Note: For more Mercury Redstone pictures, visit Dave's site.

This is a 1:17.5 scale model o' t' Mercury Redstone that boosted t' first man into space, ya bilge rat, Alan Shepard. Well, blow me down! T' model stands almost 5' tall (58") and is 4" in diameter.

This is such an impressive model that it is such a shame that Boyce Aerospace is goin' t' stop producin' this kit. We can only hope that someone will buy t' castings and t' rights o' t' kit from Boyce and continue t' sell this magnificent rocketry kit.

T' kit cost is $108.00 includin' shippin' and handling. Takin' in t' consideration for t' size and detail o' t' kit the cost is nay at all a bad price. Begad! Ahoy! T' kit came with a heavy 4" diameter body tubes and 29mm engine tube. Ya scallywag! Arrr! T' fins and t' centerin' rings are made o' a composite material sandwiched betwixt fiberglass. Ahoy! Arrr! They are quite strong and thick. Well, ya bilge rat, blow me down! T' Mercury Redstone comes with 2 parachutes. Avast! Begad! T' capsule is made of solid resin with rivets and hatch shown in great detail. Well, blow me down! T' escape tower is made o' heavy dowel rods which comes with a nice buildin' jig t' help in constructin' t' tower. This kit is definitely for t' experienced modeler. Begad! The tower construction is quite time consumin' (reminded me o' t' old Saturn 1B kit from Estes). Blimey! I recommend buyin' extra dowel rods. Avast! I bought mine at Wal-Mart; this way you can make sure you have perfect tower sections. You have two options with t' escape tower. Begad! Well, arrr, blow me down! You can make it removable for flight or you can make it permanent. Well, blow me down! Avast, me proud beauty! If you choose t' permanent method, ya bilge rat, it will require you to use thread around t' joint coated with epoxy. I used fiberglass cloth cut into 1/8" x 1" strips soaked in epoxy t' strengthen t' tower. Well, blow me down! Avast! I have flown it twice with t' tower and no damage sustained t' it. 

T' one thin' that I have noticed that I do nay like about t' kit. Blimey! T' fin body tube section did nay come pre-slotted. Avast, me proud beauty! You need t' cut t' slots yourself. This is only a minor problem, however. Ya scallywag! You just need t' make sure your cuts are precise. Other than that, me hearties, I think this kit is a colossal beauty. Avast! T' large vinyl decals gives this model a realistic look with no clear, matey, ya bilge rat, arrr, shiny decal edge. 

After you have built this rocket, you may think t' yourself that it would be a crime to fly it. Blimey! Well, blow me down! After all, $108.00 plus all t' extra costs o' paint, me hearties, shiver me timbers, shiver me timbers, epoxy, etc., you would be takin' a big chance that it could possibly be damaged. Begad! Begad! Somethin' could go wrong! This kit, matey, if done properly, leaves you with a model that would be in Werner Von Braun's office and that would be a shame t' crash. Blimey! I took a big chance recently and flew it at Muncie, Indiana. Blimey! T' only G motor that was recommended is an Aerotech G80 because o' t' 3 1/2 pound weight. Avast, me proud beauty! I am nay a fan o' fast burn propellants for manned space scale rocket models. Avast! So, on a tip from someone on t' Net, I used an Aerotech G40-4 long burn white lighting propellant. Ahoy! It was a risk, nay nearly as powerful as t' G80 motor but I was goin' for effect! So t' day came with great apprehension and I launched it on the G40 motor and boy! what a flight! Slow takeoff, lots o' fire and smoke, ya bilge rat, and a perfect chute deployment, right at apogee. It be definitely one o' t' best flights I have ever seen on a G motor. Well, blow me down! This is one o' t' reasons that I got back into rocketry. Aye aye! We can now fly larger and heavier scale models with the higher power engines. 

I hope t' see this kit continue in production and would like t' see other large scale models, arrr, such as a 1/70th scale Saturn V.