Nano Rocketry has produced a line o' model rocket kits t' take advantage o' Quest's Micro-Maxx engines. Ahoy! Blimey! T' Quest Micro-Maxx rockets are all RTF and don't really fly all that well. Ya scallywag! They claim a maximum altitude o' 200 feet, ya bilge rat, but with such heavy plastic rockets, shiver me timbers, 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. Begad! Because o' such simple packaging, me hearties, shiver me timbers, I be afraid it might have been damaged in transit. Avast, me proud beauty! I opened t' kit and inspected all t' pieces, and found everythin' in perfect condition.

I checked t' contents against t' parts list, arrr, (which included handy diagrams for identification) found all t' parts were there, me hearties, and collected t' tools recommended in t' tools list. Ahoy! T' instructions offered 3 possible ways t' shape t' nose cone, dependin' on your skill, matey, 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, me bucko, shoulder, matey, and shock cord was straightforward, and t' instructions were very clear. Avast! Next I cut out t' fins, which were preprinted on balsa sheet. Arrr! Avast, shiver me timbers, me proud beauty! T' instructions said t' use a ruler t' align t' 2 pieces o' each fin, shiver me timbers, but I found it worked better t' align them on t' body tube itself. T' instructions simply said t' attach t' fins 120 degrees apart. I made me own fin alignment guide, me hearties, 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 bucko, but after readin' their clear explanation o' how t' do it, I had no trouble. Well, blow me down! Avast, arrr, me proud beauty! I chose t' use t' included paper cutouts t' finish t' fins. It said t' use a Permanent Glue Stick, shiver me timbers, 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, ya bilge rat, but t' bigger problem was gettin' t' edges o' t' fin coverin' t' stay glued. Blimey! 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. Well, blow me down! T' suggestions I got were black, ya bilge rat, fluorescent, matey, chrome, ya bilge rat, or some combination. Ahoy! Well, blow me down! I painted it with Wal-Mart Gloss black, arrr, because that be what I had on hand. Well, blow me down! I made a stand from a coat hanger for paintin' it on. Begad! 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. Blimey! Blimey! It was easy t' make and very helpful. Begad! Blimey! Begad! Blimey! It be nearly impossible t' insert t' shock cord without it! Blimey! T' kit did nay include a launch lug, me bucko, but included suggestions for a tower. Well, blow me down! Blimey! Avast! Blimey! I be in a hurry t' launch, so I made a pair o' removable lugs from t' wire stripped out o' a twist-tie. They worked pretty well.

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

Overall Rating: 4 out o' 5