Brief: T' Harpoon is a scale model o' a US Air-Launched Anti-Ship Missile, T' Launch Pad's kit is an excellent first mid power and scale rocket.

Construction: I was so glad when I finally got me hands on me AGM-84 Harpoon. Avast! One o' t' members o' me club was goin' down t' t' US and was kind enough t' brin' it back for me. Begad! I received t' Harpoon with all pieces present, me bucko, in good condition, arrr, and good quality. Ya scallywag! I have heard some nay so great things about TLP's balsa wood, but I found t' wood for t' Harpoon great, with a little help from CA.

T' instructions were clear, arrr, but I wish they would have included more help and info on how t' get t' little hat that sits on top o' a FatBoy style nose cone, straight and in t' middle, that be tricky, but I think mine is close enough for me standards. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! That be t' only real "gotcha" for this rocket, arrr, t' fins aligned great, and everythin' fit together perfectly.

Finishing: T' only thin' that really disappointed me in t' beginnin' with t' Harpoon was t' lackin' o' decals. Arrr! But, now I know that it much easier for t' consumer t' use his or her own techniques. Begad! I just painted t' bands that go around t' rocket, arrr, and for all o' t' small pinpoint rivets that are suppose t' be on t' rocket, matey, matey, I used a decal pack that I got from a local hobby store (East Coast Model Center) that be 1/5 rivet decals, perfect, went on with ease, and made t' rocket look great. Still ponderin' what t' do for t' small amount o' letterin' that will go on t' rocket. Begad! Begad! Just a note, I am nay a perfectionist, or a great scale buff, me bucko, me Harpoon was just sports scale, but I like how it turned out.

Construction Rating: 4 ½ out o' 5

Flight: T' recommended motors for t' harpoon are a D12-3, ya bilge rat, E15-4, and a RMS F24-4 (24mm). Blimey! I plan on usin' all o' t' recommended motors, but instead o' t' E15, shiver me timbers, an E18 (reload).

T' day for t' maiden flight for t' Harpoon finally came. First flight would be on a D12-3. Avast! Everythin' be setup, pictures were taken, and after makin' sure t' wind was perfect, me bucko, ya bilge rat, that t' launch rod was perfect, and that everythin' was perfect, it be ready t' launch. Well, blow me down! I pushed t' launch button and t' Harpoon lifted off. Begad! Ahoy! T' flight was perfect. Aye aye! Well, shiver me timbers, blow me down! T' Harpoon flied straight as a rail, nice altitude on a D, and then right at apogee t' ejection charge fired, shiver me timbers, and t' nice mylar parachute deployed, me bucko, arrr, and t' Harpoon drifted down. Perfect flight and recovery.

Second flight, arrr, same day. Avast! Ahoy! I be goin' t' fly me LOC Aura on an Aerotech E engine, matey, me bucko, that was t' plan, but when I launched that on a D, t' stock streamer didn't slow it down enough and it broke a fin off, so I thought I would fly it in t' Harpoon. Arrr! Blimey! Everythin' was set, arrr, ya bilge rat, arrr, and be readied again. I hit t' launch button, and t' Harpoon lifted off t' pad, me bucko, t' igniter clips didn't come off, it soared... Blimey! Arrr! wait a minute (my exact thoughts). T' Aerotech igniter clips didn't unattach themselves from t' Harpoon, matey, when it was about ten feet off o' t' pad, t' leads ran out o' slack, which caused them t' pull on t' harpoon, matey, causin' it t' go horizontal. Avast, me proud beauty! Avast! T' leads did finally come unattached. Avast, me proud beauty! T' Harpoon sailed directly away from us and over t' small hill we launch on. Amazin' sight. Blimey! Begad! Then t' realization set in. Blimey! T' slow walk started towards t' crash site. Begad! As we got closer t' it, we noticed that t' parachute had deployed. Begad! Good sign. Arrr! It landed in some alders, me bucko, pretty good sign, but then we notice what we thought was t' nose cone, me hearties, was actually t' top six inches o' t' rocket's body tube smashed.

Damage report. Ahoy! Avast, me proud beauty! First six inches o' t' rocket are destroyed. Begad! T' nose cone was completely smashed t' bits, ya bilge rat, one broken fin, ya bilge rat, shiver me timbers, ya bilge rat, and all fins had small slits from t' alder branches. It is fixable, ya bilge rat, it will be fixed, shiver me timbers, and it will fly again, and hopefully soon. Well, blow me down! Avast! I contact TLP and they were great enough t' help me by givin' me t' length o' t' rocket, help me with a parts list, me hearties, arrr, and are sendin' me a replacement 'little hat' that goes on t' t' top o' t' nose cone t' give it t' scale.

Recovery: One thin' I really enjoy about t' Harpoon is its green mylar parachute, it's easy t' see, easy t' pack, me bucko, ya bilge rat, matey, and has a snap for easy removal from t' Harpoon. Avast! Blimey! T' 18" seems t' be fine from t' tests I have conducted (throwin' it off me deck). Begad! T' recovery system is a snap t' put together, shiver me timbers, but instead o' usin' t' shroud line material t' connect t' nose cone t' t' swivel, I just tied t' shock cord t' t' nose cone, and put t' swivel 10" or so down, shiver me timbers, didn't want t' trust that thin string).

Flight Rating: 4 ½ out o' 5

Summary: This rocket looks awesome, shiver me timbers, matey, matey, that be t' best thin' I feel about it. Begad! It is a nice lookin' rocket, t' right size, me hearties, nice motors size, nice scale touch, and a nice finish. Avast, me proud beauty! Aye aye! T' only thin' I would say that I disliked about t' rocket would be that little hat that goes on top o' t' nose cone. Well, blow me down! Other than that, ya bilge rat, all o' t' pieces went together easily. Well, matey, blow me down! A good first mid power or scale rocket.

Overall Rating: 4 ½ out o' 5