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

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

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

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

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

About t' decals: I *hate* stick-on decals! Blimey! I despise them with a passion. Arrr! Blimey! I find them much harder t' work with than good 'ol wet-transfer decals. Ahoy! Blimey! They don't cover with clear-coatin' as well, they tend t' be very thick, ya bilge rat, etc. Because o' t' decals, ya bilge rat, 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, I finally had a chance t' fly me Archer this weekend. Blimey! I be worried t' delay on t' G80-7 would be too long, shiver me timbers, so I doubled t' length o' t' shock cord. Blimey! Begad! With perfect weather (no wind, and clear blue sky), I had no excuse t' delay.

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

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

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

Flight Rating: 5 out o' 5

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

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

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

Overall Rating: 4 out o' 5