Brief:
Only kit parts used were body tubes and coupler. Basswood used for wings/fins, tunnel cable cover, and missile hangers. 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, me hearties, motor mount was installed, shiver me timbers, but aft centerin' rin' be placed 1/2-inch into tube. Avast! This greatly reduces scorchin' common t' a lot o' Launch Pad kits. Well, blow me down! Avast, me proud beauty! Body was painted with Krylon gray primer, and sanded several times t' fill spirals. Arrr! Avast! Final coat was again gray primer, it's a perfect match for t' gray used on the actual AIM-120. Ya scallywag!

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

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. Begad! Ya scallywag! T' knurled finger knobs at t' base o' t' aft wings were made from wooden buttons I found in a craft store, ya bilge rat, shiver me timbers, arrr, with some detailin' with t' dremel. Begad! I took t' markin' from photos I took o' actual AIM-120's I worked on while in t' Air Force. Arrr! They were created on me home computer usin' an old DOS program-Harvard Graphics. Ahoy! Then printed on Avery clear shippin' labels.

After they dried for 2 days, arrr, 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. Referred t' actual scale drawings o' AIM-120A to determine proper win' and fin size, matey, formed them from basswood. Used basswood strip t' form t' ventral tunnel cable cover, matey, and t' center and aft missile hangers. Arrr! Nose cone supplied with t' kit was wrong profile, ya bilge rat, obtained proper ogive nose from Apogee Components. Avast, me bucko, me proud beauty! Used a 4-cluster 24mm motor mount from BRS Hobbies instead o' kit 2-motor mount. Begad! Used Keelhaul®©™® shock cords, attached t' t' motor mount. Begad! Blimey! Used a 24-inch nylon parachute from LOC instead o' kit mylar chute.

As with all Launch Pad kits, packin' be great. All parts were there, me hearties, just nay used. Begad! Ya scallywag! Instructions didn't really matter, I be makin' this up as I went. Blimey! Had t' add a bit more nose weight, me bucko, arrr, due t' doublin' t' number o' motors from 2 to 4. Instead o' more clay, matey, arrr, I used t' clay from a Launch Pad AIM-9 kit, and added a dozen small fishin' weights, topped off with some white glue. Avast, me proud beauty! Worked like a charm. Launch Pad does nay supply decals, shiver me timbers, ya bilge rat, and only gives a vague idea of what they might be. Ya scallywag! Avast! It's up t' t' modeler t' figure out what and where. Finished rocket is impressive, 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, shiver me timbers, arrr, or E-9's. Well, blow me down! I opted t' go instead for a 4-cluster mount o' D12-5's or D12-7's. Arrr! Both have been flown, and both work out fine. Well, blow me down! With a 6-ft rod (don't even think o' usin' a 4-ft rod on this thing), ya bilge rat, lift-off is always somethin' t' watch. Avast! D-12's don't rip off t' pad fast, buy 4 o' them at once do make a good show. Begad! Arrr!

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

It does have some weight t' it. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! Begad! Blimey!

So far it has flown 4 times, and no damage yet. Avast! Begad!

Summary:
Pro's- standard launch pad quality kit, shiver me timbers, no complaints there, except t' nose cone has t' wrong profile. But unless you spent time around t' real thing, matey, you probably wouldn't notice. 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, I'll cry!

Other:
Besides rockets, arrr, matey, matey, I build a lot o' plastic models, 4-0 steel wool is great for smoothin' out sandin' marks after using xtra-fine sand paper. Aye aye! Arrr! And don't just use stock dept. or hobby store paints. I use a lot o' automotive touch-up spray paints, you can get a lot more colors and shades.