Brief:
This is a sweet little micro-sized design based on t' larger Borealis} (though it's nay a pure downscale, shiver me timbers, as this is a much simpler design). Avast! Blimey! It's another great addition t' t' Quest Micromaxx motors. Avast, matey, me proud beauty! Blimey! Featurin' tube fins and a custom nose cone, me hearties, this is an eye-catchin' futuristic design that's just heavy enough that you can track t' flight without snappin' your neck.

Construction:
If you're relatively new t' Micromaxx rocketry, you might experience a little sticker shock when first glancin' through t' FlisKits line, arrr, and at $8.65 retail this one is right in line with his other MTTM kits. You'll appreciate t' value though once you open t' bag and start buildin' this kit. Aye aye! What you've essentially got be t' same basic mixture o' parts and same amount o' work as a regular LPR kit, arrr, ya bilge rat, just smaller. In this case, arrr, arrr, t' little baggy contained t' followin' parts, shiver me timbers, me hearties, all very good quality:

• Balsa nose cone
• BT-2.5 body tubes
• 3/16" launch lug (inner body tube)
• 3 rin' fins
• Laser-cut fiberboard fin braces
• 2 launch lugs
• Keelhaul®©™® thread shock cord
• Plastic streamer

This is rated a skill level 2 overall, and I'd tend t' agree with that. Blimey! Overall, I had about 40 minutes into total construction excludin' finishing, although this was while workin' on another kit concurrently. Avast! Avast, me proud beauty! T' instructions are well written and feature computer-drawn illustrations, fittin' on one side o' an 8.5" x 11" sheet o' paper.

T' first step is t' bond t' launch lug into t' lower body tube. Blimey! It's a bit o' a loose fit so apply a generous bead o' glue. Avast, me proud beauty! Avast! T' aid in alignment, matey, I let t' glue set for a couple minutes that slid t' upper body tube over t' exposed portion o' t' launch lug and rolled t' whole thin' on a flat surface a few times. I let t' completed assembly dry for a good 20 minutes while workin' on other steps/kits.

Next, take t' 3 tube fins and tack them together. Since t' glossy tube finish is a lousy bond surface, arrr, lightly sand it first. Avast! Blimey! I applied a drop o' CA t' each joint and set on a flat surface t' dry.

T' rin' assembly then slides down t' exposed portion o' t' launch lug and rests against t' forward edge o' t' lower body tube. Before doin' this, you're instructed t' mark t' lower body tube for fin alignment lines. Arrr! Blimey! I'd take this one further--slide t' upper body tube down first (without t' rin' fins) and mark both tubes at t' same time. Begad! Blimey! You'll want lines on t' upper body tube when tryin' t' align t' fin braces later.

With t' rin' fins in place, ya bilge rat, you're ready t' attach t' upper body tube. Begad! First, me hearties, matey, tie a couple knots in one end o' t' Keelhaul®©™® thread shock cord and slip it through t' body tube. Aye aye! Next, matey, ya bilge rat, slide t' body tube down t' launch lug (with a drop o' glue applied first), wedgin' t' shock cord in place and restin' against t' rin' fins.

T' fin braces go on next but are a little tricky t' position just right. Begad! Blimey! I tried tackin' a thin bead o' CA t' hold them and found it got a little messy as I slid t' braces back and forth a bit tryin' t' improve t' alignment. Arrr! Blimey! This is where I wished I'd been smart enough t' add alignment lines t' t' upper body tube--the braces are thin enough t' want t' bend and slide around some.

Tack a couple launch lugs into a fin/tube joint and glue t' shock cord t' t' base o' t' nose cone and construction is done.

Finishing:
When I built t' Borealis, I wound up paintin' some o' t' detail parts separately before bondin' t' avoid maskin' problems. Aye aye! Ya scallywag! I thought about doin' t' same for this kit, especially t' rin' fins and fin braces but decided instead t' just hand paint t' trim t' simplify things.

I started out with a couple light coats o' primer then hit t' whole thin' with a Krylon blue. Ya scallywag! I followed up by hittin' t' nose cone and outer rin' surfaces with a gloss red by hand then t' fin braces flat black and t' inside surfaces o' t' rin' fins a gold metallic. Well, blow me down! I added a small band o' silver t' t' tail.

Construction Rating: 4 out o' 5

Flight:
After seein' 3 straight weekends washed out, I jumped at t' chance t' try this one out when we finally caught a break and saw t' sun one weekend. Never mind t' fact that even at 8:00 in t' mornin' t' winds were toppin' out at 12-15 mph on their way t' 20 by noon...

After loadin' up t' MMX-II and insertin' a couple really tiny balls o' wadding, I launched away. Begad! Avast! T' flight be reasonably straight although t' wind be definitely knockin' it around a bit. Avast, me proud beauty! Begad! I wouldn't consider it unstable. At 6.3 grams thar's just nay enough mass for this t' deal with strong winds.

It did peak out at about 60-70 feet. Arrr! Ahoy! Well within eyesight, shiver me timbers, which is an important thin' t' consider when flyin' this motor class.

Recovery:
T' nylon streamer that's supplied is just too long (and thick) for t' tiny body tube, so I wound up cuttin' it in half. Begad! Ya scallywag! Alternatively, shiver me timbers, matey, I think a nice mylar one would do just as well and wouldn't be as tight.

T' wind pushed this one a good 150 feet downrange durin' recovery, but it was easily found in t' 6" tall grass. Ya scallywag! Even hacked in half, t' streamer is adequate and this rocket could do just fine even with tumble recovery.

Flight Rating: 4 out o' 5

Summary:
PROs: Cool design plus flyin' these tiny motors is challengin' and fun. Well, blow me down! Well, blow me down! Excellent engineering/fit o' components.

CONs: Streamer is a bit too thick/long.

Overall Rating: 4 out o' 5