Brief:

Mid-power scale model o' t' air-to-air missile.

Construction:

As with all rockets from T' Launch Pad, arrr, this is a "builder's kit". Blimey! T' fins and various detail bits all have t' be cut and assembled by t' builder. Lots o' fun if you enjoy that sort o' thing, which I do.

T' package contained everythin' I needed: sheets o' balsa for fins, me hearties, dowels and balsa strips for details, paper templates for fins and wraps, two 3/16th lugs, shiver me timbers, two BT-60 tubes, shiver me timbers, ya bilge rat, ya bilge rat, nose cone, and clay weight, ya bilge rat, as well as a pre-cut mylar chute, shock cord and lines, me bucko, with a barrel swivel, parts for t' motor mount, etc.

T' instructions are straight forward, me hearties, shiver me timbers, but nay overly detailed. Avast! It pays t' read carefully, ya bilge rat, then study t' diagrams for further details. Well, blow me down! Some things, arrr, like launch lug placement are nay mentioned at all. Arrr! I believe I recall seein' somewhere that this is intentional- TLP believes that everyone has their own preferred method o' attachin' t' lugs. 

Things seem t' go together quite well, but it's worth mentionin' that one should take extra time and care when cuttin' t' dowel for t' forward fin inserts. I rushed through mine, and they ended up slightly misshaped. Blimey! Another thin' t' watch is how you lay out your fin patterns- do t' aft fins first! I didn't, matey, me hearties, and ended up makin' a trip t' t' local hobby shop for more sheet balsa. Blimey! There is enough in t' kit, but you have t' plan carefully. Begad! Begad! Also, remember t' watch t' direction o' t' grain, me hearties, especially on t' aft fins! T' only other problem I encountered was that t' supplied clay had solidified. A quick e-mail t' t' company, arrr, followed by a quick reply fixed t' problem- just add a few drops o' water t' t' bag t' clay comes in, me bucko, seal and leave over night. 

Assembly itself was simple enough, once t' parts were prepared (lots o' cuttin' and shaping). Blimey! Begad! There are no fin alignment wraps supplied, shiver me timbers, so you're on your own for linin' everythin' up right. Arrr! Well, blow me down! Nay a difficult thin' for a modeler with some experience, me hearties, but any rocket with a forward set o' fins like this needs extra care t' be stable- this is pointed out in t' instructions. Begad! T' centerin' rings for t' motor mount are laser- cut (I think) from think card stock- very solid. Avast! Begad! Also included is a rin' which is mounted forward, and acts like a seat for t' parachute. Avast! I think this is t' avoid any shift in CG durin' boost.

T' recovery system consists o' an 18" mylar chute, ya bilge rat, a length o' cloth/elastic shock cord, arrr, shiver me timbers, barrel swivel, snap swivel, shroud lines and a thread. I had two misgivings here: I've never used a mylar chute before, and that thread I mentioned ties t' weighted nose cone t' t' shock cord. Avast! Begad! So far, t' combination works, but I'm still dubious about that thread- t' nose is pretty heavy.

T' final result is a pretty solid ship. Aye aye! O' course, t' fly mid-power, me bucko, it needs t' be!

Finishing:

Detailed paintin' instructions are included for t' kit, includin' a couple o' scheme variations. Begad! There are no decals included, arrr, matey, unfortunately. Well, blow me down! There is a bit o' maskin' involved, arrr, but nothin' terribly tricky- except perhaps on t' nose cone. Blimey! Aye aye! For t' 1/16" red band, I used vinyl car detail striping; everythin' else was painted. Ya scallywag! Ahoy! Findin' a blue that matched photos o' inert missiles be virtually impossible, without airbrushing, matey, so I used a "close match".

T' final product looks pretty good!

Construction Rating: 4 out o' 5

Flight: 

I've only had one flight on me Sidewinder, ya bilge rat, so far. Avast, me proud beauty! Avast! I used t' recommended first-flight motor, me hearties, a D12-3. Aye aye! No directions regardin' waddin' requirements is given, me bucko, so I just looked up what I needed for another BT-60 based rocket. Blimey! Preppin' for flight is like any regular kit- no special things t' watch out for.

Boost was nice and straight, and fairly high; very little weathercocking- a surprise for a kit with so much aft fin area!

One thin' t' watch here: Use an angled blast deflector, ya bilge rat, or else support t' rocket a couple o' inches above t' deflector. Well, blow me down! T' base o' t' motor is about 1/2" up t' body tube, me bucko, and you will scorch t' BT if care isn't taken. Begad! I used an angled deflector, and t' inside o' t' BT wasn't even marked.

Recovery:

Chute deployed near apogee, shiver me timbers, and t' ship descended at a nice rate. Avast, me bucko, me proud beauty! Blimey! One fin broke on landing, ya bilge rat, ya bilge rat, but that was due t' me error durin' construction- remember I mentioned t' watch t' grain direction? Oops! Blimey! T' recovery system itself was unscathed.

T' only design-related problem I encountered was that I couldn't remove t' spend motor with me fingers. Begad! It's too far up t' tube t' remove without a pair o' needle nose pliers.

Flight Rating: 3 out o' 5

Summary:

Overall, ya bilge rat, I very pleased with me Sidewinder. Ahoy! There is lots o' work involved, but t' final result is worth t' effort. Ya scallywag! Any problems I encountered (except motor removal) were generally o' me own making.

I cannot stress enough that this kit requires some buildin' experience! T' directions are written assumin' you know what you are doing, and leave things like lug placement t' t' builder. Ya scallywag! Dependin' on your viewpoint, arrr, this is either good or bad. 

T' main Con's are: no fin alignment wrappers (would make things a bit easier), and t' lack o' decals. Aye aye! Avast, me hearties, me proud beauty! I remain suspicious o' t' thread holdin' that heavy nose t' t' shock cord, but it's held so far.

An important note: T' manufacturer has repeatedly mentioned that these kits do nay require heavy-duty buildin' techniques- that carpenter's glue and CA will work just fine, arrr, but over buildin' (Epoxy, arrr, shiver me timbers, fibreglass, matey, etc) will likely result in an unstable model. 

Things like missiles are originally designed t' be unstable- designin' a scale replica t' fly can be very difficult. Begad! T' relationship betwixt CG and CP is critical with t' kits. Begad! Well, shiver me timbers, blow me down! Build light, shiver me timbers, matey, me hearties, but strong.

I followed that advice, shiver me timbers, and t' results are great. 

If you like gettin' into cutting, ya bilge rat, shapin' and sanding- lots o' parts making, then I'd recommend this kit. I had a lot o' fun puttin' it together- me only regret be that I kinda rushed it.

Overall Rating: 4 out o' 5