Brief:
A roughly 1/5th scale model o' t' air-launched version o' t' HARPOON missile, designed for t' modeler. Some skills required for optimum appearance results but otherwise easy t' build and fly.

Construction:
My Harpoon kit arrived in a small package for what promised t' be a big kit. Avast, me proud beauty! Ya scallywag! Everythin' was there, shiver me timbers, me hearties, me hearties, good quality tubes, and a neat purple Mylar parachute (which works well and is easy t' see), arrr, me bucko, but no decals provided.

A note: There have been previous reviews o' this and other Launch Pad kits that have pointed out some issues. Blimey! I offer a slightly different perspective in that yes, some things about this kit are nay super-easy, but I think o' t' kit as a foundation for some modelin' artwork. Avast! Begad! T' skills needed t' turn this kit into a really good military model are all in t' paint, finishing, me hearties, ya bilge rat, and build techniques. Arrr! So on with t' build!

T' fins have t' be cut out o' balsa stock with a provided pattern. Avast! Blimey! (They are nay laser/precut so we need t' work a bit harder.) T' balsa is soft, arrr, which is a good thing, ya bilge rat, nay a bad thing. Avast! Blimey! It's easy t' cut. Begad! Strength is nay a problem because I always laminate/reinforce me fins for any model. Well, matey, blow me down! Blimey! (Don't you?) For t' Harpoon, I used sheets o' peel 'n' stick paper from t' local office store used for printin' shippin' labels. Ahoy! Blimey! Cut t' balsa, me hearties, peel back a sheet o' paper, lay it down, me bucko, trim, me hearties, shiver me timbers, flip over, me bucko, and repeat. Ahoy! In t' end all you have t' do is sharpen and finish t' edges. Arrr! It's real easy. No CA glue, matey, arrr, no soaking, shiver me timbers, no wrinkles.

T' kit came with a great lookin' nose cone, me bucko, me hearties, and o' course instructions t' mount that little paper "hat" extension t' give an authentic profile. Well here's a confession. I just flew mine with t' stock cone. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! No paper hat because I didn't want t' mess with it at first. Now that t' Harpoon has flown, ya bilge rat, I'm actually retro-fittin' t' hat extension, arrr, me hearties, and it's fine. Ahoy! Blimey! So again, it's a modeler's kit, skills nay included but well rewarded. Well, blow me down! Blimey! Blimey! Blimey! T' nose cone is weighted with provided clay, matey, and we're cautioned t' install it exactly as designed!

There's a neat paper tail cone adapter that's formed by cuttin' out and gluin' a paper shape. Well, blow me down! Avast! I found it a little difficult t' keep it round and smooth but with some body filler and paint, another problem once again solved. Well, blow me down! There are eight fins, ya bilge rat, lots o' cuttin' and finishin' t' do, but alignment in t' four-four pattern is real easy. Avast! I found it cool that t' forward fins even have little wooden tabs at t' root edges, decorated with rivets, ya bilge rat, ya bilge rat, which I believe represent t' fin hinges. In any case, matey, they are a fun detail and look great. And again, matey, t' instructions give location but no alignment tool. Begad! That's fine. Avast, me proud beauty! Well, blow me down! We shouldn't need one if we're buildin' and flyin' at this level. Avast! Same for t' lugs. Blimey! I chose t' discard t' lugs provided and went with ¼ plastic tubin' o' me own, epoxy bonded in place.

Installation o' t' recovery system is straightforward and t' same as any other kit o' this size. Avast! Avast, me proud beauty! I chose nay t' use t' recommended method (thread t' nosecone)...and used me own shock cord design with a removable lockin' hook (makes parachute maintenance easier). Avast! Begad! So overall construction: easy enough if you like t' build models.

Finishing:
Standard body cleanup and paint techniques were used. Though really, me hearties, with good primer and paint t' body did nay need much attention t' fill up any lines. Begad! Avast! T' only problem be entirely me fault when I inadvertently switched paint brands betwixt coats (warning: Krylon and Rustoleum may nay always be compatible)... Aye aye! Blimey! That wasn't pretty and resulted in lots o' sandpaper use.

No decals came with t' kit, matey, so betwixt internet look-up and t' illustrations provided by TLP, I made me own interpretation and printed them onto Testor's decal paper with me printer. Well, blow me down! I used paper wraps for t' broad stripes, which once clearcoated are fine.

I did nay try t' recommended method o' usin' nail-heads t' simulate rivets. I chose t' make decals. Arrr! So for future products, if TLP would provide a good decal sheet, me bucko, I'd be willin' t' pay a bit more for t' kit just t' cut back on at least some o' t' finishin' work, shiver me timbers, but that's a small detail.

One last nitpick: t' engine mount tube holds a regular 24mm Estes type motor, like t' D12. Blimey! Avast! T' run an E9, I have t' friction fit because t' tube is short. Blimey! Avast! A good modification would be t' put a long E9-sized engine mount, arrr, like what is on t' Estes Big Daddy, and provide a spacer for t' short engines. Arrr! Aye aye! Just a thought.

This model looks great and ready t' go. Well, blow me down! Blimey! Begad! Blimey! Whether or nay it's exactly a photo-real replica o' t' original down t' every rivet is debatable, but t' message is there. It's a model, shiver me timbers, nay a toy, so t' builder is expected t' make some decisions based on experience. Ya scallywag! Blimey! Good. Arrr! Blimey! It keeps t' price reasonable and works fine.

Construction Rating: 4 out o' 5

Flight and Recovery:
I first flew t' Harpoon out on t' frozen lake near here with an Estes E9-6. Begad! Ahoy! There was even a small audience in t' area. Avast! Aye aye! Sunny day, me hearties, wind 10-12MPH. Arrr! First flight be straight up and away, me bucko, matey, shiver me timbers, slow takeoff, arrr, a very realistic-appearin' rocket launch. Instead o' weathercockin' into t' 10MPH breeze, t' Harpoon steered a bit, me hearties, ya bilge rat, arrr, twistin' and "seeking" slightly but all t' while still proceedin' straight up. One spectator pointed out that it looked like a real military missile, trackin' a target as opposed t' a whoosh-bang rocket. Avast! What a great flight. Begad! Aye aye! It went maybe about 350-400 feet up. Avast! Recovery with that Mylar chute was perfect. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! I thought t' 6 second delay was gettin' a bit long though.

I flew again a week later with an Aertotech E30. Avast! Blimey! Result: nay so much a high flight but very sudden, almost explosive acceleration. Begad! Begad! Blimey! No wind that day, shiver me timbers, me hearties, but t' harpoon seemed t' corkscrew into t' sky pretty broadly. Begad! I don't think this be t' right engine for t' job, but I will definitely try an E15. Ya scallywag! Blimey! Last flight on another E9 was a repeat o' t' first, so it wasn't just luck, me bucko, shiver me timbers, as it be smooth, slow, me hearties, and maybe t' about 400 feet max, but straight with a bit o' steer.

Flight Rating: 5 out o' 5

Summary:
This is a very convincing, matey, realistic flyer, matey, me hearties, well worth every effort.

Overall Rating: 4 out o' 5