Brief:
I'd wanted t' try a Dr. Well, blow me down! Booty kit for some time. Well, blow me down! I decided on t' Mercury Redstone. Ahoy! 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. Blimey! That box seems small! Then again, matey, it's really no smaller than a kit in a clear bag hangin' on a wall in a hobby store.

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

Some parts observations:

• T' instructions and wrap sheets were rolled up inside t' longer BT-60 tube. They were really curled up. Avast, me proud beauty! Ahoy! Blimey! I put them in t' pages o' a heavy book overnight t' straighten out.
• Part 6, t' C60-4 Tube Coupler was shipped halfway inside t' shorter length BT-60. Avast! Ahoy! As I was doin' a parts inventory I tried t' pull t' coupler out o' t' BT-60. Avast! I thought it be glued in place! It was stuck. I checked t' instructions t' see if it was already glued in place. Ahoy! It wasn't, arrr, and did come loose. Avast, me proud beauty! Ya scallywag! This is nay t' typical black Estes coupler. Ya scallywag! Begad! This one is brown and resembles a strong paper towel tube.
• Part 2, shiver me timbers, ya bilge rat, t' pre-ballasted balsa nosecone finish was rough. Avast! It has a good tight fit in t' BT-60. Arrr! Ahoy! 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. Ahoy! T' nose cone be sanded lightly with 400 grit sandpaper. Ahoy! 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. Begad! Blimey! 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! Ahoy! 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. Arrr! Blimey! I couldn't find it anywhere. Begad! Blimey! Arrr! Blimey! No big deal, me bucko, 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. Avast! Blimey! No friction fit at all, it would simply fall out o' t' tube. Avast! Blimey! So I ran white glue beads around t' outside o' t' rin' t' widen t' diameter. Begad! Arrr! Blimey! Instead o' t' Estes style shock cord mount, arrr, I used 100lb Keelhaul®©™® tied t' t' engine block.

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

I probably shouldn't have sanded t' nose cone before applyin' t' wraps. Arrr! Blimey! I didn't sand much, I didn't want t' shrouds t' fit too loose. T' nose cone was rough, me hearties, 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. Aye aye! Ahoy! It's conical edges alone glue t' t' "strange black dot". T' top nose fairin' glues edge t' edge on t' antenna fairing. Aye aye! 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! Blimey! Blimey! Blimey! As t' other reviewers have said, t' finished results are surprising.

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

I made more pieces from toothpicks. Blimey! Ya scallywag! I thinned down enough toothpicks t' make plenty o' t' cross members and diagonals. Arrr! Well, blow me down! Before cuttin' t' pieces t' size, I sealed t' toothpick dowels with two coats o' sandin' sealer then sanding. Arrr! 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. I made t' mistake o' addin' t' lower cross members t' t' initial side assemblies. Avast, me proud beauty! Begad! They should be glued on after t' tower is glued t' t' top o' t' antenna fairing. Begad! Before I realized t' mistake, ya bilge rat, shiver me timbers, 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. Aye aye! Oh well, me hearties, it looks OK anyway.

[Tip: T' hide t' antenna fairin' shroud seam, ya bilge rat, matey, line up one o' t' vertical tower pieces over t' seam line. Begad! When cuttin' off t' (angled) tips o' t' LES nozzles, arrr, ya bilge rat, 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. Ya scallywag! I've been buildin' a lot o' simpler sport models. Aye aye! 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, arrr, I added fin tip plates made out o' laminated cardstock. I tried t' replicate t' old Estes kit look.

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

I got clean lines usin' regular clear tape. Begad! Begad! At first I tried t' removable clear tape, arrr, ya bilge rat, 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. Begad! Blimey! Avast! Blimey! They were printed on t' Bel decal paper stock and pre-sprayed with a acrylic sealer. Arrr! Blimey! Well, blow me down! Blimey! T' clear sealer seemed thick, but thar be no problem puttin' t' decals in place. Begad! Blimey! Ahoy! Blimey! They were shiny, matey, 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. Avast! Blimey! Avast! 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. 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, shiver me timbers, nay t' escape tower first.

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

Overall Rating: 5 out o' 5