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

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

T' instructions were clear and well laid out. Blimey! I did deviate from them a bit- I glued t' upper section o' BT t' t' nose, and made a cargo bay (a suggestion I read from Bob Kaplow- thanks, me bucko, Bob!). I ditched t' Gorilla-Lock retainin' system in favor o' Kaplow Klips- this be pretty much a necessity, shiver me timbers, 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). Arrr! This required a bit o' sandin' o' t' inside o' t' plastic centerin' rings, but that was all.

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

Finishing
Finishin' is pretty routine. Avast! Avast, me proud beauty! T' BT spirals are pretty shallow and can be hard t' get filled, me hearties, but that's t' toughest part. Avast, me proud beauty! Begad! 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. Avast, me proud beauty! Aye aye! I find them much harder t' work with than good 'ol wet-transfer decals. Begad! They don't cover with clear-coatin' as well, arrr, they tend t' be very thick, matey, etc. Avast, me proud beauty! 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, arrr, I finally had a chance t' fly me Archer this weekend. Begad! Blimey! Arrr! Blimey! I be worried t' delay on t' G80-7 would be too long, so I doubled t' length o' t' shock cord. Blimey! Blimey! Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! With perfect weather (no wind, and clear blue sky), I had no excuse t' delay.

What followed was t' most beautiful flight I've ever had. Avast, me proud beauty! Avast! T' Archer was fast off t' pad, matey, but climbed slowly enough t' watch and appreciate. We also had a chance t' really appreciate t' roar o' that Blue Thunder motor, me bucko, shiver me timbers, too!

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

Recovery was text-book, matey, ya bilge rat, although one fin sustained minor damage on landing. Begad! Begad! I may replace t' 36" chute with two 24" ones, just t' be safe.

Flight Rating: 5 out o' 5

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

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

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

Overall Rating: 4 out o' 5