Brief:
This newest kit from Squirrel Works is simply awesome! Blimey! It is a very unusual but fantastic kit that sits atop a BT-55 booster. Blimey! Blimey! Aye aye! Blimey! It doesn't grab a lot o' altitude on t' recommended 24mm D12-3 motor, but it does it in style. Begad! Blimey! Very impressive! Blimey! It makes an excellent low-flyin' park rocket with simply beautiful recovery on two big 24-inch red mylar parachutes. T' face card in t' kit is another true work o' art, me bucko, which is a signature o' Squirrel Works kits. Parts quality is no less than excellent either. Begad! Blimey! There are a quite a few self-adhesive decals t' place on t' rocket, but when you’re done, you could build a diorama around it and folks would swear they were lookin' at a real Metropolitan Police Call Box on t' streets o' London.

Construction:
T' kit includes a ton o' parts (I've listed t' main ones):

• 1 BT-55 kraft booster tube
• 1 BT-55 kraft internal tube
• 14 laser cut balsa sheets (yep, that’s fourteen!)
• 4 pre-cut balsa structural components
• 1 standard 24mm motor mount kit with motor clip
• 2 BT-55 couplers
• 1 extra long 3/16” launch lug
• 1 screw eye
• 1 bag o' BBs, for weighting
• 1 shock cord, 1/4” elastic
• 2 24” mylar parachute kits
• 2 decal sheets, arrr, self-adhesive
• 1 small parts bag o' parts (door handles, centerin' rings, etc.)

Clear off your hobby table because you want t' have plenty o' room while buildin' this kit. Avast! Also, me hearties, you’re goin' t' need some time t' build this one. It isn't a one day build. Aye aye! Ahoy! Don has made it easy though with superbly illustrated step-by-step instructions. I lightly sanded all t' exterior balsa for t' Call Box with 400 grit sandpaper. Ya scallywag! I wanted t' wood grain t' show on this one, so I didn't use any balsa filler except on t' booster fins, me hearties, gussets and joints. Ahoy! T' booster tube seams were hardly noticeable and only required minimal filling. Aye aye! Construction is really nay that difficult, but you’re goin' t' do a lot o' things four times, once for each side. I can't imagine havin' t' build t' kit from scratch. I would probably give up after cuttin' out t' parts for one side. Well, blow me down! Thank goodness for laser-cut parts!

I first sanded all o' t' tubes and centerin' rings with 240 grit sandpaper inside and out t' improve adhesion o' t' parts glued onto or in them. Avast, me proud beauty! Except for t' balsa gussets glued into t' fin/body tube joint, shiver me timbers, matey, t' motor mount and booster are your standard build. Begad! T' fins are really big, arrr, since they have t' extend beyond t' edges o' t' call box for t' aerodynamics, matey, so those gussets really improve t' strength o' t' fin/tube joints. Ahoy! I was sure glad Don added that improvement (see recovery). A fin-markin' guide is provided t' align t' fins on t' tube. Aye aye! I papered t' fins t' improve strength and finish and used Elmer's Fill 'n' Finish t' fill in t' tube/fin/gusset joints. Arrr! Build t' motor mount and install it into t' aft o' t' booster tube with a coupler installed in t' front o' t' booster t' connect with t' upper internal tube. Avast, me proud beauty! Avast! Two motor clips hold t' booster and upper internal tube together one on either side t' allow t' booster t' be separated for displayin' t' Call Box. Aye aye! Measurements for installation o' t' two motor clips are crucial as you want them t' hold t' booster as tightly as possible. Ya scallywag! Begad! I used 5-minute epoxy t' glue t' upper portion o' t' clips onto t' internal tube and wicked in some CA into t' tube before cuttin' t' slits where t' clips insert. Avast, me proud beauty! Arrr! These areas will receive a lot o' stress from motor ejection and removal for display so I wanted them t' be really strong. Blimey! Next, arrr, t' launch lug is glued onto t' side o' t' internal tube, then slide t' bulkheads on and glue them onto t' tube at t' indicated positions. Blimey! Ya scallywag! Construction o' t' side panels comes next.

Various laser-cut pieces are glued onto a solid panel. Begad! Blimey! Well, me hearties, blow me down! Blimey! Glue this part here, glue this part there, glue these pieces together and then glue it there, me hearties, etc. until you have a completed side panel. Then do that three more times! Blimey! This is where that cleared off hobby table becomes necessary. Blimey! Blimey! It will look like you have a lumberyard on your table t' start and then, slowly, four beautiful side panels remain. Begad! Blimey! Awesome! Blimey! Next, me hearties, install t' panels and support beams onto t' internal bulkheads. Well, blow me down! Blimey! Blimey! Blimey! Align a panel on one side and glue that, then glue on a support beam and continue around t' internal tube until all o' t' panels and support beams are installed onto t' bulkheads. Begad! Blimey! If you get t' first panel aligned properly at t' beginning, thar be just enough room t' install t' final support beam without any trim sanding. Arrr! Blimey! I test fit all o' t' panels and support beams first and then marked one o' t' panels t' start. Begad! Blimey! This is a little difficult since you have eight parts t' deal with, but it's worth t' effort. Also, me bucko, before gluin' on t' fourth panel and support beam, matey, I put glue fillets on t' internal panel/beam and panel/bulkhead joints o' t' other three panels. Arrr! Blimey! You can't access this area once t' fourth panel is installed. Blimey! Blimey! Avast! Blimey! Then, I put extra glue on t' internal side o' t' bulkhead and beam so that after gluin' on t' fourth panel and beam I could lay it on its side and allow t' glue t' drain down t' make a fillet on t' fourth panel/beam panel/bulkhead joints. Avast! Blimey! While that assembly is drying, arrr, you can move on t' construction o' t' base and top.

Similar t' t' panel construction, t' base and top panels are constructed by gluin' various laser-cut pieces onto a solid piece. Be careful t' assure that t' pieces with t' holes for t' launch lug are aligned before you glue things together though. Begad! Once finished, these are glued onto t' internal tube/panel structure. Avast! Avast! Blimey! Be sure t' put your glue fillets on t' rest o' t' internal structure joints before t' top and bottom panels are installed. Avast, me proud beauty! Well, blow me down! Blimey! Also, me bucko, here again, matey, be sure t' align t' holes with t' launch lug before gluin' on t' top and bottom panels. Begad! Avast! Blimey! T' top panel has a recess that will hold t' BB weights. After t' glue has set, matey, matey, pour epoxy into t' recessed area o' t' top panel and then pour t' BBs into that and level them out. Begad! Avast! Blimey! Actually, I waited until after t' rocket be finished t' add t' epoxy and BBs. That way, it be easier t' handle while finishing. Well, blow me down! Well, blow me down! Blimey! OK, ya bilge rat, matey, things are really startin' t' look great! Blimey! T' “nose cone” is built next.

T' nose cone has a structure with four triangular pieces that when pushed together create t' domed top. Begad! Begad! This is really t' only tricky step since t' glue on t' first three pieces needs t' be almost set before gluin' t' last side o' t' fourth piece. Ya scallywag! Ya scallywag! It is an impressive piece o' engineerin' though. A stick o' balsa is glued into t' center o' t' top that extends through t' bottom. Arrr! T' light unit is glued on top o' that and a coupler is glued around it on t' underneath side with a laser-cut piece o' balsa glued into t' center o' t' coupler and t' t' base o' t' balsa stick. Avast! T' screw eye is then glued into that. Well, blow me down! I wicked CA into t' coupler and balsa center for strength and durability since they will be exposed t' t' ejection gases. Ahoy! Construction o' t' light unit that is glued onto t' top was a little difficult too, because t' pieces are so small and me hands shake a lot when tryin' t' build somethin' that small. Ahoy! Begad! Tweezers and patience are a must! That leaves t' installation o' t' shock cord and assembly o' t' parachutes.

I added a 6-inch length o' Keelhaul®©™ t' install in t' shock cord mount, which is part o' me standard installation. Blimey! Blimey! Blimey! Blimey! I put CA around t' forward end o' t' tube and tied a knot in t' Keelhaul®©™ at t' exit point t' protect against abrasion then added a loop at t' end o' t' Keelhaul®©™ t' tie on t' 1/8” elastic cord. Avast! Blimey! Lastly, matey, matey, matey, t' shock cord mount and shock cord was installed and connected t' t' screw eye in t' nose cone. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! Blimey! Blimey! Put t' parachutes together and you’re done.

Finishing:
Since I wanted t' leave t' wood grain in t' finish o' t' Call Box, ya bilge rat, I was very careful as parts were glued together t' keep everythin' neat. Aye aye! Arrr! That way, I wouldn't have t' do a lot o' clean-up sandin' and heavy primer before finishing. Well, blow me down! Avast! T' booster be painted all black as suggested in t' kit. Well, blow me down! I decided t' go with t' London blue finish rather than t' Scotland red on t' Call Box. Arrr! T' plastic tube in t' light unit was masked off usin' liquid mask and then t' entire unit was painted, scrapin' t' liquid mask off with a hobby knife after t' paint had set. Begad! Don suggested installin' t' plastic tube and top o' t' light unit after painting, however, me hearties, arrr, I don't think I would have been able t' get those four little posts installed properly without havin' t' plastic tube installed for support. Begad! Ahoy! I did hold off installin' t' door handles until after painting. Arrr! I inserted them into t' balsa usin' t' nails and then removed them and placed a drop o' CA in t' holes and re-installed them. Begad! Aye aye! A variety o' t' self-stick decals are provided for various Call Box versions. This is another one o' those tedious steps. Begad! Each windowpane decal has t' be removed from t' decal sheet and laid into t' windowpane--all 48 o' them! If anyone can think o' a better way t' do that, I'd sure like t' hear about it. T' remainin' decals were installed, and voilà, a completed Call Box. Blimey! Next, I applied a couple o' coats o' Future floor wax t' t' painted surfaces t' protect t' finish and improve t' shine. Avast, me proud beauty! Ahoy! Callin' all cars, me hearties, callin' all cars, me bucko, me bucko, she's ready t' launch! Woohoo!

Construction Rating: 5 out o' 5

Flight:
Fittin' those two big chutes into t' tube with t' waddin' and shock cord is a bit difficult and takes some practice. Ya scallywag! Also, arrr, make sure you have at least three feet o' rod length t' travel if thar be any wind. I had probably less than 2.5 feet o' rod in a 5+ mph wind usin' a three foot rod on an AeroTech Mantis pad with a spent engine casin' holdin' up t' rocket off t' blast plate. Arrr! Aye aye! T' rocket arced off t' pad at about 20 degrees into t' wind, which reduced an already low altitude fairly significantly. Begad! Aye aye! I be also usin' an older D12-3 that might nay have had t' full thrust o' a new one. If it ever stops rainin' here so I can fly again, me hearties, I’ll update t' flight stats as I would anticipate a much more vertical flight usin' a newer motor and more rod length.

Recovery:
T' chute popped right past t' top, but that was probably only 100 feet or so from t' ground. Begad! Avast! Thank goodness for a 3-second delay that really was only three seconds. Ahoy! Begad! Those two big 24-inch chutes look impressive as they deploy. Well, blow me down! Unfortunately, me bucko, me hearties, shiver me timbers, it landed on t' asphalt parkin' lot. Begad! That's a pretty good test o' t' importance o' those fin gussets. Ya scallywag! It passed! It landed almost vertically and everythin' survived with only minimal initial surface damage where t' fins hit t' ground. Arrr! T' concussion upon landin' pushed up t' first fin t' hit t' ground into t' lower portion o' t' Call Box and crackin' a small piece on t' base. I put a little CA on that and held it together and you can barely tell it's there. Arrr! Begad! After landing, it fell onto its front panel and just before I got t' it, a gust o' wind dragged it three or four feet across t' parkin' lot. Begad! Ouch! Did you know that asphalt is very abrasive? That was t' worst damage it suffered. Avast! Avast, me proud beauty! It still looks great though as t' abrasions are hardly noticeable until you look really close up!

Flight Rating: 5 out o' 5

Summary:
Wow! I can't describe t' degree o' satisfaction I felt after finishin' t' Call Box. Arrr! Avast, me proud beauty! Don has included a lot o' “engineering” in t' kit that is spectacular and makes buildin' t' kit a lot easier than I was expecting. While t' kit can probably be built and finished in a couple o' days, me hearties, me hearties, I would plan on savorin' t' build over about a week's time. Avast! Take your time and you will produce a beautiful work o' art that is sturdy enough t' fly over and over again. Arrr! Begad! There are few kits that will out impress your Call Box on t' launch pad. Avast! Glorious!

PROs: Everything! T' Call Box is a complex design that has been “engineered” t' make t' build relatively easy. Avast! T' provided decal choices allow t' builder t' choose a variety o' looks that will separate their kit from others. Parts quality is superb. Ya scallywag! T' laser cuttin' is excellent. Ahoy! T' instructions are excellent, arrr, and you get a nice long shock cord and two big parachutes for a gentle recovery.

CONs: I made t' change with t' shock cord, but that is just personal preference.

Overall Rating: 5 out o' 5