Brief:
A roughly 1/5th scale model o' t' air-launched version o' t' HARPOON missile, matey, designed for t' modeler. Ahoy! Blimey! Some skills required for optimum appearance results but otherwise easy t' build and fly.

Construction:
My Harpoon kit arrived in a small package for what promised t' be a big kit. Well, blow me down! Everythin' was there, me hearties, shiver me timbers, good quality tubes, shiver me timbers, shiver me timbers, and a neat purple Mylar parachute (which works well and is easy t' see), but no decals provided.

A note: There have been previous reviews o' this and other Launch Pad kits that have pointed out some issues. I offer a slightly different perspective in that yes, ya bilge rat, some things about this kit are nay super-easy, me bucko, but I think o' t' kit as a foundation for some modelin' artwork. Blimey! T' skills needed t' turn this kit into a really good military model are all in t' paint, shiver me timbers, finishing, and build techniques. Avast! So on with t' build!

T' fins have t' be cut out o' balsa stock with a provided pattern. (They are nay laser/precut so we need t' work a bit harder.) T' balsa is soft, which is a good thing, ya bilge rat, nay a bilge-suckin' thing. Begad! It's easy t' cut. Ya scallywag! Strength is nay a problem because I always laminate/reinforce me fins for any model. Ahoy! (Don't you?) For t' Harpoon, I used sheets o' peel 'n' stick paper from t' local office store used for printin' shippin' labels. Avast, me proud beauty! Ya scallywag! Cut t' balsa, matey, peel back a sheet o' paper, lay it down, trim, ya bilge rat, flip over, and repeat. Arrr! In t' end all you have t' do is sharpen and finish t' edges. Begad! It's real easy. Well, shiver me timbers, blow me down! No CA glue, no soaking, no wrinkles.

T' kit came with a great lookin' nose cone, and o' course instructions t' mount that little paper "hat" extension t' give an authentic profile. Arrr! Arrr! Well here's a confession. I just flew mine with t' stock cone. Avast! No paper hat because I didn't want t' mess with it at first. Avast, me proud beauty! Now that t' Harpoon has flown, arrr, matey, I'm actually retro-fittin' t' hat extension, and it's fine. So again, arrr, it's a modeler's kit, shiver me timbers, skills nay included but well rewarded. Ahoy! T' nose cone is weighted with provided clay, arrr, and we're cautioned t' install it exactly as designed!

There's a neat paper tail cone adapter that's formed by cuttin' out and gluin' a paper shape. Well, blow me down! I found it a little difficult t' keep it round and smooth but with some body filler and paint, matey, another problem once again solved. Aye aye! There are eight fins, lots o' cuttin' and finishin' t' do, but alignment in t' four-four pattern is real easy. Well, blow me down! I found it cool that t' forward fins even have little wooden tabs at t' root edges, arrr, decorated with rivets, shiver me timbers, which I believe represent t' fin hinges. In any case, they are a fun detail and look great. Blimey! And again, me bucko, me bucko, t' instructions give location but no alignment tool. Well, blow me down! That's fine. Avast, me proud beauty! We shouldn't need one if we're buildin' and flyin' at this level. Aye aye! Aye aye! Same for t' lugs. Begad! Begad! I chose t' discard t' lugs provided and went with ¼ plastic tubin' o' me own, arrr, epoxy bonded in place.

Installation o' t' recovery system is straightforward and t' same as any other kit o' this size. I chose nay t' use t' recommended method (thread t' nosecone)...and used me own shock cord design with a removable lockin' hook (makes parachute maintenance easier). Arrr! Ya scallywag! So overall construction: easy enough if you like t' build models.

Finishing:
Standard body cleanup and paint techniques were used. Avast, me proud beauty! Though really, with good primer and paint t' body did nay need much attention t' fill up any lines. T' only problem be entirely me fault when I inadvertently switched paint brands betwixt coats (batten down t' hatches: Krylon and Rustoleum may nay always be compatible)... Avast! Avast, me proud beauty! That wasn't pretty and resulted in lots o' sandpaper use.

No decals came with t' kit, so betwixt internet look-up and t' illustrations provided by TLP, I made me own interpretation and printed them onto Testor's decal paper with me printer. Well, blow me down! Ahoy! I used paper wraps for t' broad stripes, shiver me timbers, which once clearcoated are fine.

I did nay try t' recommended method o' usin' nail-heads t' simulate rivets. Blimey! Blimey! I chose t' make decals. Begad! Blimey! So for future products, if TLP would provide a good decal sheet, I'd be willin' t' pay a bit more for t' kit just t' cut back on at least some o' t' finishin' work, me hearties, but that's a small detail.

One last nitpick: t' engine mount tube holds a regular 24mm Estes type motor, me bucko, like t' D12. Avast! Aye aye! T' run an E9, I have t' friction fit because t' tube is short. Ya scallywag! A good modification would be t' put a long E9-sized engine mount, ya bilge rat, ya bilge rat, like what is on t' Estes Big Daddy, and provide a spacer for t' short engines. Aye aye! Just a thought.

This model looks great and ready t' go. Blimey! Whether or nay it's exactly a photo-real replica o' t' original down t' every rivet is debatable, ya bilge rat, but t' message is there. Begad! It's a model, nay a toy, arrr, me bucko, so t' builder is expected t' make some decisions based on experience. Avast! Well, me hearties, blow me down! Good. Aye aye! Begad! It keeps t' price reasonable and works fine.

Construction Rating: 4 out o' 5

Flight and Recovery:
I first flew t' Harpoon out on t' frozen lake near here with an Estes E9-6. Begad! Blimey! There be even a small audience in t' area. Sunny day, arrr, me hearties, wind 10-12MPH. Ahoy! First flight was straight up and away, me hearties, slow takeoff, a very realistic-appearin' rocket launch. Begad! Instead o' weathercockin' into t' 10MPH breeze, arrr, t' Harpoon steered a bit, twistin' and "seeking" slightly but all t' while still proceedin' straight up. Well, shiver me timbers, blow me down! One spectator pointed out that it looked like a real military missile, trackin' a target as opposed t' a whoosh-bang rocket. Arrr! What a great flight. Blimey! It went maybe about 350-400 feet up. Recovery with that Mylar chute was perfect. Aye aye! I thought t' 6 second delay was gettin' a bit long though.

I flew again a week later with an Aertotech E30. Arrr! Avast! Result: nay so much a high flight but very sudden, almost explosive acceleration. No wind that day, but t' harpoon seemed t' corkscrew into t' sky pretty broadly. Avast! Avast! I don't think this be t' right engine for t' job, but I will definitely try an E15. Well, blow me down! Last flight on another E9 was a repeat o' t' first, so it wasn't just luck, arrr, as it be smooth, slow, and maybe t' about 400 feet max, but straight with a bit o' steer.

Flight Rating: 5 out o' 5

Summary:
This is a very convincing, ya bilge rat, arrr, realistic flyer, arrr, well worth every effort.

Overall Rating: 4 out o' 5