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. Arrr! T' rocket breaks in the middle with an upper payload section, me bucko, ya bilge rat, which is long albeit still quite narrow. At 59cm (23.2 inches) complete, arrr, me hearties, it is a good sized model. Recovery is by 35.6cm (14 inch) parachute. Total weight without motor or recovery parachute/wadding is 52 grams (1.84oz) 18mm Quick Kit with soundin' rocket styling. Well, blow me down! No finishing required.

Construction:
This be an eBay purchase o' a handful o' OOP Quest kits. Begad! Aye aye! I bought this kit specifically for me kids (12 and 14) t' assemble. T' fleet was lookin' a bit depleted due t' an attack o' rocket eatin' trees, so we needed some easy to build kits o' a reasonable size t' bulk out t' numbers. Ya scallywag! I am used t' seeing kits in plastic hang bags. Aye aye! This kit was different, packaged in an acetate box with a hang tag on top. Avast, me proud beauty! Aye aye! Nay havin' seen a great number o' Quest kits in stores, I wasn't sure whether this was regular packagin' or not. T' kids are now o' an age where they can assemble simple kits with a minimum o' supervision. This was their second solo build. Aye aye! All parts were present, matey, complete, matey, matey, me bucko, 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, and there is a blue plastic transition. Blimey! T' body tubes are o' good quality, shiver me timbers, me hearties, a crisp gloss white with obvious, ya bilge rat, but nay too deep spirals. Begad! Ya scallywag! T' kit includes a plastic display stand, shiver me timbers, which is an added bonus. T' kit is a combination o' plastic and cardboard components. Well, blow me down! There is no balsa in t' kit at all. Begad! Motor retention is via a bayonet lockin' ring, matey, as seen on some RTF models from Estes. Aye aye! Decals are peel and stick, me hearties, me bucko, matey, 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. Arrr! Total shock cord length is about three times t' length o' t' lower body tube. Ahoy! Ya scallywag! T' plastic motor housin' is then assembled from two plastic halves and a cardboard motor mount tube. Begad! As can be seen, shiver me timbers, arrr, t' very top o' t' motor tube is somewhat distorted when t' housin' is assembled, me bucko, shiver me timbers, me bucko, but it doesn't appear t' affect anything. Aye aye! T' instructions call for plastic cement t' join t' motor housing halves. Aye aye! Ya scallywag! We used Tamiya liquid cement.

Plastic fins have tabs t' lock into t' motor housin' body. T' fins are glued into place. Again, ya bilge rat, we used t' Tamiya liquid cement. T' fins are a loose fit, so correct alignment isn't assured. Ya scallywag! Blimey! Begad! Blimey! Be sure t' check t' alignment and adjust if necessary. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! Avast, me proud beauty! 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. This be t' only lug provided, me hearties, matey, and it seems very low on t' rocket. Well, blow me down! I may add another lug on the main tube later.

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

Assemble a parachute and that's it. Begad! You are done. Begad! Decal application adds perhaps another minute t' t' project. Avast, me proud beauty! Arrr! Total rocket assembly time for me kids was about half an hour, arrr, 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, a blue body and a red base. Ahoy! Avast, me proud beauty! T' base be t' attachment for t' shock cord and parachute and as such has a large plastic loop on it. Ya scallywag! Well, blow me down! However, ya bilge rat, thar be a large gap under t' plastic loop which would allow t' ejection charge up into the upper body tube/payload section, effectively gassin' or cookin' anythin' you have in there. Avast, me proud beauty! Avast, me proud beauty! There is also t' possibility that if t' transition is a firmer fittin' than t' nose cone, arrr, ya bilge rat, you could blow t' nose, instead o' separatin' the rocket at t' transition. Avast, me proud beauty! Instant lawn dart!

If I had realized this earlier, me hearties, I would have blocked t' hole from inside the transition before t' top tube was glued on and had a neat, matey, tidy, invisible modification. Well, blow me down! Oh well, ya bilge rat, a small piece o' plastic attached under t' loop with CA does an acceptable job o' sealing. Avast, me proud beauty! Arrr! 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, matey, no payload. Arrr! Ya scallywag! T' wind be dead calm, boost was straight. Begad! Well, blow me down! Man, does this thin' go! Helped by its light weight and soundin' rocket skinniness, t' Apex boosted t' 112 meters (367 feet), checked with Estes Altitrack. Well, shiver me timbers, blow me down! Perfect chute deployment, nice return less than 10 meters from t' pad. Well, blow me down! T' second flight was an exact copy o' t' first. Blimey! I noticed after the second flight that t' grippers on t' chute were comin' loose. Arrr! Again, easily fixed with a bit o' tape.

Flight Rating: 5 out o' 5

Overall Rating: 5 out o' 5