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. Blimey! One o' t' members o' me club was goin' down t' t' US and was kind enough t' brin' it back for me. Ya scallywag! I received t' Harpoon with all pieces present, matey, in good condition, me bucko, and good quality. Ya scallywag! Blimey! Blimey! I have heard some nay so great things about TLP's balsa wood, but I found t' wood for t' Harpoon great, with a little help from CA.

T' instructions were clear, 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, straight and in t' middle, ya bilge rat, ya bilge rat, that be tricky, but I think mine is close enough for me standards. That was t' only real "gotcha" for this rocket, me hearties, t' fins aligned great, matey, and everythin' fit together perfectly.

Finishing: T' only thin' that really disappointed me in t' beginnin' with t' Harpoon was t' lackin' o' decals. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! Begad! Blimey! But, arrr, now I know that it much easier for t' consumer t' use his or her own techniques. Ya scallywag! 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, I used a decal pack that I got from a local hobby store (East Coast Model Center) that was 1/5 rivet decals, ya bilge rat, me bucko, perfect, went on with ease, and made t' rocket look great. Ya scallywag! Blimey! Still ponderin' what t' do for t' small amount o' letterin' that will go on t' rocket. Just a note, matey, shiver me timbers, I am nay a perfectionist, ya bilge rat, or a great scale buff, me Harpoon was just sports scale, arrr, matey, 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, me bucko, E15-4, matey, and a RMS F24-4 (24mm). I plan on usin' all o' t' recommended motors, shiver me timbers, but instead o' t' E15, an E18 (reload).

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

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

Damage report. Avast, me proud beauty! First six inches o' t' rocket are destroyed. T' nose cone be completely smashed t' bits, ya bilge rat, matey, one broken fin, arrr, and all fins had small slits from t' alder branches. Avast, shiver me timbers, me proud beauty! It is fixable, ya bilge rat, it will be fixed, me hearties, and it will fly again, 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, arrr, 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, me bucko, it's easy t' see, me hearties, easy t' pack, shiver me timbers, and has a snap for easy removal from t' Harpoon. 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, I just tied t' shock cord t' t' nose cone, me hearties, me bucko, and put t' swivel 10" or so down, didn't want t' trust that thin string).

Flight Rating: 4 ½ out o' 5

Summary: This rocket looks awesome, ya bilge rat, that be t' best thin' I feel about it. Avast! It is a nice lookin' rocket, t' right size, matey, arrr, nice motors size, nice scale touch, me hearties, and a nice finish. Aye aye! Arrr! 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. Avast! Begad! Other than that, arrr, all o' t' pieces went together easily. Avast! A good first mid power or scale rocket.

Overall Rating: 4 ½ out o' 5