Brief:
I won this on eBay for $10.00. Avast! This be t' entire, unopened Quest starter kit with launcher, ya bilge rat, launch controller, kit and 3 C6-3 engines. Aye aye! 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. Ahoy! T' older hand-held controller be very comfortable and ergonomic. Begad! I might use this for me new utility "home" launcher.

I had seen t' Space Clipper years ago. Well, blow me down! Well, arrr, blow me down! T' model looked interesting, shiver me timbers, and might be a great odd-ball build.

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

Construction:
This model used Conical Stabilty with no fins. Arrr! 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. Avast! Blimey! Aye aye! Blimey! You are instructed t' make a slight bend in t' engine hook. Avast! Blimey! There was already a slight bend in t' hook. Ahoy! Blimey! Instead o' wrappin' tape around t' engine hook, arrr, 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. Avast! Ahoy! There were a few attachment tabs that required trim and sanding.

T' markin' guide is cut from t' instruction sheet. Avast! Blimey! I fit nearly perfect around t' tube. Avast! Blimey! Because t' tube is pre-colored black, it doesn't accept pencil markin' lines well. Blimey! Blimey! 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. Arrr! 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. Arrr! While t' instructions direct you t' "push" t' tube into t' large hole, ya bilge rat, it loosely slips right through. Begad! You can see light through t' joint on all sides. Aye aye! I decided t' tack t' base in place with glue drops on three sides, me hearties, arrr, nay on t' launch lug side yet. Begad! Avast! Also, 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. Arrr! Ya scallywag! I had me doubts about t' strength o' t' internal structure. Begad! At first it was a little hard t' get t' frames t' line up. Well, blow me down! But after t' white glue started t' set up, me bucko, arrr, they held in place well.

Other reviews have talked o' how weak these tubes are. Begad! Many have replaced them with dowels. Ahoy! 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. Avast, me proud beauty! 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, matey, t' double faced tape strip be still very usable. Avast, me hearties, me proud beauty! Blimey! T' adhesive transferred well and t' joined shroud edges are strong.

Earlier, ya bilge rat, t' shroud was ironed flat and pre-formed. Blimey! 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. Arrr! This stuck t' shroud together in t' middle first and joined from t' middle out. Blimey! Bein' it be a long tab, matey, ya bilge rat, this seemed t' be a easier way t' go.

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

I had no problems gettin' t' shroud over t' base plate. Ya scallywag! Begad! Blimey! Fillets were applied t' t' rounded corners first. Avast, ya bilge rat, me proud beauty! Blimey! 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. Aye aye! By stickin' t' tape t' me jeans, me hearties, it pulls jean fiber onto t' tape and diminishes its stickiness. Ya scallywag! Ya scallywag! 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. Blimey! I used a small drop o' CA glue t' hold t' edge down. Arrr! 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. Arrr! I decided t' simply widen t' small hole already in t' base. Blimey! Begad! With a knife and small file I made t' hole about 1/4" round.

T' clay was old and very oily on t' outside. It was still usable though. Avast! Avast! It be rolled into a thin clay "snake" and push into t' nose with a dowel. With all t' clay in place, 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. Begad! I used sandpaper t' remove them and smooth it out.

Two 12" parachutes are provided. Blimey! 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. Avast! I will fly t' model as directed by t' instructions, matey, however, I'll be sure t' let t' parachutes air out right before launch. Begad! 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. Arrr! Blimey! T' pre-printed shroud looks great. Begad! Blimey! Aye aye! Blimey! As others have written, me bucko, t' decals are nay so good. Arrr! Blimey! They are self-adhesive stickers, me bucko, nay waterslide.

T' package illustrations show t' USA decal t' be in red, me hearties, me bucko, matey, only red, shiver me timbers, me bucko, against t' grey shroud. Aye aye! These stickers are on a white background, ya bilge rat, nay clear. Used as supplied, shiver me timbers, t' USA decal is surrounded by a white rectangular box. Ahoy! 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, 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. Avast! There were two "no go" launches as someone had kicked t' power cable loose. Ahoy! T' igniter was still fine. Begad! Third try was good. Avast! T' Clipper rose straight up for about 50 feet then turned 45 degrees and flew diagonally t' t' west. Begad! Ejection be fine, shiver me timbers, me bucko, me bucko, no damage except for a slight bend in one o' t' legs. Begad! T' leg is repairable. Aye aye! Ya scallywag! I don't think I'll fly it again, me bucko, it didn't seem very stable, or safe.

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

Flight Rating: 2 out o' 5

Summary:
PROs: Fun build, matey, definitely different. Ahoy! Ya scallywag! Great fit o' t' large shroud. Arrr! Nice display model.

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

Overall Rating: 3 out o' 5