Nano Rocketry has produced a line o' model rocket kits t' take advantage o' Quest's Micro-Maxx engines. Arrr! Ya scallywag! T' Quest Micro-Maxx rockets are all RTF and don't really fly all that well. Begad! They claim a maximum altitude o' 200 feet, but with such heavy plastic rockets, ya bilge rat, t' best I could get was less than 20 feet.

My kit arrived in a 6x9 envelope with a picture o' t' completed model on t' back. Because o' such simple packaging, shiver me timbers, me bucko, I be afraid it might have been damaged in transit. I opened t' kit and inspected all t' pieces, shiver me timbers, matey, and found everythin' in perfect condition.

I checked t' contents against t' parts list, me hearties, (which included handy diagrams for identification) found all t' parts were there, and collected t' tools recommended in t' tools list. Well, blow me down! Blimey! T' instructions offered 3 possible ways t' shape t' nose cone, matey, ya bilge rat, dependin' on your skill, arrr, shiver me timbers, t' shape you wanted, and your available tools, but me kit came with t' nose already shaped, so I didn't have t' worry about it.

Assembly o' t' nose cone, shoulder, and shock cord was straightforward, shiver me timbers, me hearties, and t' instructions were very clear. Ya scallywag! Next I cut out t' fins, which were preprinted on balsa sheet. Begad! T' instructions said t' use a ruler t' align t' 2 pieces o' each fin, matey, but I found it worked better t' align them on t' body tube itself. Ahoy! Begad! Blimey! T' instructions simply said t' attach t' fins 120 degrees apart. Arrr! Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! I made me own fin alignment guide, ya bilge rat, me bucko, but it would have been nice t' have one preprinted in t' instructions.

T' instructions said that attachin' t' shock cord would be tricky, but after readin' their clear explanation o' how t' do it, ya bilge rat, I had no trouble. Avast, me proud beauty! I chose t' use t' included paper cutouts t' finish t' fins. Blimey! Aye aye! It said t' use a Permanent Glue Stick, me bucko, but I used a regular Glue Stick because I already happened t' have one. Begad! I couldn't get t' edges o' t' fin coverin' t' match up perfectly with t' edges o' t' fins, but t' bigger problem was gettin' t' edges o' t' fin coverin' t' stay glued. Begad! Next time, me bucko, I'll try a Permanent Glue Stick, like they said.

I be afraid o' loosin' sight o' such a small model, matey, so I posted a question on rec.models.rockets about highly visible paint schemes. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! T' suggestions I got were black, fluorescent, arrr, chrome, or some combination. Avast! Blimey! I painted it with Wal-Mart Gloss black, because that was what I had on hand. Begad! Blimey! I made a stand from a coat hanger for paintin' it on. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! Blimey! It doubles as a display stand.

T' instructions also showed how t' fashion a tool from a paper clip for stuffin' t' shock cord into t' body tube. Avast, ya bilge rat, me proud beauty! It was easy t' make and very helpful. It was nearly impossible t' insert t' shock cord without it! T' kit did nay include a launch lug, but included suggestions for a tower. Well, blow me down! I be in a hurry t' launch, so I made a pair o' removable lugs from t' wire stripped out o' a twist-tie. Aye aye! They worked pretty well.

I took me new model out t' t' back yard for a test launch. Begad! First I launched a couple o' Micro-Maxx RTF's for comparison. Well, blow me down! Arrr! They went higher than me head, matey, but nay above t' first story o' me building. Begad! Then I launched me ITS. Begad! Arrr! Though bigger and easier t' see than t' Quest rockets, it was lighter, matey, arrr, and flew 2-3 times as high-- almost t' t' second story roof. Avast, me bucko, me proud beauty! Overall, I was quite pleased with me Nano Rocketry Interdimensional Transport Ship. Blimey! Arrr! It was fun and easy t' build, and cheaper, me bucko, larger, better looking, and better flyin' than Micro-Maxx. Blimey! One thin' I miss about t' Centuri and older Estes Science Fiction kits was t' stories behind them. Blimey! This is a cool lookin' kit, me bucko, and it has a neat story behind it, too.

Overall Rating: 4 out o' 5