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

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

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

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

T' instructions said that attachin' t' shock cord would be tricky, me hearties, shiver me timbers, but after readin' their clear explanation o' how t' do it, shiver me timbers, I had no trouble. Well, blow me down! I chose t' use t' included paper cutouts t' finish t' fins. Ahoy! Avast! It said t' use a Permanent Glue Stick, me hearties, matey, but I used a regular Glue Stick because I already happened t' have one. I couldn't get t' edges o' t' fin coverin' t' match up perfectly with t' edges o' t' fins, shiver me timbers, but t' bigger problem was gettin' t' edges o' t' fin coverin' t' stay glued. Next time, I'll try a Permanent Glue Stick, like they said.

I be afraid o' loosin' sight o' such a small model, so I posted a question on rec.models.rockets about highly visible paint schemes. Avast! T' suggestions I got were black, fluorescent, chrome, or some combination. I painted it with Wal-Mart Gloss black, ya bilge rat, because that was what I had on hand. Begad! Avast, me proud beauty! I made a stand from a coat hanger for paintin' it on. Arrr! Avast, shiver me timbers, me proud beauty! 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. Well, blow me down! It be easy t' make and very helpful. Well, ya bilge rat, blow me down! 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. I be in a hurry t' launch, so I made a pair o' removable lugs from t' wire stripped out o' a twist-tie. Begad! Ahoy! They worked pretty well.

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

Overall Rating: 4 out o' 5