T' Quest X-30 Aerospace plane caught me eye, and it was on sale at Magnum for $4. Arrr! 50, shiver me timbers, but I was a little wary o' t' paper shroud construction. Avast, me proud beauty!   Well, me hearties, t' Quest HL-20 uses paper shroud construction, me hearties, too, ya bilge rat, arrr, and it was also on sale, me hearties, for $2. 50, ya bilge rat, arrr, and it's supposed t' be easier. Begad! Avast, shiver me timbers, me proud beauty! I figured I'd try t' HL-20 as an introduction t' paper shroud construction. (I got two o' each just in case. Aye aye! )

Construction started out well. Blimey! It starts by attachin' t' tri-oval centerin' disk t' t' engine tube, gluin' a shoulder t' t' nose cone, gluin' t' nose cone + shoulder on t' tube, and gluin' in t' engine block. Arrr! About t' only hint here is t' use an 18mm engine casin' cut around t' nose cone positionin' disk. Ya scallywag! Begad! It was very thoughtful o' Quest t' provide an empty 18mm engine casin' (intended for use in pushin' in t' engine block). Ahoy! Well, me bucko, blow me down! Nice touch. Ahoy!

Next came t' main body shroud. This is made o' heavy paper, me bucko, with t' design already printed on it. Begad! Avast! (No painting, yeah!) I took me time and was very careful when cuttin' out t' shroud, and had no problems with it. Blimey! Ya scallywag! T' shroud paper comes rolled up in an oval shape in t' kit, me bucko, so it does nay immediate roll itself into t' desired shape. Begad! T' instructions suggest layin' t' shroud printed side down and usin' a steam iron on it t' flatten it out. Ya scallywag! Arrr! But, ya bilge rat, ya bilge rat, o' course, arrr, me bucko, you don't want it flat, so I chose t' roll it up close t' it's intended shape, shiver me timbers, and hold it in place with rubber bands while I cut out t' rest o' t' paper pieces. Aye aye! Arrr! That went fine.

And then came t' moment o' truth. . Well, blow me down! . time t' put t' shroud together, permanently. Ahoy! Provided in t' kit for this purpose, ya bilge rat, is a strip o' double-sided adhesive. T' idea is t' peel back t' coverin' on one side o' t' adhesive strip, shiver me timbers, ya bilge rat, place that on t' tab o' t' shroud, matey, then peel off t' coverin' on t' 2nd side, arrr, and finally attach t' other edge o' t' shroud. Despite some problems gettin' t' coverings off t' adhesive, this actually worked quite well. Begad! Begad! It took care, but be nay particularly difficult t' get t' shroud edges lined up and held in place. Aye aye! Whew. Aye aye! Whew. It's all downhill from here. Well, blow me down! Arrr! . Well, matey, blow me down! . Begad! right?

Nope. Aye aye! T' trouble was just beginning. T' next step is t' attach t' engine tube assembly into t' body shroud. Well, blow me down! This is done in two steps. Ya scallywag! In t' first step, shiver me timbers, you put plastic cement around t' inside front edge o' t' shroud, arrr, and push t' nose cone (with engine tube and tri-oval centerin' rin' attached) through. Avast, me proud beauty! T' plastic cement is intended t' seal t' nose cone t' paper shroud. Begad! T' problem is that t' nose cone is attached t' t' engine tube and tri-oval centerin' ring, ya bilge rat, and it's basically impossible t' get t' nose cone t' slip through that hole without gettin' plastic cement all over t' nose cone. Arrr! I wiped this up immediately, shiver me timbers, but, matey, as you can probably guess, t' result be a pretty screwed up nose cone. Begad! T' plastic cement actually melts t' plastic, ya bilge rat, and anyplace where t' cement touched t' cone be disfigured. This be almost completely fixed after some sandin' with 220 and 400 grit sandpaper, but it wasn't nice. Begad! Ahoy! Unfortunately, shiver me timbers, I haven't been able t' think o' any simple, clever way t' avoid this. Let me know if you figure it out. Avast, me proud beauty!

T' second part o' attachin' t' engine tube assembly t' t' main body shroud is t' apply a fillet o' glue around t' tri-oval centerin' rin' / shroud joint. Ya scallywag! Ya scallywag! No problemo, right? No problemo, arrr, me hearties, right? Wrong. Well, blow me down! Part o' t' problem be me choice o' glues. I didn't want t' be holdin' this thin' all night, so I went with yellow glue (a. Aye aye! Ahoy! k. Ya scallywag! a. Avast! carpenter's wood glue, a. Ya scallywag! k. Aye aye! a. aliphatic resin glue) because it grabs quickly. Ya scallywag! Well, me bucko, it be still a marathon "hold until t' glue grabs" session, and nay a pretty one at that. T' shroud didn't want t' form t' t' tri-oval shape, ya bilge rat, and it's difficult t' hold this awkward shape with even pressure everywhere t' avoid waves in t' paper shroud. Avast, me proud beauty! Ahoy! This, arrr, me hearties, combined with t' fact that yellow glue shrinks a lot when it dries, me bucko, resulted in very noticeable waves in t' final product. Ahoy! Arrr! (You can't see them well in t' photos, me bucko, ya bilge rat, because t' white paper gets washed out in t' image, but you can see them quite well with t' naked eye. Avast, me proud beauty! )White glue may give better results, ya bilge rat, shiver me timbers, but you're goin' t' have t' hold it forever. Begad! Thick CA, ya bilge rat, with CA-kicker applied just when things are lined up might be t' ideal way t' go, ya bilge rat, but if it leaks through, t' end product may end up lookin' even worse. I've been told that Aleene's Original "Tacky" Glue sets up quick and doesn't shrink so much (and it dries clear); I may try that on me second one. Arrr!

Well, about this time, arrr, shiver me timbers, I noticed that t' adhesive strip that was holdin' t' shroud together, arrr, shiver me timbers, shiver me timbers, was startin' t' let go. Ya scallywag! It wasn't bad, but it be clear that it wasn't goin' t' hold forever. Begad! Avast, shiver me timbers, me proud beauty! I wicked some thin CA into this area. Ya scallywag! Begad! It's permanent now. Begad! It's permanent now. Aye aye! Aye aye! Ok, matey, now this kit is startin' t' annoy me. Arrr! . Blimey! . Avast!

T' next step is t' attach t' fins (I had already cut them out). These are referred t' as t' rudder (center one) and wings (outer two) in t' instructions. Ahoy! Avast! These are made o' t' same pre-printed heavy paper as t' shroud. T' paper is scored, then folded over once t' form t' fin. Begad! Begad! T' instructions say t' apply a small amount o' glue t' t' inside at t' top and pinch together. Avast! This forms t' proper shape for t' fin. Aye aye! This actually worked out quite well, but you have t' be aware (and t' instructions do not point this out) that t' rudder has a wider base than t' wings, so you shouldn't pinch it quite as much. Ahoy! T' rudder and wings then attached t' t' main body shroud easily. T' main body shroud is pre-printed with t' proper location o' all externally attached items. Avast! Nice. Aye aye! Arrr!

Next up, shiver me timbers, arrr, attachment o' t' launch lug and air scoop. T' "air scoop" is just a piece o' paper attached on t' outside bottom o' t' main body shroud, t' form rectangular air passageway. Ya scallywag! As you can see in t' photo above, matey, t' launch lug is at t' bottom center, me bucko, hidden betwixt t' main body shroud and t' air scoop. Begad! Begad! I thought that hidin' t' launch lug was a nice aesthetic touch.

Next, addin' tail weight. You glue two pennies t' a piece o' paper, arrr, and glue that t' t' inside bottom o' t' main body shroud. No problem.

Next, t' cockpit canopy. Ya scallywag! This must be cut from a large piece o' excess plastic. It was unclear exactly where t' cut, and t' instructions aren't helpful here. Avast! T' idea is that you need t' cut so that thar's a little base (about 2mm) all t' way around t' canopy, shiver me timbers, so that you have somethin' for t' glue t' hold onto. If you're a stickler for such details, ya bilge rat, you might want t' cut it out with more edge material initially, ya bilge rat, and try placin' it on t' shroud t' see where you can remove t' excess. Blimey! Aye aye! This piece, unlike t' rest o' t' rocket, ya bilge rat, requires some finishing, matey, me bucko, although t' instructions don't mention this at all. Well, blow me down! Havin' nay yet achieved oneness with me paint brush, I opted t' use black magic marker. This worked out very well, me bucko, if I do say so myself. Arrr! Nice, smooth, ya bilge rat, glossy finish that didn't take 2 hours t' dry. Begad! Ahoy! Gluin' t' canopy in place was simple and straightforward, matey, ya bilge rat, shiver me timbers, but it didn't make a complete seal all t' way around. Well, blow me down!

T' last step in t' instructions makes a small compartment for t' streamer (which attaches t' t' engine for proper recovery when it ejects t' engine t' enable glide mode). Avast! Begad! This compartment is a small 1 1/4" long, 13mm diameter (BT-5) tube, me bucko, with an end cap glued t' one end. T' streamer is stored here durin' t' boost phase. Aye aye! Blimey! Well, me hearties, as accurate as t' rest o' t' paper pieces had been, shiver me timbers, I was surprised when t' streamer compartment end cap was too small. Blimey! Begad! Nay a big deal, but odd, matey, because everythin' else fit well enough. Arrr! I just used t' tube a template and cut a proper end cap from some o' t' scrap shroud paper. Aye aye! Fixed. Fixed. Well, blow me down! Blimey! T' instructions just say t' glue this compartment on top o' t' penny ballast holder, inside t' back o' t' rocket. Begad! What's missin' is whether t' end cap should be on t' inside (facin' forward), or on t' outside (facin' back). T' supplied diagram makes it look like t' end cap should be on t' outside (facin' back). Blimey! My guess is that that would probably cause t' streamer t' get caught in this compartment, me hearties, and thus cause t' model t' tumble, rather than glide back. I mounted mine with t' end cap on t' inside (facin' forward), shiver me timbers, as you can see from t' aft photo, me hearties, above.

There is one more construction step (described in t' section "Preppin' your HL-20 for flight"), settin' up t' streamer for t' engine. Avast, me proud beauty! Ya scallywag! Supplied with t' kit are a 12" long piece o' Keelhaul®©™ string, me hearties, and a plastic "gripper" tab. Aye aye! You tie t' Keelhaul®©™ strin' t' t' tab, me hearties, ya bilge rat, matey, and then attach t' tab t' t' streamer with t' adhesive on t' tab. Ya scallywag! Then, me bucko, me hearties, for each flight, arrr, you tie t' other end o' t' Keelhaul®©™ strin' around t' end o' t' engine (reinforce this with tape), and stuff t' streamer in t' streamer compartment, and you're all set. Begad! T' packagin' says that thar's a 24" streamer in t' kit. Aye aye! T' instructions say that thar's a 12" streamer in t' kit. Mine measured 11". Aye aye!

T' only other step before flight is t' hand-toss t' glider (without an engine) t' get it trimmed properly. Ahoy! In other words, me bucko, you may need t' adjust t' tabs on t' wings t' make it glide in a nice, me hearties, big spiral. Avast! Blimey! Unfortunately, arrr, t' model glides like a brick in hand-toss mode, ya bilge rat, makin' it basically impossible t' trim in any meaningful way. Avast, me proud beauty! Trimmin' will have t' wait until after t' first flight. Avast, me proud beauty!

To summarize t' construction, I have t' give this model a construction ratin' o' 2 out o' 5. It's nay awful or outrageously complex, matey, but thar were too many little problems and shortcomings t' even give it an "average" rating. Begad! Blimey!

I must preface this flight description and me opinion by sayin' that it be very windy t' day o' these flights. Begad! It's entirely possible that things would be very different in more rocket-friendly conditions. . .

T' launch be held on Saturday, matey, March 14, 1998 at Deer Path Park in central New Jersey. Avast, me proud beauty! I set up t' pad and prepped t' rocket. Blimey! Bein' a rear-ejection boost glider, thar's no need for recovery wadding, but you have t' tape t' streamer line t' t' motor itself. T' kit documentation recommends a B6-2 for t' first flight, shiver me timbers, but I didn't have any o' those, so I opted for a B6-4. There were no problems preppin' t' rocket, matey, but when I tried t' slide it down t' launch rod, arrr, matey, t' engine fell out, me hearties, ya bilge rat, me hearties, and pulled t' streamer out with it. No biggie, me hearties, but I didn't put tape around t' engine t' get a tighter fit, me bucko, for fear that t' engine would jam at ejection time. Arrr! I repacked it, shiver me timbers, me hearties, and held t' engine in place while I set it up this time. Ya scallywag!

T' first launch was ugly. Avast! It went up in a wobbly arc, reached about 50feet AGL, ya bilge rat, and headed down, arrr, still under power. Begad! I'm nay sure if it was still under power when it plowed nose-first into t' (fortunately soft) ground, arrr, but it definitely hit hard. T' nose stuck in t' ground, and t' ejection charge blew t' engine up and out. Aye aye! Ahoy! T' streamer separated from t' "gripper" tab, arrr, makin' t' engine casing, shiver me timbers, with t' Keelhaul®©™ line still attached, me bucko, rather difficult t' locate. Ahoy! Nay exactly a picture-perfect flight, but thar was absolutely no damage t' any o' t' pieces, and I was determined t' try again.

T' streamer was re-attached, shiver me timbers, and Keelhaul®©™ line be taped t' another B6-4 engine. Begad! Avast, arrr, me proud beauty! I thought about tryin' a C6-3, matey, ya bilge rat, but was afraid t' extra power would simply get used t' ram t' rocket into t' ground even harder. This launch was quite a bit nicer, matey, me hearties, but by no means a beautiful flight. Blimey! T' rocket went up, a bit straighter, matey, but still hit apogee before burnout. Begad! Begad! This time, though, it stayed in a nose-up attitude, ya bilge rat, so t' last little bit o' thrust had t' rocket losin' altitude slowly, me hearties, tail first. Ahoy! Then t' engine ejected, and t' rocket transitioned t' "glide" mode. Avast! Arrr! I'm usin' t' term "glide" rather loosely here, since this glide was pretty much a repeat o' me hand-tossed glide attempts. . . Avast! more like a brick than a plane. Arrr! It hit t' ground nose-first with moderate velocity, arrr, but again, thar was absolutely no damage. Ya scallywag! It does appear t' be a fairly sturdy rocket, if nothin' else. As for t' glide, me bucko, it simply seems rather nose-heavy, matey, with little in t' way o' lift. Aye aye! Begad! I may try addin' more tail weight for t' next flight, me bucko, but, with so little lift, I'm nay sure addin' weight anywhere is a good idea. Aye aye! Once again, t' "gripper" tab didn't grip, and t' streamer separated from t' engine. Blimey! All parts were found. Avast, me proud beauty!

So, t' conclusion from t' first couple flights was less than inspiring. I will launch this rocket again in calmer weather, and if t' flights are much better, I will update this page immediately. I will also try alterin' t' weight distribution t' achieve a better glide, and report any successes here. Avast! I don't want t' misrepresent this rocket, and I'll be t' first t' admit that t' conditions weren't ideal, but so far, I have t' say I'm rather disappointed. Blimey! I have t' give it a flight ratin' o' 1. Arrr! Ya scallywag! 5 out o' 5 points (at least it didn't self-destruct), and an overall ratin' o' 2 out o' 5 points. At this point, me bucko, I simply cannot recommend this rocket. Ya scallywag! Aye aye!

As a final note, I would like t' assure you that I'm nay tryin' t' bash Quest as a rocket company. Begad! I have several o' their rockets, and have been pretty happy with t' others. Try t' ICARUS or Zenith II, me bucko, both are very nice rockets that build and fly with quite nicely. Aye aye! Avast! Blimey!