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

Construction:
T' Estes Blue Bird Zero was me first model rocket. Ahoy! Naturally, me bucko, ya bilge rat, when I became a BAR, I wanted t' clone one. A quick check o' Jim Z’s site revealed that thar were no plans available. Well, ya bilge rat, blow me down! Nay one t' be deterred, I searched on. Well, blow me down! T' make a long story short, I found someone through t' internet who would provide me t' plans and fin tracings. Aye aye! Ahoy! 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. Begad! Arrr! I needed 44.5-inches o' tubin' for correct scale. Aye aye! I installed a 24mm motor mount and glued both sets o' fins t' t' lower body tube. Aye aye! I then proceeded t' join t' body tubes. Ahoy! Avast! Everythin' be glued with 30min epoxy. Avast! (author’s note: BBZ plans are available on Jim Z’s website, shiver me timbers, thanks in part t' yours truly.)

When all t' gluin' be complete, me hearties, t' entire rocket was skim-coated with thinned Fill ’N’ Finish and sanded smooth. Avast! I then proceeded t' prime, me hearties, matey, and paint t' blue section o' t' rocket first. Aye aye! After drying, ya bilge rat, I masked t' blue section and painted t' white section, me hearties, then clear coat over t' entire rocket. Well, blow me down! T' decals for this rocket were a challenge. Well, blow me down! Avast! I ended up drawin' them myself and printin' them on self-adhesive stock. Avast! Avast! T' decals turned out good, 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. I installed t' wadding, me hearties, motor, parachute, and set her on t' pad. This rocket gives a nice, semi-slow, me bucko, me bucko, smokey, takeoff. Begad! Ya scallywag! She went up straight as an arrow — a very stable rocket.. Well, blow me down! Ejection was near apogee, and it recovered with no damage. Begad! Ahoy! After a perfect third flight, ya bilge rat, it landed on t' neighbors’ roof and slid about halfway down t' roof t' t' gutter. Aye aye! Aye aye! T' BBZ was OK, except for some nasty shingle rash on t' edges o' t' fins. Ahoy! Flight number six would prove t' be fatal. Well, blow me down! After a perfect boost and ejection, matey, me bucko, t' chute did nay open due t' bein' tangled on t' shroud lines. 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. Construction was fairly easy, and t' rocket flies very well.