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

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

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