Brief:
Deep Space Fantasy Model. It has the flavor of an early 70's transport sci-fi ship.

Construction:
The model has numerous parts starting out with 4 main sections of body tube going from BT-50 to BT-20 to BT-5. Balsa fins have plastic overlays to add texture and are connected to the main tube and scalloped to also attach to a piece of BT-80 that gives the appearance of a ring housing. All 3 nosecones are plastic and need no prep for finish. The details for the Odyssey are what sets it apart from other models. The kit comes with strips of round and flat styrene to add detail as you see fit. The included resin parts provide lots of little gizmos, antenna like pieces, and a radar-style dish. One nice touch is the supplied piece of angle aluminum for marking straight lines on body tubes. That one got thrown into the build box for future projects.

The instructions included come loaded on a CD that is very easy to follow. Included are a set of photos, instructions in just text, or instructions with photos. The instructions are first rate and could be used by just about anyone with minor building experience. Seeing the parts being put together is a major plus for even the experienced builder. The balsa parts are all laser cut and everything fits together very nicely. No special tools are needed, just your imagination to finish the detailing. The photos show where the details were added on the manufacturers build. The instructions tell you to add them as you please.

Finishing:
Finishing the model is again left up to the modeler. It could be done in any color you choose. Obviously with the decals provided you'll want something to show off the decals which provide the final touch to the overall look of this bird. White or light grey are recommended. The photos provided on the included CD, also show you some weathering technique. The decals provided are top notch. The primary decals are in red and black, with accent stripes and plenty of small hatches and details. The decals also include some gold metallic decals that are really sharp. I of course had to do my Odyssey a little different from the norm. I took the stripe decals and traced them on to a self adhesive blue metallic prism paper. I picked this up from ASP. It is available in various colors. I also cut some striping to go on the detail plastic around the BT-80. I also decided to use this on the inside of the outboard motor tubes instead of painting them.

Construction Rating: 5 out of 5

Flight:
I only had a chance to fly the bird once. The recommended motors are the B4-2, B6-2, or C6-3. I flew it on 11-01-08 and chose a B6-2. This was a perfect choice. I was actually lucky enough to have the designer observing the flight. Scott told me right as it ejected (about 100' up) that a C6-3 would have been a nice choice on the large field we were at. The supplied chute worked great and recovery was only a few steps away.

Recovery:
With the length of the model and the chute being contained all the way near the nose cone, with a few sheets of wadding there was no visible damage to the recovery system at all.

Flight Rating: 5 out of 5

Summary:
The model was obviously designed by a modeler that likes to build models. The Odyssey is not a complex build but is an intermediate build far from a 3FNC model. It has been well designed and thought out. The parts supplied are first rate. I do not have any cons that are evident to me.

Overall Rating: 5 out of 5