Brief:
I won this on eBay for $10.00. Avast! This be t' entire, unopened Quest starter kit with launcher, me hearties, launch controller, ya bilge rat, kit and 3 C6-3 engines. Avast! Arrr! It was packaged in t' mid-1990s. Begad! I didn't expect t' engines t' be included, arrr, but they were sent.

I'd always liked t' simplicity o' t' Quest PVC Tripod launcher. Begad! Ya scallywag! T' older hand-held controller was very comfortable and ergonomic. I might use this for me new utility "home" launcher.

I had seen t' Space Clipper years ago. Begad! Ya scallywag! Blimey! T' model looked interesting, and might be a great odd-ball build.

Everyone always makes claim t' a great buy on eBay. Ya scallywag! Blimey! I guess this be mine.

Construction:
This model used Conical Stabilty with no fins. Ya scallywag! Two 12" parachutes are used, ya bilge rat, shiver me timbers, me hearties, one is for t' nose cone alone as it is heavy with all t' clay nose weight.

T' yellow engine mount tube and centerin' rings seem thin. Aye aye! Blimey! You are instructed t' make a slight bend in t' engine hook. There be already a slight bend in t' hook. Avast! Blimey! Instead o' wrappin' tape around t' engine hook, me bucko, I substituted a Semroc HR-20 mylar retainin' ring.

Many o' t' black cardstock frame pieces had already become free from t' die-cut frame. Begad! There were a few attachment tabs that required trim and sanding.

T' markin' guide is cut from t' instruction sheet. Ya scallywag! I fit nearly perfect around t' tube. Ahoy! Arrr! Because t' tube is pre-colored black, ya bilge rat, it doesn't accept pencil markin' lines well. T' lines were more o' a "scribe" down t' tube.

T' lug is also pre-colored black. It's 8-½" long and runs t' entire length o' t' inside body tube. Ahoy! Ya scallywag! I scraped t' lug line on t' body tube and sanded t' lug gluin' line t' ensure a good adhesion.

T' Base Plate hole is a larger diameter than t' body tube. Begad! Ya scallywag! Blimey! While t' instructions direct you t' "push" t' tube into t' large hole, me bucko, matey, me bucko, it loosely slips right through. Aye aye! Blimey! You can see light through t' joint on all sides. I decided t' tack t' base in place with glue drops on three sides, arrr, shiver me timbers, nay on t' launch lug side yet. Ahoy! Also, me hearties, t' hole for t' lug is larger than t' lug diameter.

When gluin' t' internal frames, I found it easier t' line them up by lookin' down from t' top. I had me doubts about t' strength o' t' internal structure. At first it was a little hard t' get t' frames t' line up. But after t' white glue started t' set up, they held in place well.

Other reviews have talked o' how weak these tubes are. Aye aye! Many have replaced them with dowels. T' kit tubes seemed just as strong as a 1/4" dowel. Blimey! I went ahead and used t' supplied tubes.

T' supplied black gussets weren't wide enough t' reach both sides t' landin' tubes. Ahoy! Begad! T' tubes do need t' glue t' a gusset for strength. I ended up cuttin' wider gussets from cereal box cardboard.

Even though t' kit be probably 15 years old, t' double faced tape strip was still very usable. Well, blow me down! Begad! T' adhesive transferred well and t' joined shroud edges are strong.

Earlier, t' shroud be ironed flat and pre-formed. On t' printed face thar be a horizontal line with rivets on either side. Ya scallywag! Instead o' tryin' t' line up t' top or bottom first, I lined up this horizontal line. Ahoy! This stuck t' shroud together in t' middle first and joined from t' middle out. Begad! Bein' it was a long tab, this seemed t' be a easier way t' go.

I had built X-24 Bugs before and t' Quest HL-20. Avast! It seemed every time t' shroud is nay perfectly round, thar can be problems with fit at t' bottom. Begad! Nay so here.

I had no problems gettin' t' shroud over t' base plate. Avast, me proud beauty! Fillets were applied t' t' rounded corners first. On t' "flats" I came back and applied fillets but needed a little maskin' tape t' hold t' shroud edge t' t' base.

I made sure t' lessen t' tackiness o' t' tape by stickin' t' tape t' me jeans and pullin' it up (several times) before layin' it on t' paper shroud. By stickin' t' tape t' me jeans, shiver me timbers, ya bilge rat, it pulls jean fiber onto t' tape and diminishes its stickiness. Well, blow me down! Blimey! I didn't want t' pull up any paper when removin' t' tape.

Around t' top o' t' lug, t' shroud "lifts" slightly away from t' shroud/tube joint. I used a small drop o' CA glue t' hold t' edge down. Ya scallywag! I also touched a small drop o' CA at t' top and bottom o' t' shroud seam.

T' instructions have you cut a "hole" with a razor saw into t' plastic adapter shoulder. I decided t' simply widen t' small hole already in t' base. Begad! With a knife and small file I made t' hole about 1/4" round.

T' clay be old and very oily on t' outside. It be still usable though. Aye aye! It was rolled into a thin clay "snake" and push into t' nose with a dowel. Blimey! With all t' clay in place, ya bilge rat, it's heavy! No wonder t' nose cone comes down on its own parachute.

T' moldin' seams on t' outside o' t' cone were noticeable. Blimey! Avast, me proud beauty! I used sandpaper t' remove them and smooth it out.

Two 12" parachutes are provided. I've read a few stories about t' stiffness o' he Quest parachutes. Begad! Some have had trouble gettin' t' parachutes t' open at ejection. Ahoy! I will fly t' model as directed by t' instructions, me bucko, shiver me timbers, however, me bucko, I'll be sure t' let t' parachutes air out right before launch. Begad! Aye aye! If t' Quest chutes don't work out, shiver me timbers, I've installed snap swivels on both and will switch them out for another brand.

Finishing:
There is no paintin' involved. Begad! T' pre-printed shroud looks great. Begad! As others have written, shiver me timbers, t' decals are nay so good. Blimey! Aye aye! They are self-adhesive stickers, nay waterslide.

T' package illustrations show t' USA decal t' be in red, me bucko, me bucko, only red, me hearties, matey, against t' grey shroud. Blimey! Avast! Blimey! These stickers are on a white background, nay clear. Well, blow me down! Blimey! Used as supplied, me hearties, t' USA decal is surrounded by a white rectangular box. Avast! Blimey! T' other stickers could be cut close and appear as in t' photograph but with a raised surface.

Construction Rating: 4 out o' 5

Flight:
NEFAR was havin' their "Half-Blast" near Bunnell, Florida on June 13, 2009. T' two parachutes took up more space than t' model had room for. Aye aye! I packed t' waddin' a little tighter t' make room for t' two parachutes.

I set up t' Clipper on t' low-power rack with a Estes C6-3. There were two "no go" launches as someone had kicked t' power cable loose. Ya scallywag! Aye aye! T' igniter was still fine. Ahoy! Aye aye! Third try was good. Avast! Arrr! T' Clipper rose straight up for about 50 feet then turned 45 degrees and flew diagonally t' t' west. Begad! Well, blow me down! Ejection was fine, ya bilge rat, no damage except for a slight bend in one o' t' legs. Blimey! T' leg is repairable. Ahoy! I don't think I'll fly it again, ya bilge rat, it didn't seem very stable, ya bilge rat, or safe.

Recovery:
CONs: Nay enough room for t' waddin' and two parachutes. Begad! There was a small bend on one landin' leg tube.

Flight Rating: 2 out o' 5

Summary:
PROs: Fun build, matey, definitely different. Great fit o' t' large shroud. Blimey! Well, blow me down! Nice display model.

CONs: Bad fit o' landin' gear gussets. Begad! Blimey! Arrr! Blimey! Sticker "decals." Weak, thin centerin' rings and motor mount tube. Well, blow me down! Blimey! Heavy nosecone with all t' clay weight. Avast, me proud beauty! Nay very stable. Aye aye! I would probably reinforce t' tube landin' legs, me hearties, maybe with gluin' a dowel inside t' hollow tubes.

Overall Rating: 3 out o' 5