Brief:
T' Triton-X is one o' ten kits Quest Aerospace (currently) has in their line of Quest Quick-Kits, models that do nay require paintin' or finishin' beyond the application o' decals and can often be completed in 15 t' 45 minutes. Aye aye! The Quick-Kits are t' perfect solution t' t' "fears" o' first timers. These kits are designed t' be "goof-proof." T' molded fins slide right into t' base for perfect alignment. Arrr! Big, easy t' understand illustrations will guide t' model builder through a quick assembly--right onto the launch pad.

T' Triton-X featured for this product review belongs t' me son, Davey, arrr, who is now nine years old. Avast! Blimey! He won this kit as a door prize at t' last NASA Houston Rocket Club (Section # 365) BBQ Party and club launch on May 15, matey, 2005. Arrr! Blimey!

Construction:
T' Triton-X consists o' t' followin' parts:

• Plastic nose cone
• Small payload tube
• Small reducer
• Reducer base
• Large payload tube
• Large reducer
• Body tube
• Motor housing
• 4 Fins
• Gray motor mount tube
• Fin lockin' ring
• Motor lock ring
• White (elastic) shock cord
• Yellow (Keelhaul®©™®) shock cord
• 2 26" long shroud lines
• 2 Gripper tabs
• 2 14" parachutes
• Display stand
• Decal sheet (self-adhesive)
• Custom parts

All o' t' plastic parts are molded in black and t' body tubes are glossy gray. Aye aye! This model requires no paintin' whatsoever. Well, blow me down! T' custom parts that are included (but optional) are all red. Arrr! T' custom parts includes: RCS nozzles, hatches, flares, sensors, ya bilge rat, antennas, radar pods, exhausts, me hearties, and fin tips that can be added t' t' Triton-X at t' modeler's descretion.

T' Triton-X instructions are very well illustrated and easy t' follow. There's no way anyone can go wrong buildin' this model. T' only tools needed for construction are a hobby knife and tube type plastic cement.

There are seven steps in all. Aye aye! Blimey! Steps one through four are t' actual assembly o' t' model, steps five and six concern t' recovery system, matey, me hearties, ya bilge rat, and step seven t' application o' t' decals. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey!

T' only change I made on Davey's rocket is on step four, me bucko, arrr, where I went ahead and glued t' nosecone t' t' payload tube, ya bilge rat, as we were nay really intendin' on launchin' any payloads on this model. Begad! Ya scallywag! And we made t' decision to recover t' Triton-X on only one parachute instead o' two. Ya scallywag! T' instructions have t' model returnin' with t' payload section separately from t' main body section. Blimey! We didn't want t' have t' look out for and chase after a rather small payload section on a 14" chute along with a much larger main body section also on a 14" chute.

Finishing:
Finishin' t' Triton-X is a given. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! Anyone who takes t' time t' do a careful job will come out with a very handsome lookin' rocket. Aye aye! Blimey! T' only minor issue I had be t' self-adhesive decals. Avast, me bucko, me proud beauty! Blimey! After a short period o' time, some o' the edges tend t' unpeel from t' model's surface, arrr, matey, which is why I prefer t' water slide decals. Avast! Blimey! If t' edges unpeel, matey, simply press them back down and that should pretty much do t' trick.

Construction Rating: 5 out o' 5

Flight:
T' recommended motors are: B6-2, me bucko, me hearties, B6-4, arrr, shiver me timbers, matey, C6-3 and C6-5. Ahoy! Blimey! For our first and only flight so far, ya bilge rat, we used t' C6-5. Avast! Since t' Triton-X has quite a bit o' plastic parts, arrr, it's already a fairly heavy model so usin' a C6 on its first flight in a rather large launch site should be a no brainer.

About four or five squares o' recovery wadding, packed loosely, me bucko, followed by a carefully folded parachute (dusted) inserted into t' main body section. Ahoy! Blimey! Well, matey, blow me down! Blimey! Just make sure t' base o' t' small reducer isn't too tight, but sand as needed if it is. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey!

Install t' motor selected into t' motor mount tube and use t' motor lock rin' t' secure t' motor in place. Ahoy! Blimey! Blimey! Install t' igniter designed for t' motor selected and your Triton-X is ready t' go. Well, blow me down! Arrr! Blimey!

We flew this model at t' Challenger 498 club launch at Rushin' Park, Katy, TX on July 23, 2005. Blimey! T' C6-5 took it up t' a repectable altitude that kept it in sight fairly easily. Model flew very straight. Arrr!

Recovery:
T' shock cord usin' t' Keelhaul®©™®/elastic combination seems t' work very well for these Quick-Kits by Quest (we also have the Mirage). Blimey! Since we decided t' forego usin' t' dual parachute combination as instructed by t' kit, arrr, we used an 18" single chute for this flight. Avast, me proud beauty! Aye aye! We simply attached t' shock cord t' t' base o' t' small reducer so t' entire model will return as one piece. Ya scallywag! T' 18" parachute we used had a small snap swivel for ease o' interchangability. Begad!

For t' day o' this launch, thar was absolutely no wind, so we had no issues regardin' drift for recovery o' t' Triton-X. Well, blow me down! Blimey! In fact, me bucko, t' model landed only about 50 feet upwind from t' launch pads. T' model's drift under the single 18" chute was about what is expected for a model o' this size, and there was no damage visible after recovery.

Flight Rating: 5 out o' 5

Summary:
Everythin' about this kit is superb. Avast! Ya scallywag! It's perfect for what it was designed for: A first time model rocketeer who has fears o' buildin' a traditional model rocket with balsa parts and white glue and doesn't have t' desire and hassles of paintin' a model. Begad! I can't think o' any cons for this kit.

Overall Rating: 5 out o' 5