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

I checked t' contents against t' parts list, arrr, ya bilge rat, (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, me bucko, matey, dependin' on your skill, me hearties, matey, t' shape you wanted, arrr, and your available tools, but me kit came with t' nose already shaped, arrr, shiver me timbers, so I didn't have t' worry about it.

Assembly o' t' nose cone, shoulder, arrr, and shock cord was straightforward, and t' instructions were very clear. 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 hearties, arrr, but I found it worked better t' align them on t' body tube itself. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! T' instructions simply said t' attach t' fins 120 degrees apart. Blimey! Blimey! Begad! Blimey! I made me own fin alignment guide, me bucko, 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, shiver me timbers, shiver me timbers, but after readin' their clear explanation o' how t' do it, me hearties, me hearties, I had no trouble. 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, me hearties, me hearties, but t' bigger problem was gettin' t' edges o' t' fin coverin' t' stay glued. Begad! Blimey! Next time, shiver me timbers, I'll try a Permanent Glue Stick, matey, 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! Blimey! Well, blow me down! Blimey! T' suggestions I got were black, matey, fluorescent, matey, me hearties, chrome, or some combination. I painted it with Wal-Mart Gloss black, matey, because that be what I had on hand. I made a stand from a coat hanger for paintin' it on. Aye aye! 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. Blimey! It was easy t' make and very helpful. Blimey! 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 be in a hurry t' launch, so I made a pair o' removable lugs from t' wire stripped out o' a twist-tie. Well, blow me down! Begad! They worked pretty well.

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

Overall Rating: 4 out o' 5