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

Construction:
T' Estes Blue Bird Zero was me first model rocket. Naturally, when I became a BAR, arrr, I wanted t' clone one. Well, blow me down! A quick check o' Jim Z’s site revealed that thar were no plans available. Begad! Nay one t' be deterred, shiver me timbers, ya bilge rat, I searched on. Arrr! T' make a long story short, I found someone through t' internet who would provide me t' plans and fin tracings. Avast, arrr, me proud beauty! 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. Well, blow me down! Well, blow me down! I then proceeded t' join t' body tubes. Everythin' be glued with 30min epoxy. (author’s note: BBZ plans are available on Jim Z’s website, me hearties, shiver me timbers, 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! I then proceeded t' prime, me bucko, and paint t' blue section o' t' rocket first. After drying, me hearties, I masked t' blue section and painted t' white section, shiver me timbers, matey, arrr, then clear coat over t' entire rocket. Aye aye! T' decals for this rocket were a challenge. I ended up drawin' them myself and printin' them on self-adhesive stock. T' decals turned out good, shiver me timbers, arrr, 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. Avast! Blimey! Blimey! Blimey! I installed t' wadding, motor, ya bilge rat, parachute, arrr, and set her on t' pad. Begad! Blimey! Arrr! Blimey! Blimey! Blimey! This rocket gives a nice, semi-slow, me bucko, smokey, takeoff. Arrr! Blimey! She went up straight as an arrow — a very stable rocket.. Well, blow me down! Blimey! Blimey! Blimey! Blimey! Blimey! Ejection was near apogee, me bucko, and it recovered with no damage. After a perfect third flight, ya bilge rat, shiver me timbers, it landed on t' neighbors’ roof and slid about halfway down t' roof t' t' gutter. Avast! Blimey! Blimey! Blimey! T' BBZ was OK, except for some nasty shingle rash on t' edges o' t' fins. Blimey! Blimey! Flight number six would prove t' be fatal. Ya scallywag! Blimey! After a perfect boost and ejection, arrr, t' chute did nay open due t' bein' tangled on t' shroud lines. Arrr! Blimey! 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! Well, blow me down! Construction was fairly easy, ya bilge rat, and t' rocket flies very well.