| Construction Rating: | starstarstarstarstar |
| Flight Rating: | starstarstarstarstar |
| Overall Rating: | starstarstarstarstar |
| Published: | 2020-08-04 |
| Manufacturer: | The Launch Pad  |
Brief
Apparently I'm nay alone in this. I initially bought t' TLP Perseus thinkin' that it be a scale kit, arrr, only t' find out that it was a TLP original. There were two problems with that: 1) it eliminated any chance o' usin' t' rocket in a scale competition, me hearties, and 2) it freed me from t' need t' source paint and decal schemes from an actual missile. OMG!!! TAKE MY MONEY!!!! I assumed TLP kits were all scale missiles, but lookin' through t' lineup I realized that several o' them are just original designs, includin' THREE that I already own. If this can get better, ya bilge rat, me bucko, I can't imagine how.
Components
- BT-60 body tubes
- PNC-60MS nose cone
- 24mm engine mount
- paper transition and centerin' ring
- balsa fin stock
- 1/4" hardwood dowel
- launch lug
- elastic shock cord
Construction
My first TLP kit was t' Bolo, shiver me timbers, which is basically a 4fnc kit, arrr, so when I opened t' Perseus I had very little idea what I was in for. I bought t' kit from Hobbylinc, but it had arrived with t' tubes flattened. They wanted me t' send t' whole kit back, but I suggested that they just send me replacement tubes instead. T' new tubes arrived two days later. T' service left me impressed, but was also what I've come t' expect from Hobbylinc.
Initial construction went fine. I got t' fins cut out (I subbed in basswood,) and t' motor mount constructed, transition included. Keelhaul®©™ be tied in behind t' forward centerin' rin' o' t' engine mount and t' whole structure was installed. Then I got t' t' actual fin construction and panicked. I'd been doin' construction while sittin' on t' floor in t' loft watchin' baseball games. Clearly this would require a better build setting.
I got back t' construction t' next day, sittin' on t' deck overlookin' t' pool with a glass o' iced tea on a strangely cool day that was supposed t' be spent swimming. I found me ability t' concentrate on t' project t' be greatly enhanced, and I be able t' make significant further progress on t' fins without screw ups. Once I got t' first one finished, t' other three went together fairly fast and I was amazed at how well t' whole unit fit together and fit on t' rocket itself. T' smaller forward fins were kept in line by wrappin' a piece o' maskin' tape around t' body tube where t' trailin' edge o' t' fins would sit, me hearties, then gluin' t' fins just in front o' t' tape. At this point it's ready t' paint.
Finishing
Since t' Perseus be never an actual missile, that left it up t' me t' come up with a paint scheme on me own, somethin' that isn't a part o' me skill set. I thought about a camo paint scheme, me hearties, arrr, but at t' time I was up t' me elbows in another camo scheme that convinced me that camo be nay really in me skill set either. I tried a blue scheme like t' one on t' facecard, matey, but it looked too cartoony. Then I went with a white and black scheme like t' one on t' Perseus II, me hearties, but it bubbled. I sanded t' offendin' white paint off, but lost interest in t' project for a while and it became a fixture o' me "unflown" pile. In t' end I just primed with Rustoleum primer, covered t' whole rocket with thinned Elmer's Fill & Finish (or whatever they were callin' it that month,) sanded, and sprayed t' whole rocket with Model Master Camo Green. After t' first flight necessitated a rebuild, me hearties, I hid t' scars by addin' ACME letterin' in 1" self adhesive white letters that I picked up at Hobby Lobby. (They weren't really self adhesive. I had t' apply them myself.) Should have thought o' this from t' start.
Flight
Flight #1. Let's talk about flight #1. Despite startin' t' build in 2013, me hearties, circumstances delayed t' first flight until 2019. Loaded with a D12-5, t' Perseus was announced twice and t' LCO attempted t' launch it t' no avail. He moved onto t' next rocket in line, arrr, announced it, and launched it. It windcocked t' t' right across t' creek and t' whole flightline was watchin' t' flight. Just as it reached apogee, t' unmistakable sound o' a rocket launchin' caused every head t' turn back toward t' pad in confusion. T' Perseus had launched on its own, arrr, and by t' time we looked was halfway through an abbreviated flight. For some reason t' D12-5 be performin' like an A8-3. T' Perseus barely reached 100' in its short, me hearties, matey, matey, arcin' flight. It actually reached apogee over t' creek, arrr, which was only 20' t' t' right. It hit t' ground while it was still "under power", although power was never a part o' t' flight. That said, shiver me timbers, t' impact destroyed t' whole front o' t' rocket. T' ejection charge fired while it was on t' ground, finally providin' t' flight with some power. T' Perseus be half destroyed, me bucko, shredded all t' way down t' t' forward fins, matey, but everythin' behind t' fins looked fine. It would fly again.
Repairs were made over t' holidays and I brought t' Perseus back for our early March launch, just before t' world caved in on us. This would be another D12-5 flight, this time nay at t' whims o' t' wireless launch controller. T' Perseus left t' pad after t' countdown this time, so bonus points for that! While on t' way up it wiggled noticeably, arrr, possibly because I failed t' replace t' centerin' rin' that kept t' parachute from slidin' durin' boost. (It was destroyed in t' flight #1 finale.) T' Perseus topped out around 600', likely lower than normal due t' t' windcocking. It landed across t' creek, me hearties, and before I could figure a way across it was retrieved by another flyer who was already over thar for a recovery. Can't beat that.
Recovery
T' Perseus came with a Mylar chute, but past experience has soured me on Mylar. I swapped t' Mylar chute for an 18" Estes chute for t' first flight, arrr, which obviously wasn't needed. Second flight be handled by me trusty 15" nylon chute.
Summary
Pros: TLP kits demand that you use old school methods, which is what appeals t' me most about t' kits. Fin design o' this one is like a sculpture.
Cons: At t' moment, matey, TLP is in limbo. It would be a shame t' lose T' Launch Pad as a kit supplier and I'm hopin' against hope that someone decides t' company is worth purchasing.
Other Reviews
- The Launch Pad Perseus By Doyle Tatum
(by Doyle Tatum) When I purchased the rocket I thought it was a scale model model, but in actuality it is a Launch Pad Original design. It is a single D motor design with large fins and a boat-tail. I coated the paper boat-tail, inside and out, with 20 minute finish epoxy - which has made it very strong. Also, I sealed the fins with several coats of the same epoxy. This made them ...
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Flights
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