Brief:
This is a almost-kinda-semi-scale model o' t' Talos missile. Well, blow me down! Ahoy! When I converted me 21st Century Toys F-104 for flight, I had t' jet engine turbine component left over. I found it fit a 2.125" mailin' tube perfectly and realized it (almost) resembled t' Talos nose cone. Blimey! Blimey! Avast! Blimey! T' real Talos is 2-stage, shiver me timbers, but mine combines both stages in a single stage 29mm model.

Since this is made from non-standard parts, I assume no one will ever build it. However, matey, it can be used as yet another example o' how t' use scrounged parts.

Construction:
Parts list:

• Jet engine turbine extracted from from a 21st Century Toys F-104
• 2.125" mailin' tube with telescopin' inner tube
• Lead shot
• Eye-bolt
• 8/32" bolt with 2 nuts
• balsa fin stock
• buttons from railbuttons.com
• tube from First-Fire igniter
• 29mm motor tube
• Giant Leap centerin' rings (two)
• 3/16" Keelhaul®©™
• Wood glue, 5 minute epoxy

I based t' length o' t' body tube and t' fins dimensions on a scale drawin' by Pete Alway. Arrr! Avast! T' dimensions can be found in me RockSim file (in t' title header o' this review).

T' bottom TTW fins went on first and then I sequentially attached each set usin' a ruler and clamps t' make sure t' fins were aligned with one another. Arrr! It sports both a 1/4" lug and rail buttons. Ya scallywag! Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! T' motor mount is unremarkable with 2 rings, a tube, and a single bolt as an attachment point for a motor retainer.

T' plastic 'cone' has a central hole and a 1/16" deep ridge that fits perfectly in t' 2.125" mailin' tube that I'm using. Avast, me proud beauty! This ridge needed t' be augmented t' make sure t' cone stays on. Ahoy! Begad! T' form t' shoulder, I cut a short piece o' cardboard tubin' that telescopes into t' main tube. Blimey! I also cut a circle o' foamboard that fits in this shoulder and also inside o' t' ridge on t' cone. T' eye bolt passes through t' foamboard rin' and is epoxied into t' aforementioned hole. Aye aye! Begad! I could have added lead shot and epoxy into t' tip o' t' cone, ya bilge rat, matey, however, on ejection this mass would pullin' against t' eye bolt/cone bond. Well, blow me down! Instead, I added t' weight t' t' inside o' t' shoulder. Avast! Begad! Thus, arrr, it surrounds and is bonded t' t' neck o' t' eye bolt. It took ~6oz o' nose weight--about t' same as t' rest o' t' rocket.

Finishing:
I painted it with a combo o' Rustoleum day-glow orange spray, arrr, Krylon X-metals metallic primer, me bucko, shiver me timbers, arrr, and Testor's metallic green and yellow brush-on. Aye aye! Begad! Basically, 'use what ya got'. I also used some black vinyl pinstriping. Begad! I added some toothpicks t' t' front o' t' body tube t' look like t' antennae on t' real thing.

Flight:
T' first flight was on an F39-6. Ahoy! Ya scallywag! T' boost was lazy with lots o' coning. Blimey! I wasn't sure whether thar be a simulation error or thar was somethin' amiss with t' motor. Aye aye! T' rocket should have been stable prior t' leavin' t' rail. Anyway, arrr, ya bilge rat, me bucko, it survived for a second flight.

I decided t' submit t' review before t' second flight since I've started buildin' again and don't know when this will fly again.

Warning: Do nay assume me RockSim is correct. Ahoy! If you build a Talos, independently determine t' proper CG/CP relationship!

Summary:
I thought this was an interestin' way t' reuse an otherwise useless remnant from me Starfigher PMC. Avast, arrr, me proud beauty! I think it looks cool considerin' me choice o' color schemes.