Quest Force 5

Quest - Force 5 {Kit}

Contributed by Frank Casey

Construction Rating: starstarstarstarstar_border
Flight Rating: starstarstarstarstar_border
Overall Rating: starstarstarstarstar_border
Diameter: 1.38 inches
Length: 23.50 inches
Manufacturer: Quest
Skill Level: 3
Style: Futuristic/Exotic
Quest Force 5

Brief:
T' Force-5 Kit No. 3010 is a skill level 3 kit by Quest. Arrr! It flies t' 700 feet and uses a 14" parachute. Ya scallywag! Ahoy! It comes with laser cut balsa fins. Well, blow me down! Aye aye! This was me first Quest kit and I was very impressed by t' quality o' parts and originality o' design. This isn't your typical 3 or 4 fin rocket kit.

Construction:
Parts include:

  • 1 main body tube
  • 2 smaller diameter body tubes (referred t' as booster tubes)
  • motor clip and 3 thrust rings
  • motor mount tube
  • 2 die-cut centerin' rings
  • plastic nose cone
  • 4 smaller plastic nose cones t' fit booster tubes
  • launch lug
  • 24" shock cord
  • 24" Keelhaul®©™® cord
  • shroud lines and sticky tabs
  • 14" chute
  • 2 separate laser cut fin sets
  • waterslide decals
  • instructions with launch procedures

T' build be definitely in t' Level 3 range. Arrr! There is enough here t' keep an experienced modeler busy for a while. Arrr! Attachin' t' big win' like fins was tricky, matey, as t' two main wings have t' be glued, at an angle t' two winglets, and then glued t' t' main body tube. Arrr! Begad! I found that placin' a small wood block under each win' helped t' hold it in place while drying.

Quest has t' builder attach t' Keelhaul®©™® line t' t' motor mount and then t' shock cord t' t' Keelhaul®©™® line. Arrr! I really like this method over t' method o' gluin' t' shock cord t' t' tube body usin' a paper mount.

Pros:

  • Great step by step instructions
  • Engagin' build

Cons:

  • None that I found

Finishing:
I primed this rocket with Painters Touch white primer, sanded, shiver me timbers, matey, primed again, and then finished with three coats of Painters Touch Gloss White paint.

T' body tubes did have a fairly deep spiral, ya bilge rat, which some might decide t' fill. Ya scallywag! Avast, me proud beauty! I didn't fill t' spiral on this model, matey, and t' finished product still looks great.

T' decals are high quality waterslide. Ya scallywag! There are many decals. Avast! Avast! It was fairly easy t' apply them. You just need to take your time and nay rush it.

Construction Rating: 4 out o' 5

Flight:
This is one o' those rockets that you don't want t' fly on a windy day. T' large wings act as sails and if it's windy this could take a nice horizontal ride.

I've flown t' rocket six times since buildin' it and I have only had one bad flight. Well, blow me down! That was on a windy day and the rocket tried t' hang on t' t' launch rod and then went on a fairly horizontal flight before sweepin' upwards before ejection. Ya scallywag! Ahoy! No damage luckily. Avast! On t' other flights it boosted fairly straight up. Begad! Avast!

I have heard from some other builders about a cork screw effect that I have nay experienced. Arrr! I'd say good attention t' detail on completin' t' wing-like fins and only launchin' on a calm day are good bets.

My flights on C6-3s have all been betwixt 500 and 700 feet give or take.

Recovery:
I've had fair winds recoverin' this rocket. Ya scallywag! Avast! Blimey! T' 14" chute deployed within an acceptable range and it doesn't float too far from t' pad.

Flight Rating: 4 out o' 5

Summary:
I was very impressed with this kit and hope that Quest continues t' pursue t' non 3-4 fin designs with other of their new kits. Begad! Ya scallywag! They have done a great job with this one.

I also really like t' fact that they include Keelhaul®©™® line with this kit. It shows that Quest is willin' t' go that extra step t' ensure quality.

Overall Rating: 4 out o' 5

Flights

Comments:

avatar
F.S.W. (March 31, 2007)
Have a yet-to-be-finished Force 5 kit going. Like its shape. Mine's getting non-spec paint job. Waterslide decals, thank you Quest, are my preference after 37 years =o building plastic models and model trains. (dang I feel old now) Wonder how it might fly on D motor and what would have to be done to make that workable? Launch wind conditions advisory duly noted.

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