Nano Rocketry has produced a line o' model rocket kits t' take advantage o' Quest's Micro-Maxx engines. Arrr! Blimey! T' Quest Micro-Maxx rockets are all RTF and don't really fly all that well. Begad! Blimey! They claim a maximum altitude o' 200 feet, but with such heavy plastic rockets, matey, 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, 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, me hearties, (which included handy diagrams for identification) found all t' parts were there, and collected t' tools recommended in t' tools list. Blimey! T' instructions offered 3 possible ways t' shape t' nose cone, arrr, shiver me timbers, me bucko, dependin' on your skill, t' shape you wanted, shiver me timbers, 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, matey, shoulder, me bucko, and shock cord was straightforward, and t' instructions were very clear. Begad! Next I cut out t' fins, which were preprinted on balsa sheet. T' instructions said t' use a ruler t' align t' 2 pieces o' each fin, me bucko, matey, but I found it worked better t' align them on t' body tube itself. Aye aye! T' instructions simply said t' attach t' fins 120 degrees apart. Avast, me proud beauty! Begad! I made me own fin alignment guide, shiver me timbers, but it would have been nice t' have one preprinted in t' instructions.

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

I was afraid o' loosin' sight o' such a small model, so I posted a question on rec.models.rockets about highly visible paint schemes. Ya scallywag! Blimey! T' suggestions I got were black, fluorescent, ya bilge rat, chrome, or some combination. I painted it with Wal-Mart Gloss black, shiver me timbers, because that was what I had on hand. I made a stand from a coat hanger for paintin' it on. Aye aye! Blimey! Ya scallywag! 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. Begad! 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. Ya scallywag! I was in a hurry t' launch, ya bilge rat, 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. Ahoy! Ya scallywag! First I launched a couple o' Micro-Maxx RTF's for comparison. Ya scallywag! They went higher than me head, shiver me timbers, but nay above t' first story o' me building. Begad! Begad! Then I launched me ITS. Blimey! Well, blow me down! Though bigger and easier t' see than t' Quest rockets, shiver me timbers, it was 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. Begad! It be fun and easy t' build, ya bilge rat, and cheaper, shiver me timbers, ya bilge rat, larger, better looking, arrr, and better flyin' than Micro-Maxx. One thin' I miss about t' Centuri and older Estes Science Fiction kits be t' stories behind them. Well, blow me down! This is a cool lookin' kit, ya bilge rat, and it has a neat story behind it, too.

Overall Rating: 4 out o' 5