Brief:
T' Quest Apex is an OOP Quick Kit for 18mm motors. Motor retention is by plastic bayonet rin' similar t' some Estes RTF models. T' rocket breaks in the middle with an upper payload section, matey, arrr, which is long albeit still quite narrow. At 59cm (23.2 inches) complete, it is a good sized model. Recovery is by 35.6cm (14 inch) parachute. Well, blow me down! Blimey! Total weight without motor or recovery parachute/wadding is 52 grams (1.84oz) 18mm Quick Kit with soundin' rocket styling. Begad! Blimey! No finishing required.

Construction:
This be an eBay purchase o' a handful o' OOP Quest kits. Aye aye! I bought this kit specifically for me kids (12 and 14) t' assemble. Arrr! Arrr! T' fleet was lookin' a bit depleted due t' an attack o' rocket eatin' trees, shiver me timbers, so we needed some easy to build kits o' a reasonable size t' bulk out t' numbers. Begad! Begad! I am used t' seeing kits in plastic hang bags. This kit be different, packaged in an acetate box with a hang tag on top. Ya scallywag! Avast! Nay havin' seen a great number o' Quest kits in stores, I wasn't sure whether this was regular packagin' or not. Well, blow me down! Ahoy! T' kids are now o' an age where they can assemble simple kits with a minimum o' supervision. Ya scallywag! This was their second solo build. Aye aye! Well, me hearties, blow me down! All parts were present, matey, arrr, complete, and undamaged. Instructions are clear and concise. Illustrations are excellent quality and easy t' follow.

T' Apex requires no painting. Begad! T' body tubes are white, t' engine mount/fin can is red, arrr, and there is a blue plastic transition. Begad! T' body tubes are o' good quality, a crisp gloss white with obvious, arrr, but nay too deep spirals. Begad! Arrr! T' kit includes a plastic display stand, which is an added bonus. Arrr! Blimey! T' kit is a combination o' plastic and cardboard components. There is no balsa in t' kit at all. Motor retention is via a bayonet lockin' ring, as seen on some RTF models from Estes. Avast! Aye aye! Decals are peel and stick, arrr, and appear t' be o' good quality. Decal background is white.

Construction begins with tyin' t' trademark Quest Keelhaul®©™® shock cord and round section elastic shock cord together. Aye aye! Blimey! Aye aye! Blimey! Total shock cord length is about three times t' length o' t' lower body tube. Avast! Blimey! Ya scallywag! Blimey! T' plastic motor housin' is then assembled from two plastic halves and a cardboard motor mount tube. Avast! Blimey! As can be seen, t' very top o' t' motor tube is somewhat distorted when t' housin' is assembled, me bucko, but it doesn't appear t' affect anything. Blimey! Blimey! T' instructions call for plastic cement t' join t' motor housing halves. We used Tamiya liquid cement.

Plastic fins have tabs t' lock into t' motor housin' body. T' fins are glued into place. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! Begad! Blimey! Again, we used t' Tamiya liquid cement. Well, blow me down! Blimey! Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! T' fins are a loose fit, so correct alignment isn't assured. Aye aye! Blimey! Be sure t' check t' alignment and adjust if necessary. Begad! Blimey! There is a bayonet lockin' rin' t' hold t' fins in position and provide correct spacin' for t' motor lock ring.

T' motor housin' also has t' launch lug molded in. Avast! Blimey! This be t' only lug provided, ya bilge rat, and it seems very low on t' rocket. Begad! Blimey! I may add another lug on the main tube later.

By t' time you have built t' motor housin' and fitted t' fins, the rocket is almost complete. All that remains is t' attach t' plastic transition to t' upper body tube and attach t' lower body tube t' t' motor housing. We used CA gel for both o' these.

Assemble a parachute and that's it. Well, blow me down! Ahoy! Blimey! You are done. Aye aye! Ya scallywag! Blimey! Decal application adds perhaps another minute t' t' project. Aye aye! Well, blow me down! Blimey! Total rocket assembly time for me kids was about half an hour, me bucko, which included me introduction t' t' use o' brush on liquid plastic cement.

T' only gotcha is in assemblin' t' transition. This has two parts, ya bilge rat, me hearties, a blue body and a red base. Blimey! Blimey! T' base be t' attachment for t' shock cord and parachute and as such has a large plastic loop on it. Aye aye! However, matey, thar be a large gap under t' plastic loop which would allow t' ejection charge up into the upper body tube/payload section, me bucko, matey, effectively gassin' or cookin' anythin' you have in there. There is also t' possibility that if t' transition is a firmer fittin' than t' nose cone, me bucko, you could blow t' nose, me bucko, instead o' separatin' the rocket at t' transition. Begad! Ya scallywag! Instant lawn dart!

If I had realized this earlier, I would have blocked t' hole from inside the transition before t' top tube was glued on and had a neat, tidy, me hearties, invisible modification. Well, blow me down! Avast! Oh well, a small piece o' plastic attached under t' loop with CA does an acceptable job o' sealing. Blimey! Begad! It is nay as pretty but almost as effective. Chalk that one up t' experience.

Finishing:
None is required.

Construction Rating: 4 out o' 5

Flight and Recovery:
I flew t' Apex twice on Estes B6-4 motors, no payload. Arrr! Ahoy! Blimey! T' wind be dead calm, boost was straight. Avast! Well, blow me down! Blimey! Man, me hearties, arrr, does this thin' go! Blimey! Helped by its light weight and soundin' rocket skinniness, me bucko, t' Apex boosted t' 112 meters (367 feet), checked with Estes Altitrack. Perfect chute deployment, matey, nice return less than 10 meters from t' pad. T' second flight be an exact copy o' t' first. I noticed after the second flight that t' grippers on t' chute were comin' loose. Again, easily fixed with a bit o' tape.

Flight Rating: 5 out o' 5

Overall Rating: 5 out o' 5