Quest Flat Cat

Quest - Flat Cat {Kit} (3006) [1994-?]

Contributed by Chris Taylor Jr.

Construction Rating: starstarstarstar_borderstar_border
Flight Rating: starstarstarstarstar
Overall Rating: starstarstarstarstar_border
Diameter: 0.79 inches
Length: 20.00 inches
Manufacturer: Quest
Skill Level: 3
Style: Glider

Packaging: 

Plastic bag with cardboard display picture.  

The Parts:

Lots of very nice, high-quality, thick balsa wood. No skimpy stuff here. This is going to be one tough glider! 

Standard Pop-pod Glider. Basically a short, finless rocket that attaches the nose of the glider with a one-way hook, I. e. go up and it hooks, go back and it falls off. The motor's ejection is how the rocket "goes back" to unhook the glider.  

[Rocket Pic]Construction:

3 out of 5, as I have found with Quest and Estes kits, instructions are very good. This is kit is nothing special here. This is kit is nothing special here. Nothing overly hard or anything, although, there are a few points not pointed at in the instructions that should be. More on that later.  

I don't remember a huge amount of construction details, since it was rather easy and straight-forward. The one part that sticks out is the Booster to Glider hook assembly. Do it right the first time.   I accidentally made my fuselage upside down and had the hook hole on the wrong side. So I had to snap the fuselage in two just in-front of the wings, flip it over and re-glue. No problem for me, but for a novice this could very well ruin the whole project.  

Also, sand out the hook-hole really well. I also sanded the hook real fine and smeared some CA on it and sanded it again (so it wont expand and get to tight). The hook should be very loose, such that it is a pain to keep in place if you push up on the glider. Let gravity and the hook do the job. If it is too tight the ejection charge might not separate the booster and glider from each other! 

Finishing:

Different from the instructions and the name (Flat Cat) is what I did not do, that is to leave the wings flat.  I sanded them and I sanded them aggressively! I have one mean airfoil in those wings, not just rounded leading and trailing edges [per the instructions].   True flat bottom air-foil (thick balsa "Rules")! I also sanded everything else, including the Fuselage, Tail assembly, etc.  

No painting. I want performance. I want performance. Painting is for looks and robs from performance by adding weight. I did add the sticker, though, even though they are quite heavy. They are heavy, aluminized stickers that protect the wings from the motor exhaust. The other two stickers, I placed on the bottom of the wing tips to help spot it in the air.  

Trimming:

Trimming was easy. It is a normal glider and can be thrown like a normal glider and performed quite well on the first toss with no trimming.   I trimmed in a little turn in hopes of trying to get it back. I also have to trim a little up elevator.  

Flights:

Motor Suggestions are, I think, the B6-4 and C6-3. Personally I say the A8-3, B6-2, C5-3, & C6-3.  

First flight on a C6-3 had a good, but slightly arching, boost.   At ejection the pod did not separate and it "Red Baroned" in . . . but softly with no damage. (This is actually when I did the CA thing to the hook).  

On another Sunday Flying day, I launched again on a C6-3 with a little more nose weight. This lightened up that arch a bit and it was good now. Ejection was good with the streamer for the pod and the Glider was pure amazing until I realized I was NOT going to get it back.   I was going to get in the car, looked up and realized that would not help either since it had caught a thermal and was climbing fast. I never saw it again. GRRrrrrr! 

I bought another kit and built it (lost pod when I stepped on it) same as the first. I flew this one at the PARA Launch and almost lost it again. This time I got lucky, for when it went over some trees it hit a down draft and a gust of wind at the same time.   This inverted the glider and it could not recover before hitting the ground.   THANK YOU, I GOT it back! But . . . I lost the booster pod to the corn field. And now, I can not find anymore of this kit to buy.   I will have to fashion another booster, maybe a 24mm Booster so I can get "out of sight" glides every flight . . . Naa, that's too many gliders to build.  

Maybe I better start flying on A and B motors or once I have $250 I plan to order a radio system from Wes Technic Servos that are 2. 8 grams a piece and a 6 gram receiver. I could make the Flat Cat radio control and fly it on D motors. That would be very cool and I would always get it back (with $250 on gear aboard, I BETTER get it back) 

Performance 6 out of 5 if built properly it is just amazing. If I had the pod I would have flown for a boost glide at NARAM-40.

Other Reviews
  • Quest Flat Cat By Jim Bassham and Edie Parkhouse (June 28, 2010)

    Brief: The Flat Cat is a classic boost glider with a streamer-recovery pod. Construction: Parts List: Launch lug 18mm motor tube 8.5 inch body tube Thrust Ring Plastic nose cone and base 24inch streamer and gripper tab Balsa fuselage Balsa pylon Three sheets of die-cut parts Motor mount Trim clay Elastic shock cord Kevlar ® ...

  • Quest Flat Cat By Hank Helmen (November 13, 2008)

    Brief: This is a boost glider rocket with streamer recovery for the booster. Construction: The Quest Flat Cat boost glider includes an 18mm body tube for the booster as well as an engine mount kit. There are die cut balsa wings and fins. Also included in the kit is a 24" plastic recovery streamer, shock cord, plastic nose cone and decals. The instructions were easy to ...

  • Quest Flat Cat By Matt Gillard (December 30, 2007)

    Brief: A pop pod glider for B and C motors. The design is tried and tested and there are two levels of finish: one simple one that is a quick glue together without any airfoils, which is where the flat part of its name comes from, and a second where there is a great deal of sanding involved. Quest puts this rocket at a skill level three which is about right for the airfoil version ...

  • Quest Flat Cat By Mitch Marchi (December 14, 2007)

    Brief: Low power rocket booster with streamer recovery and glider flight recovery. Construction: Rocket booster is basically an 18mm minimum diameter rocket with a balsa "hook" assembly on it instead of fins. Glider is comprised completely of balsa. Wings and stabilizer are 1/8", fuselage is 1/4" x 1/2". The instructions were good, except that ...

Flights

Comments:

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B.M. (August 1, 2000)
The Flat Cat was my first glider kit in 20 years. I found it easy to assemble, but I had reservations about the quality of the wood. The glider wings were some of the heaviest C-grain balsa I have ever seen. (I have a background in model airplanes, and have flown hand launched gliders.) I figured that maybe they used the heavier wood to stand up to the stresses of launching... I was wrong. My glider flies like a brick. I put a light finish on it, but it is just too heavy. Because it is so heavy, it was difficult to trim. Also the high weight translates into high flight speeds, and it breaks somewhere after every flight because it is hits the ground so fast. I'm planning to scratch build another glider, using contest grade balsa. The quality of balsa in kits can vary widely, from light A grain to heavy C-grain. I think the design is good. After reading other's comments, I must have gotten a kit with not-so-great balsa. I found the adhesive on the stickers to be weak-- they wouldn't stay down.
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R.J. (September 1, 2000)
I agree that the stickers adhered poorly. I decided to spray the top of the wings with spray adhesive (masking off the rest of the cat) then putting aluminum foil on top of the adhesive, trimming off the excess afterwards. Looks great.
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B.M. (October 1, 2000)
Update to my comments from 8/00: I made a new set of wings from lighter wood. My glider now flies great. My original needed some tail weight to balance the model. When I put the new wing on, I moved it back about an inch, which allowed me to lose the tail weight. The glider flies so much better! I flew it on an A8-3 and it flew nicely. I then tried a B6-2, and it flew so well I lost the glider. I will definitely be building another one! BTW, I did not bother with the mylar to protect the top of the wing. In my first 2 flights, I saw no sign of exhaust residue.
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(December 1, 2000)
I agree with the comments above. I too replaced the heavy balsa wings with thinner stock and gave them a good airfoil. I have launched my Flatcat 9 times now and it worked great on every flight except on an A engine. B6-2s are the best to use. The C engines work, but you'll risk never seeing it again unless you trim the glider for a nice, slow curve. Overall a very nice kit and a real crowd pleaser!P.D.M.
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HWH (November 9, 2008)
Good review very accurate. I built and flew this kit. It flies GREAT, just don't fly it on a windy day. A helpful hint: definitely put a little turn on your glider by adding a pinch of clay to one wing tip. Also a touch of Day-Glo orange paint or marker on wing tips and/or tail helps in recovery in tall grass. The suggestion to trace the glider wings and tail patterns before assembly (to make spares) is a good one! All in all, this is a great flier. We have "fly offs" between this and our Deltie B.

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