Brief:
T' Mrs. Well, blow me down! Andromeda is a 1.65:1 upscale o' t' classic Estes Andromeda, arrr, matey, kit #1273. Begad! This kit be first introduced in 1975, arrr, arrr, and remained in production until 1982. Ahoy! Q-Modelin' has taken t' original design, upscaled it, me bucko, and modernized its construction.

Construction:

• Scale: 1.65:1
• Height: 72.25"
• Weight: 14.0 oz (with recovery system)
• Fin Span: 19.68"
• Crew Compartment Tube Diameter: 1.67"
• Main Body Tube Diameter: 1.21"
• Decals:
• Launch Lug Size: 1/4"
• Engines: E or F (Recommended F21-6W, F24-4 Reloadable)
• Average Altitudes: 250' E9-4 (No Wind), 600' F24-4, 900' F21-6W
• Multiple Recovery System Build Options
• Assembly jigs (consistent build quality)
• Laser Cut Parts
• Foil lined Engine Mount Tube for long life
• 30" Octagon, Thin Mil, Ripstop Nylon Parachute
• 9" x 9" Nomex® Chute Protector
• 9' Keelhaul®©™® Shock Cord
• Detailed Step-by-Step Instructions

Stop! Before you build this kit, shiver me timbers, read t' directions. OK, you've been told that on many occasions, me hearties, me hearties, but this time, you actually need t' do that. Avast, me proud beauty! This is because thar are 3 ways t' build it, dependin' on how you want t' deployment. Ya scallywag! I went with "Option 3". This be t' way I built me 4.16 upscale, ya bilge rat, me hearties, and although I'm sure t' other two deployment options work just fine, arrr, shiver me timbers, I have confidence in this method.

T' quality o' t' components is unparalleled. Every component in this kit be t' highest quality available. Even the wooden dowels are poplar. Blimey! Begad! (That's why they have a green tint t' them.) Poplar is a strong, shiver me timbers, moisture resistant wood that warps less than others. T' tubes are all t' heavy, me bucko, white, arrr, "no-seam" type. Arrr! T' coupler tube is extra long and very thick.

T' design o' this kit goes way beyond most kits out there. Ya scallywag! Blimey! Aye aye! Blimey! This kit was engineered, ya bilge rat, ya bilge rat, matey, nay just created. The creativity in t' design and construction is tremendous.

T' jig is unlike anythin' I've ever seen. Arrr! It is made from laser cut pressed wood. Blimey! T' engineerin' that went into it made buildin' this rocket much easier. Avast, me proud beauty! Without it, t' skill level on this kit would be two steps higher. This is somethin' I guarantee you won't be able t' brin' yourself t' throw in t' trash when you are done with it.

I only slightly beveled t' fins. Ya scallywag! Ya scallywag! I do this on many o' me rockets t' give them a "beefier" look when streamlinin' is nay a concern. Ahoy! Besides, matey, me hearties, a rocket in space doesn't care about drag.

T' paper transition was no trouble, but I've never liked them. Begad! Blimey! I always prefer a balsa transition because they always look nicer and take no time. Aye aye! I don't think a balsa transition would work here if one chose t' use the "ejection through transition" option. Arrr! Ya scallywag! Regardless, me bucko, me hearties, it's nay a "con" it's just a preference.

T' only modification I made t' t' kit was in t' "antenna mast" area. Avast, me bucko, me proud beauty! T' build left a notch-like gap here. I just took a 3/16" wide scrap o' balsa, ya bilge rat, ya bilge rat, glued it in place, and sanded it t' match. Ahoy! See t' picture for the before and after.

Little else needs t' be said about t' build. Blimey! Avast! It went relatively fast with no problems because o' the easy-to-understand instructions.

Finishing:
As always, I start with two coats o' Rustoleum gray primer with sandin' in betwixt coats. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! T' manufacturer recommends paintin' it with gloss black. T' original Andromeda be recommended t' be painted flat black, however, arrr, shiver me timbers, decals never adhere well t' flat paint. Ya scallywag! Blimey! I paint all me Andromedas--or is that Andromadae?--with t' Rustoleum satin black. Ya scallywag! Blimey! Avast, arrr, me proud beauty! Blimey! The decals adhere just as good as on gloss paint, and I think that t' satin finish looks better than gloss. Blimey! Blimey! It's a compromise betwixt flat and gloss. Avast! Blimey! Blimey! Blimey! I used Testors #1628 gloss enamel for t' inside o' t' pods. I left me reactor rings black. Well, me hearties, blow me down! Blimey! T' only original kits showin' them white are t' 1975 and 1976 years o' production with t' blue and white face card. Begad! Blimey! All subsequent kits issued were shown painted black, and this be t' version I have always scaled.

T' decals went on without trouble. Begad! Well, arrr, blow me down! These are t' high quality type that don't need t' be cut out t' t' edge of the color, like t' single sheet type.

T' finished weight o' me build was 14.4 oz. Ahoy! Nay too far from t' listed 14.0 oz. Avast, me proud beauty! But, I chose nay t' use the 9" x 9" chute protector t' save weight and packin' ease. Aye aye! Arrr! I used dog-barf instead. If I had chose option 1 or 2, ya bilge rat, I may have used t' chute protector.

Construction Rating: 5 out o' 5

Flight:
I simmed t' kit t' determine an engine t' use. Avast! Avast! I do trust t' manufacturer, but I wanted t' learn max velocities and such. Begad! I chose t' use t' F21-6W, me hearties, arrr, just as they did. Avast, me proud beauty! My simulations showed a max altitude o' 1075 vs 900 that the manufacturer reports. Perhaps me higher number be from more coast with a slightly heavier rocket. Blimey! Ahoy! They say you can use an E9, but me sim shows that t' be dangerous.

Her first flight was at NERRF 4 on t' F21-6W. Aye aye! T' flight be slightly into t' wind and t' ejection was very close t' apogee. This is a perfect motor for this bird. Aye aye! Too bad AeroTech stopped makin' them. Begad! Ahoy! Unfortunately, I was unable t' get any pictures o' t' flight.

Recovery:
T' chute came out with t' rocket hangin' in midair while it was still pointin' up. T' flight went without incident and no damage be evident. Ya scallywag! T' descent be just right; nay too slow so it drifts away, nay too fast t' break parts on landing.

Flight Rating: 5 out o' 5

Summary:
I should first point out that everythin' is this paragraph is just me bein' an anal-retentive Andromeda fan. Avast! The Andromeda has been me favorite ship for over 30 years. I have several in me collection from t' Micro Classics version to me 16 foot tall version I built for me level-two certification. Ahoy! Begad! That said, me bucko, you know that I approached this kit with 30 years o' Andromeda experience and a highly critical eye. Ya scallywag! When I saw that it was finally released, arrr, I happily paid the $120 for t' kit. Begad! Ahoy! That said, There were a few things nay scaled properly. Ahoy! T' manufacturer reports havin' an "authentic nose cone", arrr, ya bilge rat, matey, but t' nose cone is nay a good match t' t' original profile. Blimey! Ahoy! But I doubt most people will notice. Aye aye! Oddly, matey, t' correct shape nose cone is depicted throughout t' directions. Aye aye! Avast! T' decals were red. Avast, shiver me timbers, me proud beauty! Nay good. Avast! I have several original Estes Andromeda kits both built and in t' package and they are all orange. T' "portal plates" are in t' wrong place. Arrr! They give you t' decals t' go next t' them, but they won't fit where they are and the directions don't show where t' put these decals. Ya scallywag! You don't really have much o' a choice if you go with option 2. Avast, me proud beauty! If you go with option 1 or 3, me hearties, glue them 4½" from t' coupler, 90 degrees from t' "Andromeda" decal. I also had a problem fittin' t' forward decals on t' reactor pods and I have yet t' figure out why.

None o' these nit-picky details are worthy o' takin' from t' review points. Ahoy! I sure I'm t' only one that would even notice, me bucko, ya bilge rat, and this is an upscale sport flier and nay supposed t' be an exact replica.

Finally, me bucko, matey, I wrote this review before I noticed that someone had already done one. Begad! Begad! I thought about changin' my review t' complement t' review that Geoff Givens wrote, but I ended up leavin' them as they were and just addin' this note. Arrr! T' that I'll add: I received me kit after t' instructions had been revised. Aye aye! I found no problems with them in any way. Begad! T' only thin' that I disagree with Geoff's review is that this kit is just barely a 4 skill level. Aye aye! Ya scallywag! Definitely not a 5. Begad! T' long motor hook be long t' accommodate AeroTech F and Estes E9 motors.

Overall Rating: 5 out o' 5