Nano Rocketry has produced a line o' model rocket kits t' take advantage o' Quest's Micro-Maxx engines. Aye aye! Well, matey, blow me down! T' Quest Micro-Maxx rockets are all RTF and don't really fly all that well. They claim a maximum altitude o' 200 feet, but with such heavy plastic rockets, shiver me timbers, arrr, 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. Arrr! Because o' such simple packaging, I be afraid it might have been damaged in transit. Begad! 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, dependin' on your skill, 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, me bucko, shiver me timbers, shoulder, me bucko, and shock cord was straightforward, shiver me timbers, and t' instructions were very clear. Aye aye! Next I cut out t' fins, me bucko, which were preprinted on balsa sheet. Ya scallywag! T' instructions said t' use a ruler t' align t' 2 pieces o' each fin, arrr, ya bilge rat, me hearties, 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. Avast! I made me own fin alignment guide, ya bilge rat, but it would have been nice t' have one preprinted in t' instructions.

T' instructions said that attachin' t' shock cord would be tricky, ya bilge rat, me bucko, but after readin' their clear explanation o' how t' do it, I had no trouble. I chose t' use t' included paper cutouts t' finish t' fins. Begad! It said t' use a Permanent Glue Stick, me bucko, me bucko, but I used a regular Glue Stick because I already happened t' have one. Arrr! Well, shiver me timbers, blow me down! I couldn't get t' edges o' t' fin coverin' t' match up perfectly with t' edges o' t' fins, me bucko, but t' bigger problem was gettin' t' edges o' t' fin coverin' t' stay glued. Avast! Next time, matey, ya bilge rat, I'll try a Permanent Glue Stick, ya bilge rat, 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. Ahoy! T' suggestions I got were black, fluorescent, chrome, matey, me hearties, or some combination. I painted it with Wal-Mart Gloss black, because that was what I had on hand. I made a stand from a coat hanger for paintin' it on. Avast, ya bilge rat, 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. It be easy t' make and very helpful. Blimey! It be nearly impossible t' insert t' shock cord without it! T' kit did nay include a launch lug, but included suggestions for a tower. Blimey! Aye aye! I was in a hurry t' launch, me hearties, matey, arrr, so I made a pair o' removable lugs from t' wire stripped out o' a twist-tie. Avast, me proud beauty! They worked pretty well.

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

Overall Rating: 4 out o' 5