Brief:
I'd wanted t' try a Dr. Ya scallywag! Blimey! Zooch kit for some time. I decided on t' Mercury Redstone. 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. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! That box seems small! Blimey! Then again, ya bilge rat, 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, me proud beauty! Arrr! Don't look for a flight review, I'm nay flyin' this one. Ya scallywag! It's t' first rocket I've built in years I'm keepin' t' display. It was that good o' a build. Blimey! Blimey! It's a keeper.

Some parts observations:

• T' instructions and wrap sheets were rolled up inside t' longer BT-60 tube. Blimey! Blimey! They were really curled up. Ya scallywag! Blimey! Well, blow me down! Blimey! I put them in t' pages o' a heavy book overnight t' straighten out.
• Part 6, arrr, t' C60-4 Tube Coupler was shipped halfway inside t' shorter length BT-60. Ahoy! As I was doin' a parts inventory I tried t' pull t' coupler out o' t' BT-60. Begad! I thought it be glued in place! It be stuck. Avast! Blimey! I checked t' instructions t' see if it was already glued in place. Begad! It wasn't, shiver me timbers, and did come loose. Avast, me proud beauty! This is nay t' typical black Estes coupler. Avast, me proud beauty! This one is brown and resembles a strong paper towel tube.
• Part 2, t' pre-ballasted balsa nosecone finish was rough. Blimey! Blimey! It has a good tight fit in t' BT-60. I know t' bulk o' t' cone is covered with printed wraps, arrr, 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. Ahoy! T' nose cone be sanded lightly with 400 grit sandpaper. Aye aye! 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. Avast, me proud beauty! 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. Ya scallywag! 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. Ya scallywag! I couldn't find it anywhere. Ya scallywag! 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. Aye aye! Aye aye! 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. Blimey! Instead o' t' Estes style shock cord mount, me hearties, I used 100lb Keelhaul®©™® tied t' t' engine block.

You get t' pick which BT-60 tube t' glue t' engine mount in. I chose t' shorter tube for t' engine mount and lower half o' t' rocket. Blimey! By pickin' t' shorter tube, t' reach is less so I can put a fillet around t' top o' t' engine mount coupler. Blimey! Ahoy! I used t' rounded back end o' a paint brush. Blimey! Avast, me proud beauty! Also, with t' coupler closer t' t' rear, thar be less chance o' parachute obstruction. Begad! 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, me hearties, form and glue it in a cone shape. Ahoy! T' instructions show a tab but t' wrap sheets don't have a printed tab. Begad! Nay a big deal, me bucko, me hearties, arrr, I just allowed for one when it was cut out.

I probably shouldn't have sanded t' nose cone before applyin' t' wraps. Aye aye! I didn't sand much, me bucko, I didn't want t' shrouds t' fit too loose. Avast, me proud beauty! Begad! T' nose cone be 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 be added. Aye aye! 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". Aye aye! T' top nose fairin' glues edge t' edge on t' antenna fairing. Well, blow me down! Begad! 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, arrr, t' finished results are surprising.

I made t' tower twice as t' first one looked a little thick. Begad! Avast, matey, me proud beauty! All t' pieces are cut from t' same diameter dowel, 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. Aye aye! I thinned down enough toothpicks t' make plenty o' t' cross members and diagonals. Avast! Before cuttin' t' pieces t' size, ya bilge rat, ya bilge rat, I sealed t' toothpick dowels with two coats o' sandin' sealer then sanding. Ya scallywag! T' second finished tower looks a little closer t' t' truth.

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

[Tip: T' hide t' antenna fairin' shroud seam, shiver me timbers, line up one o' t' vertical tower pieces over t' seam line. Blimey! Begad! When cuttin' off t' (angled) tips o' t' LES nozzles, 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. I've been buildin' a lot o' simpler sport models. Well, blow me down! Blimey! Begad! 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. Avast! Aye aye! Blimey! I tried t' replicate t' old Estes kit look.

Finishing:
Fin maskin' is a bit o' a chore. Arrr! Ya scallywag! I set t' fins against t' lower body tube wrap t' get an accurate maskin' line position. Avast, me proud beauty! Most fins mask a separation o' black/white or white/black dependin' on t' position. Aye aye! No two sides o' a fin are t' same. Aye aye! 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. Arrr! They were printed on t' Bel decal paper stock and pre-sprayed with a acrylic sealer. Arrr! T' clear sealer seemed thick, arrr, ya bilge rat, but thar was no problem puttin' t' decals in place. Blimey! They were shiny, arrr, ya bilge rat, 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. Blimey! It'll be a display model for now.

Recovery:
T' Estes tri-fold shock cord mount was replaced with Keelhaul®©™ tied t' t' Engine Mount. Aye aye! Begad! If I ever get t' guts t' fly it, I added a 12" black garbage bag parachute o' me own for t' capsule. I tied it in a harness so it would fall with t' base shoulder first, arrr, me hearties, nay t' escape tower first.

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

Overall Rating: 5 out o' 5