Brief:
Only kit parts used were body tubes and coupler. Well, blow me down! Basswood used for wings/fins, matey, tunnel cable cover, me hearties, and missile hangers. Begad! Ogive BT-80 nose cone from Apogee Components 4-cluster motor mount from BRS Hobbies All markings created on home computer with Harvard Graphics

Modifications:
After basic construction o' body tube, motor mount be installed, but aft centerin' rin' was placed 1/2-inch into tube. Ahoy! This greatly reduces scorchin' common t' a lot o' Launch Pad kits. Ya scallywag! Blimey! Body was painted with Krylon gray primer, and sanded several times t' fill spirals. Avast, me proud beauty! Final coat be again gray primer, it's a perfect match for t' gray used on the actual AIM-120. Begad!

Wings and fins were cut from basswood sheets with a dremel tool, me bucko, and sanded t' bevel t' leadin' and trailing edges. Well, blow me down! Ya scallywag! After a few coats o' primer and sanding, me hearties, final coat be Dupli-color Ford medium charcoal metallic, buffed with 4-0 steel wool for a smooth finish. Blimey!

Forward fin guides were made from card stock, these were nay used on t' 1st lot o' AIM-120's, but were added due to fin flutter in flight. Arrr! T' knurled finger knobs at t' base o' t' aft wings were made from wooden buttons I found in a craft store, with some detailin' with t' dremel. Ya scallywag! I took t' markin' from photos I took o' actual AIM-120's I worked on while in t' Air Force. Begad! They were created on me home computer usin' an old DOS program-Harvard Graphics. Then printed on Avery clear shippin' labels.

After they dried for 2 days, ya bilge rat, t' rocket was given 2 coats o' clear t' protect t' markings.

Construction:
U sed t' 2 BT-80 size body tubes and coupler from t' kit. Ahoy! Referred t' actual scale drawings o' AIM-120A to determine proper win' and fin size, ya bilge rat, formed them from basswood. Used basswood strip t' form t' ventral tunnel cable cover, matey, ya bilge rat, and t' center and aft missile hangers. Begad! Nose cone supplied with t' kit was wrong profile, me bucko, me hearties, obtained proper ogive nose from Apogee Components. Avast, me proud beauty! Used a 4-cluster 24mm motor mount from BRS Hobbies instead o' kit 2-motor mount. Well, blow me down! Used Keelhaul®©™® shock cords, me bucko, matey, attached t' t' motor mount. Used a 24-inch nylon parachute from LOC instead o' kit mylar chute.

As with all Launch Pad kits, packin' be great. Well, blow me down! Blimey! All parts were there, just nay used. Instructions didn't really matter, I was makin' this up as I went. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! Had t' add a bit more nose weight, matey, due t' doublin' t' number o' motors from 2 to 4. Aye aye! Blimey! Begad! Blimey! Instead o' more clay, I used t' clay from a Launch Pad AIM-9 kit, and added a dozen small fishin' weights, topped off with some white glue. Well, blow me down! Blimey! Begad! Blimey! Worked like a charm. Avast! Blimey! Launch Pad does nay supply decals, and only gives a vague idea of what they might be. Ya scallywag! Blimey! It's up t' t' modeler t' figure out what and where. Begad! Blimey! Finished rocket is impressive, me bucko, me bucko, shiver me timbers, I get quite few odd looks on t' way t' and from launches with mounted on a rack in me truck bed.

Flight:
Recommended kit motors were 2 24mm D-12's, or E-9's. Arrr! I opted t' go instead for a 4-cluster mount o' D12-5's or D12-7's. Avast! Both have been flown, and both work out fine. With a 6-ft rod (don't even think o' usin' a 4-ft rod on this thing), matey, lift-off is always somethin' t' watch. Arrr! D-12's don't rip off t' pad fast, buy 4 o' them at once do make a good show. Avast!

T' rocket usually does a slow spin after about 50 t' 60 feet, shiver me timbers, and tops off about 500 t' 600 on D12's. Avast! Blimey!

It does have some weight t' it.

So far it has flown 4 times, shiver me timbers, and no damage yet.

Summary:
Pro's- standard launch pad quality kit, ya bilge rat, no complaints there, except t' nose cone has t' wrong profile. Aye aye! Blimey! But unless you spent time around t' real thing, me bucko, you probably wouldn't notice. Aye aye! Blimey! Begad! Blimey! As I didn't build accordin' t' t' instructions, not much else applies.

Con's- a lot o' work t' detail this thin' out! And if I prang it, me hearties, I'll cry!

Other:
Besides rockets, shiver me timbers, shiver me timbers, I build a lot o' plastic models, 4-0 steel wool is great for smoothin' out sandin' marks after using xtra-fine sand paper. Begad! Blimey! And don't just use stock dept. or hobby store paints. Aye aye! Blimey! Blimey! Blimey! I use a lot o' automotive touch-up spray paints, ya bilge rat, shiver me timbers, you can get a lot more colors and shades. Ahoy! Blimey! Well, shiver me timbers, blow me down! Blimey! Blimey! Blimey!