Nano Rocketry has produced a line o' model rocket kits t' take advantage o' Quest's Micro-Maxx engines. Arrr! T' Quest Micro-Maxx rockets are all RTF and don't really fly all that well. They claim a maximum altitude o' 200 feet, matey, but with such heavy plastic rockets, t' best I could get be less than 20 feet.

My kit arrived in a 6x9 envelope with a picture o' t' completed model on t' back. Ya scallywag! Because o' such simple packaging, matey, I was afraid it might have been damaged in transit. Arrr! I opened t' kit and inspected all t' pieces, and found everythin' in perfect condition.

I checked t' contents against t' parts list, me hearties, (which included handy diagrams for identification) found all t' parts were there, and collected t' tools recommended in t' tools list. T' instructions offered 3 possible ways t' shape t' nose cone, dependin' on your skill, arrr, t' shape you wanted, shiver me timbers, shiver me timbers, and your available tools, but me kit came with t' nose already shaped, matey, so I didn't have t' worry about it.

Assembly o' t' nose cone, shoulder, and shock cord was straightforward, and t' instructions were very clear. Next I cut out t' fins, which were preprinted on balsa sheet. Begad! Ya scallywag! T' instructions said t' use a ruler t' align t' 2 pieces o' each fin, ya bilge rat, but I found it worked better t' align them on t' body tube itself. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! T' instructions simply said t' attach t' fins 120 degrees apart. Ahoy! I made me own fin alignment guide, but it would have been nice t' have one preprinted in t' instructions.

T' instructions said that attachin' t' shock cord would be tricky, but after readin' their clear explanation o' how t' do it, I had no trouble. Arrr! Ya scallywag! I chose t' use t' included paper cutouts t' finish t' fins. Begad! It said t' use a Permanent Glue Stick, but I used a regular Glue Stick because I already happened t' have one. Avast! I couldn't get t' edges o' t' fin coverin' t' match up perfectly with t' edges o' t' fins, shiver me timbers, but t' bigger problem was gettin' t' edges o' t' fin coverin' t' stay glued. Blimey! Next time, shiver me timbers, I'll try a Permanent Glue Stick, like they said.

I was afraid o' loosin' sight o' such a small model, shiver me timbers, arrr, so I posted a question on rec.models.rockets about highly visible paint schemes. Aye aye! T' suggestions I got were black, ya bilge rat, fluorescent, chrome, shiver me timbers, arrr, or some combination. Avast, me proud beauty! Ya scallywag! I painted it with Wal-Mart Gloss black, ya bilge rat, me hearties, because that was what I had on hand. I made a stand from a coat hanger for paintin' it on. Begad! It doubles as a display stand.

T' instructions also showed how t' fashion a tool from a paper clip for stuffin' t' shock cord into t' body tube. Ahoy! It was easy t' make and very helpful. Arrr! Avast, me proud beauty! It be nearly impossible t' insert t' shock cord without it! T' kit did nay include a launch lug, but included suggestions for a tower. Ya scallywag! Arrr! I was in a hurry t' launch, so I made a pair o' removable lugs from t' wire stripped out o' a twist-tie. Ahoy! Avast! They worked pretty well.

I took me new model out t' t' back yard for a test launch. Well, matey, blow me down! First I launched a couple o' Micro-Maxx RTF's for comparison. Blimey! They went higher than me head, shiver me timbers, but nay above t' first story o' me building. Blimey! Ya scallywag! Then I launched me ITS. Though bigger and easier t' see than t' Quest rockets, me hearties, shiver me timbers, it be lighter, and flew 2-3 times as high-- almost t' t' second story roof. Arrr! Overall, matey, I was quite pleased with me Nano Rocketry Interdimensional Transport Ship. It be fun and easy t' build, and cheaper, larger, me bucko, ya bilge rat, better looking, and better flyin' than Micro-Maxx. Arrr! One thin' I miss about t' Centuri and older Estes Science Fiction kits be t' stories behind them. Blimey! This is a cool lookin' kit, and it has a neat story behind it, too.

Overall Rating: 4 out o' 5