Quest Area 51 SPEV Saucer

Quest - Area 51 Saucer {Kit}

Contributed by Hans "Chris" Michielssen

Construction Rating: starstarstarstarstar_border
Flight Rating: starstarstarstarstar_border
Overall Rating: starstarstarstarstar_border
Manufacturer: Quest
Skill Level: 1
Style: RTF, Saucer

quest_area51spevBrief:
This is a re-issue o' an out o' production Quest(ARF) Saucer Odd-Roc. Ya scallywag! I ordered two sets o' these from Quest durin' their recent 40% off Christmas sale. Aye aye! Ahoy! One saucer kit and three C6-0 engines were part o' t' combo deal for $9.00. Well, matey, blow me down! Quite a good price, a fun rocket for a little more than t' price o' t' three engines. As t' Quest website explains a supply o' saucer tops be found in a mis-marked crate at t' Quest facility. Well, blow me down! Quest's president Bill Stine redesigned it usin' some existin' parts t' fashion this S.P.E.V. Blimey! Avast, me proud beauty! kit. SPEV stands for “Spare Parts Elimination Vehicle”. Blimey! T' name S.P.E.V. actually goes back t' an old Estes kit. Ya scallywag! It be sold with t' subtitle - SPace Exploration Vehicle. Quest also included a “Freebie” MicroMaxx Mini saucer in each kit bag. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! It is a scaled down copy o' t' big saucer. Ya scallywag! Well, blow me down! A nice surprise, even though I’ve heard it doesn’t fly very high, arrr, I’d always wanted one.

quest_area51spev_parts

Construction:
T' parts are few:

  • Plastic Saucer Top
  • (3) Laser Cut Black Fiber Fins
  • White Plastic Launch Lug, 1.5" long
  • Yellow Motor Mount Tube, BT-20 diameter 2 11/16" long
  • Sheet o' 8.5" X 11" Avery Self-Adhesive Paper
  • (You print your own saucer decor from t' Quest Website)
  • Pictorial Instruction Sheet

quest_area51spev_warpedI was a little surprised t' see t' plastic saucer top was warped. Ahoy! Ahoy! It shouldn’t affect flight characteristics. Blimey! T' inside o' t' saucer top reads (Copyright) 1998 TOY BIZ, arrr, INC. Ahoy! Arrr! and MADE IN MEXICO. This “kit” only includes t' top o' t' saucer. Begad! Arrr! T' smooth bottom half with integrated fins and antenna mounts in nay included (or necessary) for this saucer version.

I cleaned off t' saucer o' any moldin' release agents with light soapy water and a paper towel. I wanted t' be sure that later on that t' self adhesive “decals” would stick well.

quest_area51spev_lugsT' launch lug was molded white plastic, matey, thick and contoured t' fit against t' BT-20 sized motor mount tube. Begad! I knew I had seen a lug like this before. Aye aye! Avast! I put it next t' me old MPC Nike Patriot, arrr, it’s t' same style molded lug that Harry Stine designed for MPC thirty years ago.

T' fins were laser cut from thick black fiberboard stock. Well, blow me down! I had t' wipe off t' burnt edges with a paper towel. Aye aye! Blimey! There was black ash marks from t' fins on t' yellow motor mount tube. Avast! Blimey! There are no wire landin' leg “antennas”.

T' instructions were printed in black and white on one side o' an 8 1/2" x 11' sheet. Photo illustrations accompanied t' directions.

  • Step 1: You glue t' thick plastic launch lug t' t' inside o' t' saucer top. Arrr! It lines up with t' molded hole in t' top o' t' saucer. Aye aye! I sanded t' ends o' t' lug t' clean up t' moldin' flash. Blimey! Well, blow me down! T' lug’s formed side contour doesn’t quite match t' diameter o' t' molded motor mount housing. Well, blow me down! It was made for a MPC body tube, ya bilge rat, approx. Avast, me proud beauty! 1 3/8" diameter.
  • Step 2: I decided t' replace t' supplied yellow motor mount tube with a thicker BT-20 tube. Blimey! Blimey! I felt t' Quest motor mount tubin' be too thin. Well, blow me down! Blimey! I glued t' blue thrust rin' in t' replacement tube.
  • Step 3: T' instructions say t' use plastic cement t' glue t' motor mount tube into t' saucer. I used thick (slower dry) super glue. Aye aye! I ran a bead o' t' thick CA around t' top thrust rin' and another rin' around t' upper body. Begad! When I slid t' motor tube into place, matey, arrr, t' thick glue helped fill in t' slight gap betwixt t' plastic top “tube” and t' BT-20 replacement.
  • Step 4: T' model is a simpler take on t' older all plastic design. T' root ends o' t' Fiber Fins attach t' t' cardboard motor mount tube with wood glue. Avast! Instead o' wood glue, I set t' fins in place, matey, lined them up, then ran a line o' thin super glue down t' root edge. Well, blow me down! T' other end o' t' fins have a tab that fits into cutout circles in t' saucer top. Avast! Ahoy! I touched t' tab/circle contact points with super glue. Ahoy! There is no plastic fins and t' plastic tabs won’t be breakin' off t' saucer top like t' original version. Begad! Ya scallywag! T' fins were a great design, me hearties, adaptin' well t' t' existin' saucer top. Arrr! T' saucer stands on t' fins and on it’s own when built.
    No engine hook. Also missin' are t' wire landin' legs. Begad! Nay a problem. Blimey! T' saucer top is molded from a strong, shiver me timbers, me bucko, me bucko, flexible plastic. Blimey! Landings shouldn’t be a concern. Begad! When all assembled t' saucer is very sturdy.
  • Step 5: Glue t' two remainin' fins into position. Well, blow me down! That's it!

Finishing:
Go t' t' Quest website and download t' decal. Ahoy! You can choose from four different decals. Begad! I chose Decal Sheet 3, me bucko, t' one with t' “Bewildered” Aliens. Ya scallywag! Ahoy! T' yellow Alien skin color reminded me o' t' old “Glow-In-The-Dark” toys o' t' 1960's. Arrr! Begad! Bein' this model is an Odd-Ball, I went for t' most outrageous pattern.

Be sure t' spray and seal t' printed “decals” with a shot o' clear coat t' prevent smearing. All four o' t' decals have a suggested color for t' saucer. I was reluctant t' spray t' saucer, I was concerned t' paint wouldn’t adhere well on t' slick surface o' t' saucer top. Begad! My saucer be molded in a medium metallic grey color. Ya scallywag! You are directed t' use a hobby knife t' cut out t' “decal” images. Begad! I cut mine with scissors. Cuttin' out t' decals be t' most time consumin' part o' t' build. Arrr! Well, me bucko, blow me down! It took 20 minutes t' cut all 12 pieces. Ya scallywag! Placement be nay a problem except for t' highest center rin' decal stickers. Blimey! Begad! It’s a full ring, matey, made-up o' three arc shaped pieces. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! I had t' place t' pieces higher than t' centerline o' t' highest plastic “cone” t' get all t' edges t' match up.

T' finished saucer looks great! It be a fun and easy build. It be interestin' t' see t' original design improved usin' fewer parts and updated graphics. Ahoy! T' black fins, white engine tube, white lug and (original color plastic) grey saucer all compliment each other well.

Construction Rating: 4 out o' 5

Flight:
Quest recommends a B6-0 or C6-0 engines. Begad! Blimey! Previous EMRR reviews say t' B6-0 is too underpowered for this saucer. Begad! Blimey! T' original instructions (from 1998) say t' use a C6-0 engine only. Begad! Blimey! Ya scallywag! Blimey! I will fly it with t' C6-0s that came with t' sale combo package.

I be flyin' alone today, I wanted t' get this review in quickly, ya bilge rat, our next R.O.C.K. Ahoy! NARRRRR section launch wasn’t for another two weeks. Blimey! Blimey! I packed up me (20 year old) Estes yellow Porta-Pad launcher. Avast, me proud beauty! Aye aye! This launcher had t' pre-lightnin' bolt legs. Well, blow me down! After some continuity problems, ya bilge rat, I scraped off some battery corrosion and got a light.

Prep was simple, friction fit t' engine with a little maskin' tape and install t' igniter. There was no engine hook and o' course, no wadding.

Countdown and launch! Blimey! T' engine really had t' work t' get it airborne. Blimey! Blimey! Blimey! Blimey! It started arcin' over half way up. Avast! Blimey! Well, blow me down! Blimey! This wasn’t a vertical flight, shiver me timbers, I had a slight wind t' content with. Avast! Blimey! Bein' a C6-0 engine, t' propellant “wall” broke through just before it turned over. Begad! Blimey! It landed on it’s top, ya bilge rat, 50 feet from t' launcher. I picked it up quickly, t' lawn was a little wet and I didn’t want t' ruin t' paper stick-on decals. Begad! Blimey! (Another reason t' clear coat after printing.) While I am terrible at guessin' altitudes, me hearties, it may have got t' 125 feet.

I followed up with t' (Freebie) Micro Maxx saucer. T' retainin' rin' on t' plastic engine mount was a little tricky, There are tiny arrows t' show you which way t' lock t' ring. Ya scallywag! I didn’t want t' lose t' ring, matey, I added two small tape strips on t' rin' and engine mount tube.

As t' reviews before had said, ya bilge rat, shiver me timbers, nay much altitudem I would guess 40 feet. Begad! Still, a lot o' fun. I’m an Odd-Roc fan, I know both saucers will be favorites.

Recovery:
I be curious t' see if thar was any burn marks at t' plastic area above t' top o' t' engine. Well, me hearties, blow me down! There be none!

  • Engines: When I got home, me hearties, ya bilge rat, it be interestin' t' peel off t' Quest label. Aye aye! Blimey! T' outer Quest color wrapper said Quest a Division o' Toy Biz, Inc. Arrr! Made in t' U.S.A. Ya scallywag! Under t' peeled label, t' engine was German made and labeled: RAKETEN MOTOR. T' printin' was RED, designatin' a booster engine, arrr, but t' printed power was C6-3! T' was a booster engine, me bucko, thar was clearly no delay or ejection charge in t' tops o' t' fresh motors. T' production date be 1996. Avast, me proud beauty! Ahoy! Nay a big deal, just interesting. Begad! Aye aye! T' engines were packed in a sealed, airtight bag. T' engine performed well.

Flight Rating: 4 out o' 5

Summary:
Bill Stine did a great job usin' t' existin' materials t' put a fresh, ya bilge rat, ya bilge rat, arrr, improved spin on an existin' platform. Arrr! Begad! T' model lost a point for t' lug that didn't fit t' 3/4" diameter engine tubin' contour. Aye aye! And t' supplied engine tube was flimsy. Begad! Neither original supplied parts would effect flight though. Avast, me proud beauty! Aye aye! T' fiber fins were well cut and strong.

Overall Rating: 4 out o' 5

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