. Begad! Avast, me proud beauty! These are allowed t' dry, matey, me bucko, then added t' t' ladder assembly. Begad! Begad! If you are goin' for an all out scale model, ya bilge rat, paint t' ladders, ya bilge rat, ya bilge rat, motor bells, ya bilge rat, me bucko, 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). Ahoy! Arrr! T' tube molded into t' main escape motor along t' side should be black. Well, shiver me timbers, blow me down! Paint t' inside o' t' bells black while you are at it. Blimey! This will produce a much nicer model than t' method shown in t' plans.

T' capsule is assembled next. Begad! Blimey! 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. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! T' main capsule is made o' four main parts - three panels and a base. Avast! Blimey! T' top “hat” and escape assembly then rides on that. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! Ahoy! Blimey! You assemble t' panels on t' base, bein' careful t' match t' parts as shown so t' detail comes out right. Avast, matey, me proud beauty! Blimey! T' glue is applied t' t' base, t' parts installed, then t' top added. Bottle (liquid) cement is then run along t' seems from t' inside. Avast! Blimey! A smart fellow would glue t' parts t' t' base, ya bilge rat, use a rubber band t' hold t' tops together and glue t' inside. He would mask off t' shoulder, matey, and spray t' bottom o' t' capsule lightly with bright red. Avast! Blimey! Begad! Blimey! After t' red is dry, shiver me timbers, mask along t' rim, matey, me bucko, then spray t' capsule with flat black. Arrr! Blimey! This would produce a black capsule with a red rin' along t' bottom. Ya scallywag! Blimey! Begad! Blimey! Then glue on t' top and escape tower assembly. Blimey! Blimey! A much prettier, easier t' detail capsule be t' result. Blimey! Blimey! Ya scallywag! Blimey! But wait! Blimey! Close inspection o' this capsule reveals that it is really a scale model o' t' MR7 flight, ya bilge rat, nay t' MR8 flight. Well, me hearties, blow me down! Blimey! Whoa! Blimey! T' booster decals are for MR7, nay MR8. Blimey! Blimey! Ya scallywag! Blimey! What’s t' deal, ya bilge rat, 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, shiver me timbers, thinkin' that maybe it comes with two sets so you can choose, but no. 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. Avast! Blimey! Tube type cement is used for this. T' upper and lower launch lug guides are now installed. Aye aye! Blimey! T' decals are put on t' main tube at this time. These are t' stick-on type, 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, arrr, matey, leavin' no lines t' mar t' finish. Blimey! Blimey! Arrr! Blimey! T' wraps are a little tricky t' get on straight, matey, but with t' launch lugs as a startin' guide this can be done well. Begad! Blimey! A sharp knife is now used t' trim away t' material over t' slots. Blimey! Blimey! T' fins are all glued in at this point usin' tube cement. Blimey! Blimey! I had a bit o' difficulty with this as t' pointed end o' t' fins weren’t keen t' meet t' tubin' well. Ya scallywag! 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. Avast! Blimey! I eventually resorted t' usin' CA.

T' two halves o' t' body tube are now joined usin' wood glue and t' coupler ring. Aye aye! T' stripe around t' middle is positioned, me hearties, t' upper wrap added, me hearties, and t' decals proclaimin' “United States” are placed on. Begad! 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. Ahoy! Begad! T' line was then erased.

Of course, assemblin' t' rocket in this manner produces a nice flyable rocket; however it isn’t very pretty, really. Blimey! T' spirals stand out! T' decals are a lot shinier than t' rest o' t' tube, and t' seam, ya bilge rat, though covered, is very visible. Begad! Sigh. Avast! Aye aye! I’ve already touched on t' inconsistant decals. Avast! 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, ya bilge rat, arrr, 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, you must glue it in prior t' joinin' t' tubes. Ya scallywag! Blimey! Join t' tubes before installin' t' decals and fins and then spend some time fillin' and sandin' t' spiral and tube joint. Avast! Begad! Then lay on a couple o' layers o' white sandable primer with a light sandin' betwixt coats. Ahoy! Find t' problems and fix them! Now a nice layer or two o' gloss white paint. Aye aye! Now add t' decals, fins, and remainin' lug. Blimey! Ya scallywag! It will turn out much nicer and you will be a lot happier with it.

Last, arrr, t' shock cord is added t' t' body tube in t' standard Estes way. Begad! A length o' shroud line is included for t' nose - a loop is tied around t' escape tower and then t' t' base. Well, blow me down! Avast, arrr, me proud beauty! T' ’chute is added at a place where t' nose balances. Aye aye! T' instructions do nay show this, arrr, 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. Begad! 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. Ahoy! Avast! It was a little windy and cool. Avast, me proud beauty! T' body was filled with t' recommended number o' sheets o' recovery wadding. T' capsule ’chute be folded and placed in first, ya bilge rat, 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. Ahoy! 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. Begad! It was loaded on t' pad, matey, and t' LCO kindly waited for a low point in t' wind before countin' down. T' rocket flew arrow straight, me bucko, ejected just past apogee, and opened both ’chutes. 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. Arrr! Picture perfect. Begad! 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, but MR7 Booster decals and a MR7 scale capsule. Ya scallywag! Avast! T' instructions could really use some work. Begad! While t' illustrations are OK and adequate for successfully buildin' a flyable rocket, me hearties, matey, they miss completely producin' a decent scale model and waste a high potential kit. Ahoy! 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, me hearties, this be t' third Mercury Redstone that Estes has produced since I’ve been buildin' and flyin' rockets. Avast! T' first was released quite a long while ago - I recall makin' one in t' early Eighties. It was a slightly different scale and came with a turned balsa cone. Avast! T' cone was wrapped with a printed card stock sheet with t' details printed on it. Avast, me proud beauty! T' tower assembly came in t' bag as a few hardwood dowels. Aye aye! Avast, me proud beauty! Each part o' t' three ladders was cut t' length, sanded t' fit, and assembled over t' plans much like t' stick and tissue model plane builders do. Ahoy! Well, matey, blow me down! T' fins were slabs o' balsa, and as I recall, you cut them t' shape, ya bilge rat, sanded t' cross section o' t' exhaust vanes with a sandin' block, and added t' aerodynamic fins and plates t' t' ends. Avast, me hearties, me proud beauty! There was a reason it was a skill level 4! Tedious but rewarding.

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