Brief: T' Harpoon is a scale model o' a US Air-Launched Anti-Ship Missile, T' Launch Pad's kit is an excellent first mid power and scale rocket.

Construction: I was so glad when I finally got me hands on me AGM-84 Harpoon. Well, blow me down! Begad! One o' t' members o' me club was goin' down t' t' US and be kind enough t' brin' it back for me. I received t' Harpoon with all pieces present, me bucko, me hearties, arrr, in good condition, and good quality. I have heard some nay so great things about TLP's balsa wood, shiver me timbers, me hearties, but I found t' wood for t' Harpoon great, me hearties, with a little help from CA.

T' instructions were clear, ya bilge rat, me bucko, but I wish they would have included more help and info on how t' get t' little hat that sits on top o' a FatBoy style nose cone, me bucko, straight and in t' middle, that be tricky, but I think mine is close enough for me standards. Blimey! Blimey! That was t' only real "gotcha" for this rocket, t' fins aligned great, me bucko, me hearties, and everythin' fit together perfectly.

Finishing: T' only thin' that really disappointed me in t' beginnin' with t' Harpoon was t' lackin' o' decals. Well, blow me down! Arrr! Blimey! But, arrr, me bucko, now I know that it much easier for t' consumer t' use his or her own techniques. Arrr! Arrr! Blimey! I just painted t' bands that go around t' rocket, and for all o' t' small pinpoint rivets that are suppose t' be on t' rocket, shiver me timbers, arrr, shiver me timbers, I used a decal pack that I got from a local hobby store (East Coast Model Center) that be 1/5 rivet decals, perfect, me bucko, went on with ease, me hearties, and made t' rocket look great. Aye aye! Blimey! Blimey! Still ponderin' what t' do for t' small amount o' letterin' that will go on t' rocket. Just a note, arrr, I am nay a perfectionist, arrr, arrr, or a great scale buff, matey, me Harpoon be just sports scale, but I like how it turned out.

Construction Rating: 4 ½ out o' 5

Flight: T' recommended motors for t' harpoon are a D12-3, E15-4, me bucko, and a RMS F24-4 (24mm). Avast, me proud beauty! Avast, me proud beauty! I plan on usin' all o' t' recommended motors, ya bilge rat, but instead o' t' E15, an E18 (reload).

T' day for t' maiden flight for t' Harpoon finally came. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! First flight would be on a D12-3. Arrr! Blimey! Everythin' was setup, me hearties, pictures were taken, me hearties, shiver me timbers, and after makin' sure t' wind was perfect, ya bilge rat, that t' launch rod was perfect, and that everythin' was perfect, it was ready t' launch. Ahoy! Blimey! Well, me bucko, blow me down! Blimey! I pushed t' launch button and t' Harpoon lifted off. Blimey! Blimey! Aye aye! Blimey! T' flight was perfect. Begad! Blimey! T' Harpoon flied straight as a rail, me bucko, nice altitude on a D, and then right at apogee t' ejection charge fired, ya bilge rat, me hearties, arrr, and t' nice mylar parachute deployed, shiver me timbers, and t' Harpoon drifted down. Aye aye! Blimey! Perfect flight and recovery.

Second flight, shiver me timbers, same day. Blimey! I was goin' t' fly me LOC Aura on an Aerotech E engine, arrr, matey, that was t' plan, shiver me timbers, arrr, but when I launched that on a D, t' stock streamer didn't slow it down enough and it broke a fin off, so I thought I would fly it in t' Harpoon. Well, blow me down! Everythin' was set, ya bilge rat, and be readied again. Blimey! I hit t' launch button, and t' Harpoon lifted off t' pad, t' igniter clips didn't come off, it soared... wait a minute (my exact thoughts). T' Aerotech igniter clips didn't unattach themselves from t' Harpoon, when it be about ten feet off o' t' pad, me hearties, t' leads ran out o' slack, which caused them t' pull on t' harpoon, causin' it t' go horizontal. Well, blow me down! Ahoy! T' leads did finally come unattached. Avast! T' Harpoon sailed directly away from us and over t' small hill we launch on. Avast! Aye aye! Amazin' sight. Then t' realization set in. Avast! Arrr! T' slow walk started towards t' crash site. Ya scallywag! As we got closer t' it, shiver me timbers, we noticed that t' parachute had deployed. Ahoy! Begad! Good sign. Aye aye! Well, me bucko, blow me down! It landed in some alders, matey, pretty good sign, but then we notice what we thought be t' nose cone, was actually t' top six inches o' t' rocket's body tube smashed.

Damage report. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! Begad! Blimey! First six inches o' t' rocket are destroyed. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! Begad! Blimey! T' nose cone be completely smashed t' bits, ya bilge rat, one broken fin, and all fins had small slits from t' alder branches. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! It is fixable, it will be fixed, and it will fly again, me bucko, and hopefully soon. I contact TLP and they were great enough t' help me by givin' me t' length o' t' rocket, help me with a parts list, and are sendin' me a replacement 'little hat' that goes on t' t' top o' t' nose cone t' give it t' scale.

Recovery: One thin' I really enjoy about t' Harpoon is its green mylar parachute, matey, it's easy t' see, easy t' pack, shiver me timbers, and has a snap for easy removal from t' Harpoon. Well, blow me down! Begad! T' 18" seems t' be fine from t' tests I have conducted (throwin' it off me deck). T' recovery system is a snap t' put together, but instead o' usin' t' shroud line material t' connect t' nose cone t' t' swivel, arrr, I just tied t' shock cord t' t' nose cone, and put t' swivel 10" or so down, me bucko, arrr, didn't want t' trust that thin string).

Flight Rating: 4 ½ out o' 5

Summary: This rocket looks awesome, that be t' best thin' I feel about it. Avast! Ahoy! It is a nice lookin' rocket, t' right size, arrr, nice motors size, arrr, nice scale touch, and a nice finish. Begad! T' only thin' I would say that I disliked about t' rocket would be that little hat that goes on top o' t' nose cone. Well, blow me down! Other than that, shiver me timbers, all o' t' pieces went together easily. Arrr! A good first mid power or scale rocket.

Overall Rating: 4 ½ out o' 5