Brief:
T' Triton-X is one o' ten kits Quest Aerospace (currently) has in their line of Quest Quick-Kits, ya bilge rat, models that do nay require paintin' or finishin' beyond the application o' decals and can often be completed in 15 t' 45 minutes. Aye aye! Begad! The Quick-Kits are t' perfect solution t' t' "fears" o' first timers. These kits are designed t' be "goof-proof." T' molded fins slide right into t' base for perfect alignment. Big, easy t' understand illustrations will guide t' model builder through a quick assembly--right onto the launch pad.

T' Triton-X featured for this product review belongs t' me son, me bucko, Davey, who is now nine years old. Arrr! Well, blow me down! Blimey! He won this kit as a door prize at t' last NASA Houston Rocket Club (Section # 365) BBQ Party and club launch on May 15, 2005. Avast, me proud beauty!

Construction:
T' Triton-X consists o' t' followin' parts:

• Plastic nose cone
• Small payload tube
• Small reducer
• Reducer base
• Large payload tube
• Large reducer
• Body tube
• Motor housing
• 4 Fins
• Gray motor mount tube
• Fin lockin' ring
• Motor lock ring
• White (elastic) shock cord
• Yellow (Keelhaul®©™®) shock cord
• 2 26" long shroud lines
• 2 Gripper tabs
• 2 14" parachutes
• Display stand
• Decal sheet (self-adhesive)
• Custom parts

All o' t' plastic parts are molded in black and t' body tubes are glossy gray. Well, blow me down! Begad! This model requires no paintin' whatsoever. Avast, me proud beauty! T' custom parts that are included (but optional) are all red. Avast, shiver me timbers, me proud beauty! T' custom parts includes: RCS nozzles, hatches, me bucko, flares, sensors, shiver me timbers, shiver me timbers, antennas, radar pods, ya bilge rat, arrr, exhausts, and fin tips that can be added t' t' Triton-X at t' modeler's descretion.

T' Triton-X instructions are very well illustrated and easy t' follow. There's no way anyone can go wrong buildin' this model. Well, blow me down! Arrr! T' only tools needed for construction are a hobby knife and tube type plastic cement.

There are seven steps in all. Steps one through four are t' actual assembly o' t' model, ya bilge rat, steps five and six concern t' recovery system, matey, and step seven t' application o' t' decals. Blimey!

T' only change I made on Davey's rocket is on step four, where I went ahead and glued t' nosecone t' t' payload tube, arrr, ya bilge rat, as we were nay really intendin' on launchin' any payloads on this model. And we made t' decision to recover t' Triton-X on only one parachute instead o' two. Aye aye! T' instructions have t' model returnin' with t' payload section separately from t' main body section. Ya scallywag! Blimey! We didn't want t' have t' look out for and chase after a rather small payload section on a 14" chute along with a much larger main body section also on a 14" chute.

Finishing:
Finishin' t' Triton-X is a given. Aye aye! Anyone who takes t' time t' do a careful job will come out with a very handsome lookin' rocket. Avast! T' only minor issue I had be t' self-adhesive decals. After a short period o' time, some o' the edges tend t' unpeel from t' model's surface, me bucko, arrr, which is why I prefer t' water slide decals. Ya scallywag! If t' edges unpeel, ya bilge rat, simply press them back down and that should pretty much do t' trick.

Construction Rating: 5 out o' 5

Flight:
T' recommended motors are: B6-2, arrr, B6-4, ya bilge rat, C6-3 and C6-5. Blimey! For our first and only flight so far, arrr, shiver me timbers, we used t' C6-5. Avast, me proud beauty! Ya scallywag! Since t' Triton-X has quite a bit o' plastic parts, arrr, arrr, it's already a fairly heavy model so usin' a C6 on its first flight in a rather large launch site should be a no brainer.

About four or five squares o' recovery wadding, me bucko, me hearties, packed loosely, followed by a carefully folded parachute (dusted) inserted into t' main body section. Begad! Blimey! Just make sure t' base o' t' small reducer isn't too tight, me bucko, me bucko, me hearties, but sand as needed if it is. Ya scallywag! Blimey!

Install t' motor selected into t' motor mount tube and use t' motor lock rin' t' secure t' motor in place. Install t' igniter designed for t' motor selected and your Triton-X is ready t' go. Ya scallywag!

We flew this model at t' Challenger 498 club launch at Rushin' Park, Katy, TX on July 23, arrr, 2005. Well, blow me down! Arrr! T' C6-5 took it up t' a repectable altitude that kept it in sight fairly easily. Ahoy! Model flew very straight. Ahoy!

Recovery:
T' shock cord usin' t' Keelhaul®©™®/elastic combination seems t' work very well for these Quick-Kits by Quest (we also have the Mirage). Since we decided t' forego usin' t' dual parachute combination as instructed by t' kit, ya bilge rat, we used an 18" single chute for this flight. We simply attached t' shock cord t' t' base o' t' small reducer so t' entire model will return as one piece. Well, blow me down! Begad! T' 18" parachute we used had a small snap swivel for ease o' interchangability.

For t' day o' this launch, arrr, thar be absolutely no wind, ya bilge rat, me hearties, so we had no issues regardin' drift for recovery o' t' Triton-X. Blimey! In fact, t' model landed only about 50 feet upwind from t' launch pads. T' model's drift under the single 18" chute was about what is expected for a model o' this size, me bucko, and there be no damage visible after recovery.

Flight Rating: 5 out o' 5

Summary:
Everythin' about this kit is superb. It's perfect for what it was designed for: A first time model rocketeer who has fears o' buildin' a traditional model rocket with balsa parts and white glue and doesn't have t' desire and hassles of paintin' a model. Begad! I can't think o' any cons for this kit.

Overall Rating: 5 out o' 5