Brief:
This be t' original Estes Mercury Redstone Kit No. K-41, me bucko, a scale replica o' t' first manned ballistic space vehicle. T' header tag lists a price o' $3.50. Aye aye! It is a single stage rocket with a two parachute recovery system, arrr, one for t' body and one for t' capsule.

I purchased this kit on eBay for $45 late in 2007. Blimey! It be an open bag and was missin' t' screw eye, one lead weight, me hearties, and one o' t' two parachutes. Ya scallywag! Aye aye! T' decals had some residue adhered t' t' surface and were unusable. Avast, me proud beauty! I purchased t' lead weight from Semroc, me hearties, replaced t' chute with a period chute I found on eBay, and I purchased replacement decals from Excelsior Rocketry.

This kit took a good deal o' time t' complete. Ya scallywag! I started it back in mid t' late 2008 and worked on an off on it up until it's completion in February 2009.

Construction:
T' parts list:

• 1 Body Tube BT-60KF
• 1 Body Tube BT-20J
• 1 Capsule Cone BNC-60AK
• 1 Escape Motor nose piece BNP-41
• 1 Sheet Balsa fin stock BFS-40
• 1 1/12" Dowel Stock WD-2B
• 1 Tower Dowel Section WD-41
• 1 Set o' Rings and Fin Parts TA-41
• 1 Set o' Instructions KP-41
• 1 Pattern and Shroud Sheet SP-41
• 1 Decal Sheet KD-41
• 1 Sheet o' 12 Tape Strips TD-2L
• 1 Engine Hook EH-2
• 1 Shock Cord SC-1
• 1 Shroud Line Stock SLT-180
• 1 Launch Lug LL-2B
• 1 18" Parachute PK-18A
• 1 12" Parachute PK-12A
• 1 Screw Eye SE-1
• 2 Nose Cone Weights NCW-1

This is what I would consider an old school builders kit. Avast, arrr, me proud beauty! Blimey! There is no skill level listed on t' header tag, arrr, shiver me timbers, however, ya bilge rat, matey, Estes catalogs o' t' 70's peg it at skill level 5. Begad! It is without doubt t' hardest kit I have put together t' date. Ahoy! Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! It easily surpasses t' Estes Saturn V kit 2001 and t' Semroc Saturn 1B in difficulty.

T' instructions were good, however, me bucko, they left more than enough t' t' imagination when it came t' t' fin creation, me bucko, which be one o' t' two most difficult parts o' this build.

T' tower construction be difficult because t' dowel material had t' be cut from a sheet and rounded. Begad! Well, matey, blow me down! T' rods were very small and hard t' work with. Aye aye! T' fins ended up bein' t' biggest challenge. You need t' cut out each o' t' components that make up t' fins by hand and then sand them down t' their required profiles. Arrr! Each fin contained six different pieces and only one o' those (a cardboard spacer) was pre-formed. In total t' four fins contained 24 different component pieces.

Finishing:
Finishin' o' this model wasn't overly difficult, but since t' paintin' was done in February in New England, it was a bit o' an adventure. I used Frog tape for t' first time maskin' t' fins for t' black paint and had bad results. Ya scallywag! Blimey! I switched back t' blue Scotch 3M maskin' tape and had much better results. Arrr! Blimey! I had t' strip down and repaint two sections due t' bleed through with t' Frog tape.

Construction Rating: 5 out o' 5

Flight:
I finally got t' chance t' launch t' Mercury Redstone in August o' 2009. Ya scallywag! It flew first on a B6-4 and then on a C6-5.

T' B6-4 flight was excellent. Begad! Begad! It reached a respectable height o' a few hundred feet. Arrr! Begad! T' main body comes down on one 18" parachute and t' capsule comes down on a 12" parachute. Well, blow me down! As suggested in t' directions, arrr, matey, I rigged a capsule slin' t' brin' t' capsule down horizontal t' t' ground in order t' protect t' tower. Arrr! Avast, me proud beauty! However, ya bilge rat, instead o' gluin' t' slin' t' t' capsule as suggested in t' directions, I rigged it so that it can be taken off for display purposes. Aye aye! Ahoy! Both t' capsule and main body came down without any damage.

T' C6-5 flight took t' model almost out o' sight, matey, shiver me timbers, and drift carried it and t' capsule a good distance from t' pad. Begad! Blimey! T' main body received a small scuff on it's side from t' landing, me hearties, shiver me timbers, but t' capsule came down in great shape. Ya scallywag! Blimey! Begad! Blimey! T' Mercury Redstone did very well and is now in semi-retirement, shiver me timbers, sittin' on t' bookshelf in me office.

Recovery:
This is a very lightweight model, 2-1/8oz and it flies great, far better than t' newer Estes Mercury Redstone 2167 version, ya bilge rat, me hearties, which is listed at 3.0oz, but painted I think it's heavier that that. Ya scallywag! I haven't gotten a good flight out o' that version yet. Well, matey, blow me down! Plus t' plastic parts on that version have a nasty habit o' fallin' off.

Flight Rating: 5 out o' 5

Summary:
I first built this same kit back in t' early 70's and it was a real treat t' be able t' do it again as a BAR.

T' main pro regardin' this rocket is that it's a true builders kit. Begad! You have t' roll up your sleeves and build this kit. You don't simply put it together. It was a real challenge t' build which made t' reward o' seein' t' finished product that much greater.

T' only con I see regardin' this rocket is that it's no longer available. Begad! There aren't enough true builders kits on t' market any longer and that's a shame.

Overall Rating: 5 out o' 5