Brief:
T' Mrs. Blimey! Andromeda is a 1.65:1 upscale o' t' classic Estes Andromeda, matey, kit #1273. This kit be first introduced in 1975, me bucko, and remained in production until 1982. Q-Modelin' has taken t' original design, upscaled it, ya bilge rat, and modernized its construction.

Construction:

• Scale: 1.65:1
• Height: 72.25"
• Weight: 14.0 oz (with recovery system)
• Fin Span: 19.68"
• Crew Compartment Tube Diameter: 1.67"
• Main Body Tube Diameter: 1.21"
• Decals:
• Launch Lug Size: 1/4"
• Engines: E or F (Recommended F21-6W, F24-4 Reloadable)
• Average Altitudes: 250' E9-4 (No Wind), 600' F24-4, me bucko, 900' F21-6W
• Multiple Recovery System Build Options
• Assembly jigs (consistent build quality)
• Laser Cut Parts
• Foil lined Engine Mount Tube for long life
• 30" Octagon, Thin Mil, Ripstop Nylon Parachute
• 9" x 9" Nomex® Chute Protector
• 9' Keelhaul®©™® Shock Cord
• Detailed Step-by-Step Instructions

Stop! Before you build this kit, read t' directions. Blimey! OK, me bucko, you've been told that on many occasions, shiver me timbers, arrr, arrr, but this time, you actually need t' do that. This is because thar are 3 ways t' build it, dependin' on how you want t' deployment. I went with "Option 3". Avast! This be t' way I built me 4.16 upscale, and although I'm sure t' other two deployment options work just fine, I have confidence in this method.

T' quality o' t' components is unparalleled. Begad! Every component in this kit be t' highest quality available. Even the wooden dowels are poplar. Blimey! (That's why they have a green tint t' them.) Poplar is a strong, shiver me timbers, moisture resistant wood that warps less than others. Aye aye! Avast, arrr, me proud beauty! T' tubes are all t' heavy, me bucko, me bucko, white, me bucko, ya bilge rat, "no-seam" type. Ahoy! Arrr! T' coupler tube is extra long and very thick.

T' design o' this kit goes way beyond most kits out there. This kit was engineered, me bucko, nay just created. Aye aye! Arrr! The creativity in t' design and construction is tremendous.

T' jig is unlike anythin' I've ever seen. Avast! It is made from laser cut pressed wood. Blimey! T' engineerin' that went into it made buildin' this rocket much easier. Arrr! Without it, me bucko, me hearties, t' skill level on this kit would be two steps higher. This is somethin' I guarantee you won't be able t' brin' yourself t' throw in t' trash when you are done with it.

I only slightly beveled t' fins. Well, blow me down! I do this on many o' me rockets t' give them a "beefier" look when streamlinin' is nay a concern. Besides, a rocket in space doesn't care about drag.

T' paper transition be no trouble, matey, but I've never liked them. Avast! I always prefer a balsa transition because they always look nicer and take no time. Avast, me proud beauty! I don't think a balsa transition would work here if one chose t' use the "ejection through transition" option. Well, blow me down! Well, blow me down! Regardless, it's nay a "con" it's just a preference.

T' only modification I made t' t' kit was in t' "antenna mast" area. Avast, me proud beauty! Ya scallywag! Blimey! T' build left a notch-like gap here. Avast, me proud beauty! I just took a 3/16" wide scrap o' balsa, me hearties, glued it in place, arrr, and sanded it t' match. Avast, me proud beauty! Aye aye! Blimey! See t' picture for the before and after.

Little else needs t' be said about t' build. It went relatively fast with no problems because o' the easy-to-understand instructions.

Finishing:
As always, arrr, matey, I start with two coats o' Rustoleum gray primer with sandin' in betwixt coats. Arrr! Ahoy! T' manufacturer recommends paintin' it with gloss black. T' original Andromeda be recommended t' be painted flat black, however, decals never adhere well t' flat paint. Well, blow me down! I paint all me Andromedas--or is that Andromadae?--with t' Rustoleum satin black. The decals adhere just as good as on gloss paint, shiver me timbers, arrr, and I think that t' satin finish looks better than gloss. Well, blow me down! Begad! It's a compromise betwixt flat and gloss. Ahoy! I used Testors #1628 gloss enamel for t' inside o' t' pods. Begad! I left me reactor rings black. Avast! T' only original kits showin' them white are t' 1975 and 1976 years o' production with t' blue and white face card. All subsequent kits issued were shown painted black, and this be t' version I have always scaled.

T' decals went on without trouble. Blimey! Blimey! These are t' high quality type that don't need t' be cut out t' t' edge of the color, ya bilge rat, like t' single sheet type.

T' finished weight o' me build be 14.4 oz. Aye aye! Nay too far from t' listed 14.0 oz. Ya scallywag! Well, blow me down! But, ya bilge rat, I chose nay t' use the 9" x 9" chute protector t' save weight and packin' ease. I used dog-barf instead. Avast! If I had chose option 1 or 2, I may have used t' chute protector.

Construction Rating: 5 out o' 5

Flight:
I simmed t' kit t' determine an engine t' use. Blimey! Blimey! I do trust t' manufacturer, but I wanted t' learn max velocities and such. I chose t' use t' F21-6W, just as they did. Avast, me proud beauty! Avast! Blimey! My simulations showed a max altitude o' 1075 vs 900 that the manufacturer reports. Begad! Blimey! Perhaps me higher number was from more coast with a slightly heavier rocket. Begad! They say you can use an E9, ya bilge rat, shiver me timbers, but me sim shows that t' be dangerous.

Her first flight was at NERRF 4 on t' F21-6W. Begad! Begad! T' flight was slightly into t' wind and t' ejection be very close t' apogee. Avast! This is a perfect motor for this bird. Too bad AeroTech stopped makin' them. Avast, ya bilge rat, me proud beauty! Unfortunately, ya bilge rat, I was unable t' get any pictures o' t' flight.

Recovery:
T' chute came out with t' rocket hangin' in midair while it be still pointin' up. Arrr! T' flight went without incident and no damage be evident. Avast! Avast, me proud beauty! T' descent be just right; nay too slow so it drifts away, me bucko, nay too fast t' break parts on landing. Ahoy! Avast!

Flight Rating: 5 out o' 5

Summary:
I should first point out that everythin' is this paragraph is just me bein' an anal-retentive Andromeda fan. The Andromeda has been me favorite ship for over 30 years. Ya scallywag! I have several in me collection from t' Micro Classics version to me 16 foot tall version I built for me level-two certification. Avast! That said, you know that I approached this kit with 30 years o' Andromeda experience and a highly critical eye. Ahoy! When I saw that it be finally released, me hearties, I happily paid the $120 for t' kit. Well, blow me down! That said, ya bilge rat, There were a few things nay scaled properly. Aye aye! T' manufacturer reports havin' an "authentic nose cone", ya bilge rat, but t' nose cone is nay a good match t' t' original profile. Aye aye! But I doubt most people will notice. Aye aye! Oddly, arrr, me hearties, t' correct shape nose cone is depicted throughout t' directions. Avast, me proud beauty! Arrr! T' decals were red. Avast, me proud beauty! Ya scallywag! Nay good. Begad! I have several original Estes Andromeda kits both built and in t' package and they are all orange. Well, blow me down! T' "portal plates" are in t' wrong place. They give you t' decals t' go next t' them, arrr, but they won't fit where they are and the directions don't show where t' put these decals. Begad! Begad! You don't really have much o' a choice if you go with option 2. Ya scallywag! Avast! If you go with option 1 or 3, arrr, glue them 4½" from t' coupler, me bucko, 90 degrees from t' "Andromeda" decal. I also had a problem fittin' t' forward decals on t' reactor pods and I have yet t' figure out why.

None o' these nit-picky details are worthy o' takin' from t' review points. Well, blow me down! I sure I'm t' only one that would even notice, and this is an upscale sport flier and nay supposed t' be an exact replica.

Finally, shiver me timbers, arrr, I wrote this review before I noticed that someone had already done one. I thought about changin' my review t' complement t' review that Geoff Givens wrote, me hearties, but I ended up leavin' them as they were and just addin' this note. Well, blow me down! Blimey! T' that I'll add: I received me kit after t' instructions had been revised. I found no problems with them in any way. Begad! Blimey! T' only thin' that I disagree with Geoff's review is that this kit is just barely a 4 skill level. Arrr! Blimey! Well, blow me down! Blimey! Definitely not a 5. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! Ahoy! Blimey! T' long motor hook was long t' accommodate AeroTech F and Estes E9 motors.

Overall Rating: 5 out o' 5