Brief:
The Qmodeling Retro Mega Series Andromeda is one of the most formidable mid-power kits available. This beautiful kit is a 1.65:1 upscale of the Estes Andromeda. QModeling's BT-60 version stands nearly 6 feet tall. The 24mm motor mount is designed for high-thrust APCP motors such as F24-4 or F21-6.

Construction:
There are over 80 parts and also more than 80 construction steps listed in the 30-page manual. The parts are very high quality, with no scrimping to save money. For example, the numerous ply rings, two hard composite assembly jigs, nylon parachute, Nomex® chute protector, and so forth are beyond what would be expected in a standard kit. For the relatively high price of this kit, it is nice to feel that you are getting your money's worth.

The skill level is rated as 4. I would judge that kits don't get much harder than this, so I would probably rate it a 5.

Before beginning construction, the builder must immediately make a critical decision. There are three options provided for recovery. Roughly speaking, the choices for splitting are: at the nose cone, 2/3 forward with a locking joint 1/3 forward for disassembly, or 1/3 forward. In two pages of detailed comments, QModeling explains the pros and cons of each approach, including implications about reliability, structural strength, parachute packing, and ease of car transportation. I chose to split at the nose cone.

This review would be too long if I detailed all the construction steps, so I'll only survey the highlights. The complete instruction manual is available online if you want to find more details.

Jig assembly is first. The rocket cannot easily be built without the jigs, so it is critical to get them correct. Unfortunately, I found that there seemed to be many ways to fit the parts together that seemed nearly correct. With much care, I got them assembled correctly, but any mistake here would be very unfortunate.

Motor mount assembly is next. The Andromeda uses QModeling's unique interlocking motor mount design. This nifty balsa and ply construction allows for motor tube centering and through-the-wall fin mounting. Although skeptical at first, I have flown another kit with the same mount many times with no problems whatsoever. The mount design also makes it virtually impossible to upgrade to a 29mm motor tube. Given the weight and size of most QModeling kits, I strongly wish such an option was provided, although it might be a bit too powerful for this particular kit.

Compared to the instructions, my kit had a motor hook that was about 1 1/8 inches too long for a 24mm RMS case. Since the RMS case has an aft thrust ring, the actual gap between the motor and the hook was about 5/8 in. I built a motor spacer to fill the empty space above the motor, allowing the clip to fit correctly on the motor. QModeling later wrote me to agree that I should construct such a spacer.

The next set of steps involve the main reactor tube, lower body tube, and primary fins. Here, I suggest that you push the motor mount assembly up into the lower body tube for extra strength.

Roughly at this point, I made a huge mistake. Despite complete understanding of the instructions, I somehow managed to glue the reactor forward ring about 3/16 inch too far forward. This ring helps mount the reactor tube (in which the motor mount sits) around the lower body tube. This error caused the fin slots to misalign with the motor mount fin slots so I extended the slots. However, this misaligned the fins with the end of the rocket. I had to sand away 1/4 inch from from the aft curve the main fins. Fortunately, the result is not really detectable. I mention this incident because it shows how with such a complex rocket just a small mistake can cascade into a substantial number of serious problems.

Next the reactor rings are glued. It is critical to align these perfectly or else the pod fins won't fit. The pod fins are built next. Here, the instructions for adding the decorative reactor plates were not sufficiently clear to me, and the figure didn't help. If done correctly, all reactor plates should be symmetrical with respect to the rest of the rocket. Mine are asymmetrical, but this is not inconsistent with the overall asymmetry of the rocket design.

The lower rocket is finished with the elevator shafts, the antennae mast fins, the antennae, and other decorative details. The fins are a snap to align perfectly with one of the jigs. The elevator shafts are much more challenging. I recommend that you extend guide lines all the way down the lower body tube to ensure plumb placement of the shafts. Another potential gotcha is at the aft end of the shaft. I had rounded the leading edges of the main fins, but this resulted in the dowel having greater thickness than the beveled fin edge. It required careful sanding and generous wood filler to get a clean smooth look.

The upper portion of the rocket requires a number of further tubes, centering rings, etc. The transition cone is a notable challenge. It is a double wrap of heavy paper. The instructions are very explicit about how to achieve a good result. They encouraged me to expend more patience than I am usually capable of. After construction, I coated with CA, then iterated with wood filler until a seamless look was achieved.

According to the instructions, filleting is mainly postponed until major sections are complete, and sanding/filling is left to the very end. I strongly recommend that you bevel fins and sand and seal all parts as I go. I also prefer to fillet joints for each part immediately after installation. With the huge number of parts here and the complexity of the design, I think it would be nearly impossible to get a great finish unless you follow my advice. One exception to this is the three of radiator rings. I made the mistake of filleting these, then using wood filler to further smooth the seams. This was a huge pain because it took hours of sanding in very tiny spaces to finish the task.

Finishing:
Painting is standard, except that there's a lot of it. I left the interiors of the pod tubes black. For such a large, intricate rocket, I felt that the page of high-quality decals left many interesting features camouflaged, this was partially because I had added a number of additional radiator plates, hatch covers, and various futuristic relief features. Thus, I painted a number of additional features orange or silver to match the provided decals.

The kit comes with a pre-made 30" nylon chute and a Nomex® protector. Considering the fragility, weight, and my affection for this rocket, I feared the chute would be insufficient. Thus, I added a second 30" nylon chute. It was a tight squeeze in the forward compartment, but they both fit.

PROS: Huge project, great quality, mostly fantastic instructions

CONS: A few construction ambiguities, high price

Construction Rating: 4 ½ out of 5

Flight and Recovery:
Terrible grief almost prevents me from writing about the flight. I used a 4 foot long 3/16" rod despite the instructions urging a longer one. The motor was a F24-4. Wind was about 10mph. The short rod, strong breeze, and tightly packed dual chutes gave me plenty to worry about.

When the igniter lit, the motor sputtered for an eternity. Everyone, including me and Nadine "Rockets by Nadine" Kinney missed the launch photo because our cameras had shot their sequence before liftoff. Finally the rocket ascended. The short rod was absolutely fine with the F24, even in the brisk breeze.

The ascent was graceful and perfect. Both chutes ejected just past apogee. One fully inflated and the other was partially tangled and acted like a huge streamer. This was sufficient. Touchdown was 25 yards away, next to the high power pads. Rocketeers at those pads turned around to see the rocket land right near them. They confirmed what was obvious to the whole crowd: Andromeda was totally undamaged! I therefore strongly recommend a bigger chute, or two of them.

The high power range was closed for launches--or at least I thought it was--before I could retrieve Andromeda. After I turned away, my wife gasped and people started running. Stronger winds had filled both chutes and began to drag Andromeda away. Some guy and I I sprinted after the rocket as it repeatedly swung up and around and slammed down, ultimately being dragged and bounced about 1/4 mile down the prairie into the wash. When we finally caught it, it was totally destroyed. Major portions are still out there somewhere.

To go from a totally flawless flight to utter destruction like that was devastating. It would have been far easier if the rocket was ruined in a hard landing. The Andromeda is gone.

PROS: Strong straight flight exceeds expectations; undamaged recovery is possible. Huge crowd pleaser.

CONS: None.

Flight Rating: 5 out of 5

Summary:
I want to mention two other notes about QModeling. First, I won this kit in an EMMR contest but it took about 9 months to be sent, due to a long series of pre-production glitches. The wait was worth it, however, as QModeling's Tom Quinn ended up sending me a huge Mars Snooper kit as consolation, and he sent Andromeda serial #0002. Tom kept #0001 for a future Qmodeling "museum".

Second, there were several post-distribution glitches noticed by those of us building the first few kits. In each case, Tom immediately sent email and written notification to all kit owners, along with any missing part or instruction. With the huge number of parts and the complex instructions, a few minor glitches should be expected initially.

Both these events caused impressed me, and I think QModeling should earn well-deserved respect for excellent customer service.

Overall Rating: 5 out of 5

Brief:
The Mrs. Andromeda is a 1.65:1 upscale of the classic Estes Andromeda, kit #1273. This kit was first introduced in 1975, and remained in production until 1982. Q-Modeling has taken the original design, upscaled it, 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' Kevlar® Shock Cord
• Detailed Step-by-Step Instructions

Stop! Before you build this kit, read the directions. OK, you've been told that on many occasions, but this time, you actually need to do that. This is because there are 3 ways to build it, depending on how you want the deployment. I went with "Option 3". This is the way I built my 4.16 upscale, and although I'm sure the other two deployment options work just fine, I have confidence in this method.

The quality of the components is unparalleled. Every component in this kit is the highest quality available. Even the wooden dowels are poplar. (That's why they have a green tint to them.) Poplar is a strong, moisture resistant wood that warps less than others. The tubes are all the heavy, white, "no-seam" type. The coupler tube is extra long and very thick.

The design of this kit goes way beyond most kits out there. This kit was engineered, not just created. The creativity in the design and construction is tremendous.

The jig is unlike anything I've ever seen. It is made from laser cut pressed wood. The engineering that went into it made building this rocket much easier. Without it, the skill level on this kit would be two steps higher. This is something I guarantee you won't be able to bring yourself to throw in the trash when you are done with it.

I only slightly beveled the fins. I do this on many of my rockets to give them a "beefier" look when streamlining is not a concern. Besides, a rocket in space doesn't care about drag.

The paper transition was no trouble, but I've never liked them. I always prefer a balsa transition because they always look nicer and take no time. I don't think a balsa transition would work here if one chose to use the "ejection through transition" option. Regardless, it's not a "con" it's just a preference.

The only modification I made to the kit was in the "antenna mast" area. The build left a notch-like gap here. I just took a 3/16" wide scrap of balsa, glued it in place, and sanded it to match. See the picture for the before and after.

Little else needs to be said about the build. It went relatively fast with no problems because of the easy-to-understand instructions.

Finishing:
As always, I start with two coats of Rustoleum gray primer with sanding in between coats. The manufacturer recommends painting it with gloss black. The original Andromeda was recommended to be painted flat black, however, decals never adhere well to flat paint. I paint all my Andromedas--or is that Andromadae?--with the Rustoleum satin black. The decals adhere just as good as on gloss paint, and I think that the satin finish looks better than gloss. It's a compromise between flat and gloss. I used Testors #1628 gloss enamel for the inside of the pods. I left my reactor rings black. The only original kits showing them white are the 1975 and 1976 years of production with the blue and white face card. All subsequent kits issued were shown painted black, and this is the version I have always scaled.

The decals went on without trouble. These are the high quality type that don't need to be cut out to the edge of the color, like the single sheet type.

The finished weight of my build was 14.4 oz. Not too far from the listed 14.0 oz. But, I chose not to use the 9" x 9" chute protector to save weight and packing ease. I used dog-barf instead. If I had chose option 1 or 2, I may have used the chute protector.

Construction Rating: 5 out of 5

Flight:
I simmed the kit to determine an engine to use. I do trust the manufacturer, but I wanted to learn max velocities and such. I chose to use the F21-6W, just as they did. My simulations showed a max altitude of 1075 vs 900 that the manufacturer reports. Perhaps my higher number was from more coast with a slightly heavier rocket. They say you can use an E9, but my sim shows that to be dangerous.

Her first flight was at NERRF 4 on the F21-6W. The flight was slightly into the wind and the ejection was very close to apogee. This is a perfect motor for this bird. Too bad AeroTech stopped making them. Unfortunately, I was unable to get any pictures of the flight.

Recovery:
The chute came out with the rocket hanging in midair while it was still pointing up. The flight went without incident and no damage was evident. The descent was just right; not too slow so it drifts away, not too fast to break parts on landing.

Flight Rating: 5 out of 5

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

None of these nit-picky details are worthy of taking from the review points. I sure I'm the only one that would even notice, and this is an upscale sport flier and not supposed to be an exact replica.

Finally, I wrote this review before I noticed that someone had already done one. I thought about changing my review to complement the review that Geoff Givens wrote, but I ended up leaving them as they were and just adding this note. To that I'll add: I received my kit after the instructions had been revised. I found no problems with them in any way. The only thing that I disagree with Geoff's review is that this kit is just barely a 4 skill level. Definitely not a 5. The long motor hook was long to accommodate AeroTech F and Estes E9 motors.

Overall Rating: 5 out of 5

Brief:
This is probably going to be considered the flagship bird of Qmodeling's upscale/mega retro series. It's a 1.65 upscale of the Estes classic Andromeda. As noted in the other fine reviews, this is a magnificently engineered design and a sheer pleasure to build and fly.

While I will cover some construction detail and pictures, I'd also highly recommend Bob Cox's construction thread on TRF for more information. Bob was one of the beta builders of this and really put an outstanding effort into building his model, which was proudly displayed at NARCON 2008.

Construction:
OK, let's hit the touchy subject of price right up front. At about $120, this is way beyond the price one would normally expect to pay for a mid-power kit and that's going to put a fair number of people off. I was one. I've normally picked up every Qmodeling release right away, but at this price it was beyond my budget and I waited about a year before finally picking one up. That was in large part due to working out a deal having won a Vega or Viper kit in an EMRR contest. For the money though, you get some pretty impressive stuff--not just a bag of parts, but some amazingly helpful tools/fixtures and top of the line recovery system. While it will certainly rank up there at or near the top of my most expensive model list, it will also rank up there on my most impressive model list as well.

The parts list is extensive; more than I want to elaborate on in this review. In addition to over 6 feet of good quality kraft tubing (slotted for TTW fins), you get laser cut balsa fins, a heavy wall foil lined 24mm motor tube, the famous QModeling interlocking motor mount assembly, numerous laser-cut fiberboard details, decorative rings and dowels, etc. Also included are multiple sheets of outstanding quality silk screened waterslide decals, Kevlar® shock cord, 9" x 9" Nomex® heat shield, and a 30" Top Flite nylon parachute.

The real "bonus" materials though, are the 3 multi-purpose assembly fixtures.

My instruction manual was revision 3.0, which at time of writing is also the most current edition (QModeling makes all instruction manuals available online). Other than missing decal placement illustrations (there was no page 2 where these would go), my instructions were excellent and probably the finest in the hobby today. They have obviously been refined through several builds and Bob Cox's input is certainly noticeable with plenty of attention to detail and construction tips along the way.

According to the instructions, construction is broken out into 3 main sections totaling about 3.5 hours plus finishing. I had to laugh at that though, as I tended to be overly picky as I went and probably dropped closer to 30 total hours into this. However, I'd say 20-25 could be considered finishing related. Surprisingly, I'd rate this no higher than a 3 on the 5 point skill level scale, thanks to the terrific instructions and illustrations plus the assembly fixtures.

As noted in the other reviews, you really do need to thoroughly read the instructions before beginning construction in order to make an informed decision about how to manage the recovery mounting and separation. The three options presented are basically midpoint separation with chute in the lower BT-55, nose cone separation with chute in the upper BT-60, or two-piece twist-lock construction with nose cone separation so you can break it down for easier transport. There are a number of pros and cons with each approach. In my case, while I normally drive to launches in a small crossover SUV that can handle the 6-foot configuration, I am occasionally left with a relatively tiny compact car and chose the split twist-lock approach.

Construction begins with a couple of assembly fixtures. These are pretty straightforward, built by tacking together laser-cut parts that have interlocking slots with a little CA. While the illustrations are very good, a couple of pieces are very similar looking, and it's possible to get the middle and one end piece mixed up or even mount one of the pieces backwards so pay careful attention to the positioning as you go. I did in fact blow it and mixed up the middle and end piece and didn't catch it until much later when I couldn't properly fit parts in for a tricky alignment.

Next comes the motor mount, which can be a bit tricky if you're not used to the QModeling mounts. These ain't exactly your typical body tube/centering ring/hook assemblies... Even something as simple as a thrust ring becomes a bit more complex here--there's one thin ring mounted from the aft end, reinforced by a second ring mounted from the forward end (which will require a long Q-tip to apply the glue fillet). Worth noting is that the thrust ring position will be a bit off depending on your intended motors. If you're using the 24/40 RMS hardware, there will be a little too much room. If you're using an Estes E9 (not something I'd recommend) or the newer 24/60 RMS hardware (outstanding choice!), then the thrust ring is not far enough forward. It's really important in this case to begin with the end in mind.

With the thrust rings in place, a metal retaining hook is then popped in and held in place by a series of gear-like balsa rings. These rings in turn hold interlocking balsa plates that are slotted for TTW fins. A series of centering rings finish off the motor mount construction (and depending on your recovery placement choice, the Kevlar® shock cord might be mounted to the forward centering ring).

Once the motor mount is complete, it is then mounted inside the lower BT-55 section. As an example of the impressive attention to detail, each of the BT-55 tubes is marked with an X at the cut end, so that you can make sure that end goes inside the transition (upper) or inside the lower BT-60 tube (lower). The assembly is completed by sliding on a slotted BT-60 "reactor tube" and 3 centering rings (reactor rings).

The fin work on this model is extensive, and includes some very complex positioning and alignment challenges that are greatly simplified by the fixtures. First, the two main fins need to be assembled from two pieces, presumably caused by balsa sheet restrictions, as I could think of no other reason to justify having to laser these as separate pieces. Next, you tack on 2 decorative trim plates onto outboard BT-60 pods using the fixture to hold the plates in place on the tube. Once the plates are in place, the same fixture is then used to align the fin to the BT-60 pod.

Next, the main fins are attached to the lower body tube/motor mount assembly. Again, using the fixtures makes this a breeze. One fixture holds the front end level, and another fixture locks the aft end in place as well as positioning the fins and keeping them true/straight. Once they're in place, you tack on the forward strakes and long trim dowels, which fit snugly into the pre-notched fins. The same fixture that kept the forward end of the body tube level on the previous step serves to keep the strakes aligned here. Once that's done, it's rotated and is then used to make sure the pair of fins that support the BT-60 pods are perpendicular to the main fins.

The last fin-related construction step is the antennae mast, which is a slotted fin that slips onto one of the main fins and has a couple dowels trimming the ends. Mine did require a little filling, although not as much as Drake's so it looks like this has improved a bit over time.

The fins and strakes get a few decorative details on them, each of which are carefully positioned using a template laser cut from stiff/fiber cardboard.

The upper body is much simpler. The upper BT-55 gets a pair of centering rings to fit into the BT-60 and a cardstock shroud on the aft end. The shroud even uses one of my favorite seam-minimizing techniques of a separate glue tab that goes inside, allowing the two ends to mate up in a perfect butt joint. And the glue tab is even just a hair shorter, preventing it from causing a small bump when the centering ring pushes against it (it rests against the centering ring, doesn't slip over it). The upper tube is topped off with a BT-60 main compartment and a basic Estes PNC-60 (Big Bertha style) nose cone.

Now in my case, having chosen the twist-lock method, I had some more work in store for me. The twist-lock has a dowel pin inserted in the lower BT-55, so I had to drill a couple holes for this and reinforce the inside with thin CA. The upper BT-55 gets a coupler inserted, but before inserting it I had to cut away a pair of L-shaped slots that fit over the dowel pin. With such precisely engineered design throughout the rest of this, I foolishly figured the dimensions and template would result in a perfect fit. While the dimensions probably were perfect, when executed by a Dremel in my less than CNC-controlled hands, it took several passes to get just the right fit. I was paranoid about being too sloppy and having a glaring joint seam, so had a fit that was too tight to twist and lock, having to gradually expand the L of the slots until it fit.

As a nice touch, there are a couple of decorative disks/pads included to cover up the dowel pin holes if going with this option.

Finishing:
One of the things I love about the Andromeda is that you can achieve such a beautiful appearance with an incredibly simple paint scheme. The thing is basically all black, with just a couple accent colors that can be done by hand.

I started out by filling grains with ample smearing of Elmer's Fill 'n' Finish (tube spirals were dealt with before construction). I then went with two coats of Plasti-Kote gray automotive primer, which goes on thick and sands off easily, helping to finish off the grain and spiral filling.

After the primer coats had been sanded down, I followed up with two coats of Rustoleum metallic black paint (the kind with an almost sparkle finish). This paint is an outstanding choice for this type of model and was also my preferred paint for the trade show demos I made of the FlisKits Night Whisperer and Alien 8.

With the black fully cured 24 hours later, I then painted the reactor rings gold using a hand brush, and the various decorative pads a flat black.

I can't say enough about the quality of the decals. When working with accent colors over black paint, especially white trim, it's frustrating to run into decals that lack the white base coat. These are fantastic, with no bleed or dulling of the color at all. The white and red really jump off the paint.

I also shamelessly copied one of Bob Cox's innovations with this, picking up some reflective tape for trimming the inside of the BT-60 pods as well as accent stripes on the plates on the outside of those pods. It was fairly quick and simple, and the bright red tape really pops in the daylight.

Construction Rating: 4 out of 5

Flight:
When AeroTech first announced the new 24/60 case and F35-5 motor at NARAM-50, I was all over it and picked up a case from our local dealer right away. I had been looking over my fleet for the perfect candidate to fly these on, and while I had a few that would work, my unbuilt Andromeda kit was just begging to jump to the workbench to test out this new motor. I think this might be the first time I've ever decided to build a rocket for a motor rather than deciding to buy a motor for a rocket.

At 15 ounces with motor and flying in windy conditions (10-12 mph steady throughout the day), I really felt like I needed the full power of the F35 over the recommended F21/F24's. The liftoff was perfect with just a slight amount of initial weathercocking (more on that below), followed by a perfectly straight flight, not a trace of roll. The -5 delay was actually fairly accurate, something I rarely encounter with composite motors and deployed the chute just as the rocket was turning over.

Recovery:
It took a couple seconds for the chute to unfurl, as even in the larger BT-60 I had to pack it pretty tightly, but when it did unfurl, it was plenty to bring the model down gently. Despite the hefty sized components, this is still a pretty fragile model and there are plenty of exposed dowels and pods begging to break loose. In my case, the model came down under decent speed in soft grass but was immediately dragged a good 50 yards in the stiff breeze, snagging in the grass and weeds along the way. By the time I caught up to it, a mere 30 feet from a small lake, both of the pod fins had broken loose, although I found them walking back and they can easily be repaired. I'll be using epoxy this time though rather than the thin wood glue and CA I'd used the first time.

On the walk back, I also noticed that I'd broken loose the lower launch lug, which no doubt led to some rod whip and explained what I thought was slight weathercocking. This is designed for two lugs--one towards the midpoint, just forward of the CG, and the other near the aft end of the rocket against the reactor rings. I think the aft lug is going to undergo way too much stress unless you fly off a 12 foot rod or something. In my case, I flew off a 6 foot rod, but after climbing 3 feet the upper lug has cleared the rod and I'm essentially just hanging on by the lower lug. 3 feet of travel is not enough to achieve stable velocity even under the F35, so the rocket is going to pull away at that lug so far behind the CG. I think rail buttons would be strongly preferred here or at least a lug with a much stronger bond to the fin/ring joint.

Flight Rating: 4 ½ out of 5

Summary:
This is an outstanding rocket and will be among my favorites overall. Beautiful design, exceptional quality throughout, and construction made as simple as possible through solid engineering and great tooling.

The only cons I'd offer are the weak launch lug approach which really needs a longer rod and the price, although the price is probably appropriate given the size of the model, quality of components, and extras such as the tooling. Still, I hate to keep acquiring more Nomex® and nylon chutes with every QModelling kit I buy and would much rather have the option of going chuteless to bring the costs down.

At $120, I can't exactly say rush out and buy this one, but for Andromeda fans or anyone looking for that one special rocket, this would have to be a serious contender. It's a pleasure to build, and awesome to watch in flight, especially with the newer 24/60 case available to goose it up a bit in power.

Overall Rating: 4 ½ out of 5