Quest Area 51 SPEV Saucer

Quest - Area 51 Saucer {Kit}

Contributed by Hans "Chris" Michielssen

Construction Rating: starstarstarstarstar_border
Flight Rating: starstarstarstarstar_border
Overall Rating: starstarstarstarstar_border
Manufacturer: Quest
Skill Level: 1
Style: RTF, Saucer

quest_area51spevBrief:
This is a re-issue o' an out o' production Quest(ARF) Saucer Odd-Roc. Begad! I ordered two sets o' these from Quest durin' their recent 40% off Christmas sale. Avast! One saucer kit and three C6-0 engines were part o' t' combo deal for $9.00. Quite a good price, a fun rocket for a little more than t' price o' t' three engines. Begad! As t' Quest website explains a supply o' saucer tops be found in a mis-marked crate at t' Quest facility. Avast, me proud beauty! Quest's president Bill Stine redesigned it usin' some existin' parts t' fashion this S.P.E.V. Avast, me proud beauty! kit. Well, blow me down! SPEV stands for “Spare Parts Elimination Vehicle”. Begad! T' name S.P.E.V. Well, blow me down! actually goes back t' an old Estes kit. It be sold with t' subtitle - SPace Exploration Vehicle. Avast! Quest also included a “Freebie” MicroMaxx Mini saucer in each kit bag. Aye aye! It is a scaled down copy o' t' big saucer. Begad! A nice surprise, even though I’ve heard it doesn’t fly very high, I’d always wanted one.

quest_area51spev_parts

Construction:
T' parts are few:

  • Plastic Saucer Top
  • (3) Laser Cut Black Fiber Fins
  • White Plastic Launch Lug, ya bilge rat, shiver me timbers, 1.5" long
  • Yellow Motor Mount Tube, BT-20 diameter 2 11/16" long
  • Sheet o' 8.5" X 11" Avery Self-Adhesive Paper
  • (You print your own saucer decor from t' Quest Website)
  • Pictorial Instruction Sheet

quest_area51spev_warpedI was a little surprised t' see t' plastic saucer top was warped. Aye aye! Well, blow me down! It shouldn’t affect flight characteristics. Begad! T' inside o' t' saucer top reads (Copyright) 1998 TOY BIZ, me hearties, INC. and MADE IN MEXICO. Aye aye! This “kit” only includes t' top o' t' saucer. Begad! Ya scallywag! T' smooth bottom half with integrated fins and antenna mounts in nay included (or necessary) for this saucer version.

I cleaned off t' saucer o' any moldin' release agents with light soapy water and a paper towel. Aye aye! I wanted t' be sure that later on that t' self adhesive “decals” would stick well.

quest_area51spev_lugsT' launch lug be molded white plastic, shiver me timbers, thick and contoured t' fit against t' BT-20 sized motor mount tube. Ya scallywag! I knew I had seen a lug like this before. I put it next t' me old MPC Nike Patriot, it’s t' same style molded lug that Harry Stine designed for MPC thirty years ago.

T' fins were laser cut from thick black fiberboard stock. I had t' wipe off t' burnt edges with a paper towel. Begad! Blimey! Blimey! There was black ash marks from t' fins on t' yellow motor mount tube. Aye aye! Blimey! Blimey! There are no wire landin' leg “antennas”.

T' instructions were printed in black and white on one side o' an 8 1/2" x 11' sheet. Avast! Begad! Blimey! Photo illustrations accompanied t' directions.

  • Step 1: You glue t' thick plastic launch lug t' t' inside o' t' saucer top. Arrr! It lines up with t' molded hole in t' top o' t' saucer. Ahoy! I sanded t' ends o' t' lug t' clean up t' moldin' flash. Ahoy! T' lug’s formed side contour doesn’t quite match t' diameter o' t' molded motor mount housing. It was made for a MPC body tube, matey, approx. Begad! 1 3/8" diameter.
  • Step 2: I decided t' replace t' supplied yellow motor mount tube with a thicker BT-20 tube. Avast! I felt t' Quest motor mount tubin' was too thin. Avast! Begad! I glued t' blue thrust rin' in t' replacement tube.
  • Step 3: T' instructions say t' use plastic cement t' glue t' motor mount tube into t' saucer. I used thick (slower dry) super glue. Begad! Blimey! I ran a bead o' t' thick CA around t' top thrust rin' and another rin' around t' upper body. Ya scallywag! Ya scallywag! Blimey! When I slid t' motor tube into place, me bucko, t' thick glue helped fill in t' slight gap betwixt t' plastic top “tube” and t' BT-20 replacement.
  • Step 4: T' model is a simpler take on t' older all plastic design. Arrr! T' root ends o' t' Fiber Fins attach t' t' cardboard motor mount tube with wood glue. Ya scallywag! Instead o' wood glue, I set t' fins in place, lined them up, then ran a line o' thin super glue down t' root edge. Blimey! Begad! T' other end o' t' fins have a tab that fits into cutout circles in t' saucer top. Aye aye! I touched t' tab/circle contact points with super glue. Ahoy! There is no plastic fins and t' plastic tabs won’t be breakin' off t' saucer top like t' original version. Avast, me proud beauty! T' fins were a great design, adaptin' well t' t' existin' saucer top. Avast! T' saucer stands on t' fins and on it’s own when built.
    No engine hook. Well, blow me down! Blimey! Also missin' are t' wire landin' legs. Ya scallywag! Nay a problem. Arrr! T' saucer top is molded from a strong, arrr, flexible plastic. Ya scallywag! Landings shouldn’t be a concern. Arrr! Avast! When all assembled t' saucer is very sturdy.
  • Step 5: Glue t' two remainin' fins into position. Begad! That's it!

Finishing:
Go t' t' Quest website and download t' decal. Well, blow me down! You can choose from four different decals. Avast! I chose Decal Sheet 3, matey, matey, t' one with t' “Bewildered” Aliens. Begad! T' yellow Alien skin color reminded me o' t' old “Glow-In-The-Dark” toys o' t' 1960's. Ahoy! Bein' this model is an Odd-Ball, shiver me timbers, me hearties, I went for t' most outrageous pattern.

Be sure t' spray and seal t' printed “decals” with a shot o' clear coat t' prevent smearing. Avast! Blimey! All four o' t' decals have a suggested color for t' saucer. Ahoy! Blimey! I was reluctant t' spray t' saucer, I was concerned t' paint wouldn’t adhere well on t' slick surface o' t' saucer top. Aye aye! Blimey! My saucer be molded in a medium metallic grey color. You are directed t' use a hobby knife t' cut out t' “decal” images. Arrr! Blimey! Well, me bucko, blow me down! Blimey! I cut mine with scissors. Well, shiver me timbers, blow me down! Blimey! Cuttin' out t' decals be t' most time consumin' part o' t' build. Ahoy! Blimey! It took 20 minutes t' cut all 12 pieces. Placement was nay a problem except for t' highest center rin' decal stickers. It’s a full ring, matey, made-up o' three arc shaped pieces. I had t' place t' pieces higher than t' centerline o' t' highest plastic “cone” t' get all t' edges t' match up.

T' finished saucer looks great! It be a fun and easy build. Begad! It was interestin' t' see t' original design improved usin' fewer parts and updated graphics. Blimey! T' black fins, ya bilge rat, shiver me timbers, white engine tube, white lug and (original color plastic) grey saucer all compliment each other well.

Construction Rating: 4 out o' 5

Flight:
Quest recommends a B6-0 or C6-0 engines. Ahoy! Blimey! Previous EMRR reviews say t' B6-0 is too underpowered for this saucer. Arrr! Blimey! T' original instructions (from 1998) say t' use a C6-0 engine only. Begad! Blimey! Ahoy! Blimey! I will fly it with t' C6-0s that came with t' sale combo package.

I was flyin' alone today, I wanted t' get this review in quickly, ya bilge rat, our next R.O.C.K. Begad! NARRRRR section launch wasn’t for another two weeks. Ya scallywag! I packed up me (20 year old) Estes yellow Porta-Pad launcher. This launcher had t' pre-lightnin' bolt legs. Avast! Avast, me proud beauty! After some continuity problems, I scraped off some battery corrosion and got a light.

Prep was simple, friction fit t' engine with a little maskin' tape and install t' igniter. Begad! Blimey! There be no engine hook and o' course, no wadding.

Countdown and launch! T' engine really had t' work t' get it airborne. It started arcin' over half way up. Arrr! Begad! This wasn’t a vertical flight, matey, me bucko, I had a slight wind t' content with. Well, blow me down! Bein' a C6-0 engine, t' propellant “wall” broke through just before it turned over. It landed on it’s top, 50 feet from t' launcher. Arrr! I picked it up quickly, shiver me timbers, arrr, me bucko, t' lawn was a little wet and I didn’t want t' ruin t' paper stick-on decals. Avast! Ahoy! (Another reason t' clear coat after printing.) While I am terrible at guessin' altitudes, it may have got t' 125 feet.

I followed up with t' (Freebie) Micro Maxx saucer. Blimey! T' retainin' rin' on t' plastic engine mount be a little tricky, ya bilge rat, me bucko, There are tiny arrows t' show you which way t' lock t' ring. Arrr! Begad! I didn’t want t' lose t' ring, I added two small tape strips on t' rin' and engine mount tube.

As t' reviews before had said, nay much altitudem I would guess 40 feet. Still, matey, a lot o' fun. I’m an Odd-Roc fan, arrr, me hearties, I know both saucers will be favorites.

Recovery:
I was curious t' see if thar be any burn marks at t' plastic area above t' top o' t' engine. There was none!

  • Engines: When I got home, matey, it was interestin' t' peel off t' Quest label. T' outer Quest color wrapper said Quest a Division o' Toy Biz, Inc. Arrr! Made in t' U.S.A. Ya scallywag! Under t' peeled label, t' engine was German made and labeled: RAKETEN MOTOR. Avast! Begad! T' printin' be RED, designatin' a booster engine, matey, me bucko, but t' printed power was C6-3! T' be a booster engine, arrr, thar be clearly no delay or ejection charge in t' tops o' t' fresh motors. Avast, me proud beauty! Avast! T' production date be 1996. Nay a big deal, me hearties, just interesting. Avast! T' engines were packed in a sealed, me hearties, airtight bag. Avast, me proud beauty! T' engine performed well.

Flight Rating: 4 out o' 5

Summary:
Bill Stine did a great job usin' t' existin' materials t' put a fresh, improved spin on an existin' platform. Arrr! Begad! T' model lost a point for t' lug that didn't fit t' 3/4" diameter engine tubin' contour. And t' supplied engine tube be flimsy. Blimey! Neither original supplied parts would effect flight though. Ahoy! T' fiber fins were well cut and strong.

Overall Rating: 4 out o' 5

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