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

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

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

Everyone always makes claim t' a great buy on eBay. I guess this was mine.

Construction:
This model used Conical Stabilty with no fins. Avast, me hearties, me proud beauty! Two 12" parachutes are used, 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. You are instructed t' make a slight bend in t' engine hook. There be already a slight bend in t' hook. Instead o' wrappin' tape around t' engine hook, me hearties, 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. Aye aye! There were a few attachment tabs that required trim and sanding.

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

T' lug is also pre-colored black. Avast! Avast, me proud beauty! It's 8-½" long and runs t' entire length o' t' inside body tube. Avast, me proud beauty! 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. Blimey! While t' instructions direct you t' "push" t' tube into t' large hole, ya bilge rat, arrr, matey, it loosely slips right through. Ahoy! You can see light through t' joint on all sides. Aye aye! Well, blow me down! I decided t' tack t' base in place with glue drops on three sides, nay on t' launch lug side yet. Also, matey, t' hole for t' lug is larger than t' lug diameter.

When gluin' t' internal frames, arrr, I found it easier t' line them up by lookin' down from t' top. Begad! Begad! I had me doubts about t' strength o' t' internal structure. Ya scallywag! Begad! At first it be a little hard t' get t' frames t' line up. Avast, me proud beauty! Begad! But after t' white glue started t' set up, me hearties, matey, they held in place well.

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

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

Even though t' kit was probably 15 years old, ya bilge rat, t' double faced tape strip was still very usable. Aye aye! Blimey! Begad! Blimey! T' adhesive transferred well and t' joined shroud edges are strong.

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

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

I had no problems gettin' t' shroud over t' base plate. Fillets were applied t' t' rounded corners first. Arrr! 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. Avast, me proud beauty! Ahoy! By stickin' t' tape t' me jeans, it pulls jean fiber onto t' tape and diminishes its stickiness. I didn't want t' pull up any paper when removin' t' tape.

Around t' top o' t' lug, me bucko, t' shroud "lifts" slightly away from t' shroud/tube joint. Well, blow me down! I used a small drop o' CA glue t' hold t' edge down. Blimey! 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. Well, blow me down! With a cutlass and small file I made t' hole about 1/4" round.

T' clay was old and very oily on t' outside. Blimey! It was still usable though. Begad! Avast, me proud beauty! It be rolled into a thin clay "snake" and push into t' nose with a dowel. Avast, me proud beauty! With all t' clay in place, me hearties, arrr, 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. Ya scallywag! Blimey! Well, blow me down! Blimey! I used sandpaper t' remove them and smooth it out.

Two 12" parachutes are provided. Well, blow me down! I've read a few stories about t' stiffness o' he Quest parachutes. Avast, me hearties, me proud beauty! Some have had trouble gettin' t' parachutes t' open at ejection. Avast, me proud beauty! I will fly t' model as directed by t' instructions, however, shiver me timbers, matey, I'll be sure t' let t' parachutes air out right before launch. Avast! Begad! If t' Quest chutes don't work out, me bucko, 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. As others have written, shiver me timbers, t' decals are nay so good. Ya scallywag! Begad! They are self-adhesive stickers, nay waterslide.

T' package illustrations show t' USA decal t' be in red, only red, me hearties, against t' grey shroud. Begad! Blimey! These stickers are on a white background, nay clear. Used as supplied, matey, t' USA decal is surrounded by a white rectangular box. Begad! Blimey! Begad! 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 be havin' their "Half-Blast" near Bunnell, arrr, Florida on June 13, me bucko, 2009. Avast, me proud beauty! Begad! T' two parachutes took up more space than t' model had room for. 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. T' igniter be still fine. Begad! Third try be good. Blimey! T' Clipper rose straight up for about 50 feet then turned 45 degrees and flew diagonally t' t' west. Aye aye! Ejection was fine, no damage except for a slight bend in one o' t' legs. Avast, me proud beauty! T' leg is repairable. Arrr! I don't think I'll fly it again, shiver me timbers, it didn't seem very stable, arrr, or safe.

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

Flight Rating: 2 out o' 5

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

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

Overall Rating: 3 out o' 5