Brief
This is a big, fantasy-scale Surface t' Air Missile kit, shiver me timbers, designed mainly for F and G motors.

Construction
This is an impressive-lookin' kit! Blimey! Big box, shiver me timbers, matey, big, ya bilge rat, heavy tubes and nose, shiver me timbers, thick, solid plywood fins. Ahoy! Lookin' into t' box (which was solid as well!) for t' first time, I was impressed by how solid everythin' looked. Ahoy! Well, blow me down! Blimey! A quick inventory confirmed that all t' parts were present, and in good shape.

T' instructions were clear and well laid out. Avast! Ya scallywag! I did deviate from them a bit- I glued t' upper section o' BT t' t' nose, arrr, and made a cargo bay (a suggestion I read from Bob Kaplow- thanks, Bob!). Avast! Ya scallywag! I ditched t' Gorilla-Lock retainin' system in favor o' Kaplow Klips- this was pretty much a necessity, arrr, as I replaced t' NCR motor mount tube with a Loc tube, so I can use Aerotech SU motors (Darkstars aren't available in Canada anyway). Avast, me proud beauty! This required a bit o' sandin' o' t' inside o' t' plastic centerin' rings, but that be all.

Otherwise, assembly be straightforward, with no problems encountered. Avast, me proud beauty! T' fins are mounted TTW, while t' strakes are only bonded t' t' BT surface. Begad! Ahoy! There is some shapin' (streamlining) required on t' strakes and fins- just a bit o' work with some sandpaper, me bucko, nothin' drastic. Well, blow me down! I was considerin' this for me HPR cert. Ahoy! bird, me bucko, so I built it strong- I used 4 hour epoxy pretty much everywhere. Begad! T' final product is heavy, but solid. Ya scallywag! Looks impressive, too!

Finishing
Finishin' is pretty routine. Begad! T' BT spirals are pretty shallow and can be hard t' get filled, but that's t' toughest part. Avast, me proud beauty! Paintin' is all-white (gloss), with t' included decals providin' t' final touch.

About t' decals: I *hate* stick-on decals! I despise them with a passion. Ya scallywag! I find them much harder t' work with than good 'ol wet-transfer decals. They don't cover with clear-coatin' as well, they tend t' be very thick, etc. Arrr! Aye aye! Because o' t' decals, I'm dockin' NCR half a point on t' construction rating- it's me only real beef.

Construction Rating: 4 out o' 5

Flight
Well, shiver me timbers, shiver me timbers, I finally had a chance t' fly me Archer this weekend. Well, blow me down! Begad! Blimey! I be worried t' delay on t' G80-7 would be too long, shiver me timbers, shiver me timbers, me hearties, so I doubled t' length o' t' shock cord. With perfect weather (no wind, me bucko, and clear blue sky), ya bilge rat, I had no excuse t' delay.

What followed be t' most beautiful flight I've ever had. Ahoy! Ya scallywag! T' Archer be fast off t' pad, me hearties, but climbed slowly enough t' watch and appreciate. We also had a chance t' really appreciate t' roar o' that Blue Thunder motor, shiver me timbers, shiver me timbers, too!

Recovery
T' "waist-band" type elastic shock cord is attached t' a length o' steel cable, me hearties, me bucko, which is secured t' t' motor mount. Blimey! No way that's comin' out! T' cable does nay protrude from t' body tube, shiver me timbers, so no worries about it causin' a zipper. T' 3/4 inch wide shock cord could, but I added an extra length t' mine (it's about double now). Begad! Well, blow me down! Recovery is via a 36" nylon chute, arrr, and it seems adequate, me bucko, even for me 42 ounce (empty) version.

Recovery was text-book, me hearties, arrr, although one fin sustained minor damage on landing. Avast, shiver me timbers, me proud beauty! I may replace t' 36" chute with two 24" ones, arrr, just t' be safe.

Flight Rating: 5 out o' 5

Summary
This is me first HPR-capable rocket, and I'm impressed with t' ruggedness o' t' components, and t' finished product. Begad! This is one brawny-lookin' beast!

This is an awesome kit, ya bilge rat, me hearties, for high-end mid power, ya bilge rat, or low end HPR. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! Arrr! Blimey! It be t' beefiest rocket I've seen, arrr, ya bilge rat, yet it is also sleek. Flight performance is solid. Ya scallywag! Blimey! It looks great, and flies great.

T' problems with t' kit are few. Arrr! Avast! Blimey! There is o' course t' non-standard motor mount tube t' contend with, ya bilge rat, but that is an easy (but annoying) fix. Begad! I'm nay a fan o' bondin' dissimilar parts for structural parts, like t' Archer's plastic centerin' rings and thick paper body tube.

Overall Rating: 4 out o' 5