Good TLP kits

[jj94]

What are some of the best quality kits that TLP has? I want to get some of them, but I've heard some bad stuff about some of their kits like bad nose cones, soft balsa, etc. Is the SAAB RB-05A any good? It looks really nice to me, but I don't know of any reviews of them.

 

[dixontj93060]

I have a Maverick AGM-65B that I am working on now. It is decent. Real plastic nosecone and all.

Previously built a Hawk MIM-23A. It was more flimsy. Paper nosecone and tailcone additions. It was so bad I decided to start fiberglassing and foaming and ended up upgrading the whole thing to a 29mm (real mid-power) bird. After that it was/is great!

-Tim

 

[CAS2047]

I have two.

The first is the HARM AGM 88A. Excellent Rocket! (Grey Rocket on right in photo)

The second is the AMRAAM AIM 120. Also an Excellent Rocket but came with some quality control issues... (Red Rocket on left in photo)

When I opened the AMRAAM AIM kit I noticed that the nose cone had a bunch of pock marks in it. It was of very poor quality. It was actually flexible and see through in places... The hook that you tie the shock cord to broke off because it was so thin. I fixed that using epoxy. I had to build a layer of epoxy on the bottom of the cone because the plastic was so thin there.

The next thing I noticed is that the mylar chute for the kit is only a small 18 inch chute. The rocket is over 54 inches tall.

I flew the rocket a few weeks back, and switched in the 18 x 30 oblong chute from my first TLC kit, and it still cracked a fin on landing on a grassy soccer field... (The rocket itself flew great).

Overall though I really like the look of the TLC kits.

 

[CAS2047]

Well that picture was a little fuzzy... Let me see if this one is any better... Just the two kits side by side...

 

[jj94]

Nice rockets. I'm definately getting some of them...some day.

 

[terryg]

The pershing kit is real nice, just be patient with the shrouds. Be sure to do the coatings with CA outside as the fumes are a real killer. It flys real well on F engines.

 

[Stymye]

What are some of the best quality kits that TLP has?

they are all the same style. I don't see any offerings being better quality than others. (I have around 24 TLP kits now.)

 

[wwattles]

Stymye can probably back me up on this one, but the Plan-Pack for the SM2 Standard, which is a mod from one of the others, can be a bit tricky. Quite a big step up from Estes-like kits. Definitely a builders kit!

WW

 

[jj94]

Oh, speaking of plan packs, where can you purchase them? I wanted the plan pack for the Nike Hercules but I can't find any dealers that sell them.

 

[zeke1312]

apogeerockets.com has plans for the Nike Hercules. $6.95. The rocket is 15".

 

[jj94]

Thanks. I like it, and it seems like a good price too.