Brief:

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

Construction:

As with all rockets from T' Launch Pad, me hearties, me bucko, this is a "builder's kit". Avast! 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, me bucko, which I do.

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

T' instructions are straight forward, ya bilge rat, matey, but nay overly detailed. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! It pays t' read carefully, me bucko, arrr, then study t' diagrams for further details. Aye aye! Ya scallywag! Blimey! Some things, matey, like launch lug placement are nay mentioned at all. Begad! Well, shiver me timbers, blow me down! Blimey! 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, me hearties, but it's worth mentionin' that one should take extra time and care when cuttin' t' dowel for t' forward fin inserts. Aye aye! I rushed through mine, me bucko, me hearties, and they ended up slightly misshaped. Another thin' t' watch is how you lay out your fin patterns- do t' aft fins first! I didn't, shiver me timbers, and ended up makin' a trip t' t' local hobby shop for more sheet balsa. Ya scallywag! Avast, matey, me proud beauty! There is enough in t' kit, me bucko, me bucko, but you have t' plan carefully. Avast! Blimey! Well, blow me down! Blimey! Also, matey, me bucko, remember t' watch t' direction o' t' grain, especially on t' aft fins! Blimey! T' only other problem I encountered was that t' supplied clay had solidified. Ya scallywag! Blimey! A quick e-mail t' t' company, followed by a quick reply fixed t' problem- just add a few drops o' water t' t' bag t' clay comes in, seal and leave over night. 

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

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

T' final result is a pretty solid ship. Avast, me proud beauty! O' course, matey, me hearties, t' fly mid-power, it needs t' be!

Finishing:

Detailed paintin' instructions are included for t' kit, includin' a couple o' scheme variations. Ahoy! Blimey! Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! There are no decals included, unfortunately. Ahoy! Blimey! Well, blow me down! Blimey! There is a bit o' maskin' involved, but nothin' terribly tricky- except perhaps on t' nose cone. Well, blow me down! Blimey! For t' 1/16" red band, shiver me timbers, I used vinyl car detail striping; everythin' else be painted. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! Findin' a blue that matched photos o' inert missiles be virtually impossible, ya bilge rat, without airbrushing, me bucko, 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. Blimey! I used t' recommended first-flight motor, a D12-3. No directions regardin' waddin' requirements is given, matey, so I just looked up what I needed for another BT-60 based rocket. Preppin' for flight is like any regular kit- no special things t' watch out for.

Boost was nice and straight, arrr, 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, shiver me timbers, shiver me timbers, or else support t' rocket a couple o' inches above t' deflector. Aye aye! T' base o' t' motor is about 1/2" up t' body tube, me bucko, matey, and you will scorch t' BT if care isn't taken. Ya scallywag! I used an angled deflector, ya bilge rat, me bucko, 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. Well, blow me down! Blimey! One fin broke on landing, matey, me bucko, shiver me timbers, 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 be that I couldn't remove t' spend motor with me fingers. Arrr! Ahoy! It's too far up t' tube t' remove without a pair o' needle nose pliers.

Flight Rating: 3 out o' 5

Summary:

Overall, I very pleased with me Sidewinder. There is lots o' work involved, but t' final result is worth t' effort. Begad! 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, ya bilge rat, and leave things like lug placement t' t' builder. Blimey! Dependin' on your viewpoint, 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. Avast, me proud beauty! Aye aye! I remain suspicious o' t' thread holdin' that heavy nose t' t' shock cord, me hearties, matey, 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, shiver me timbers, but over buildin' (Epoxy, ya bilge rat, shiver me timbers, fibreglass, 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. Aye aye! T' relationship betwixt CG and CP is critical with t' kits. Avast, me proud beauty! Build light, but strong.

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

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

Overall Rating: 4 out o' 5