The Launch Pad rockets

[paul.nortness]

Hey all,

For all intent and purposes I am new to model rocketry. I enjoyed it as a hobby when I was younger and have recently found my way back to it after 20+ years.

One of the biggest source of pride in my collection all those years was Estes AIM-54 Phoenix missile. I was on E-bay looking for one last night and came across a company that makes one in similar size called "The Launch Pad". Looking at their website, looks like they do a lot of missile replicas (AGM-65, AIM-7, etc).

Aside from their website and the few rockets from them I found on Ebay, I can't seem to find anything else on them. I am curious if anyone here has any feedback they can share regarding this company and the quality of their rockets.

Thanks,

Paul

[Ltvscout]

Paul,

There was a lot of recent talk about TLP in this thread under Vendors:

http://www.oldrocketforum.com/showthread.php?t=8877

[paul.nortness]

Thanks for the info!

[cas2047]

Welcome back to the hobby Paul!

Sirius Rocketry sells TLP kits. I'm waiting for them to get a shipment of TLP kits in so I can pick up a few that I want to build.

The link to their website as well as a lot of pro vs. con info. regarding TLP kits is included in that link to the thread that Scott posted.

[paul.nortness]

Thanks Cas!

I'm excited to get started again....really looking for something to unplug the kids from the xbox this summer. I just won an auction for a Estes AIM-9 Sidewinder, so that will be rocket number 1 in the collection!

So, I've read the TLP thread and I'm kinda torn. The lack of decals is pretty easy to remedy, I do static scale aircraft, so painting missile stencils and bands and stuff with my airbrush should be easy enough.

I would really love to have a big AIM-54 Phoenix in the mix....but after reading that thread I'm not sure now

[ghrocketman]

Their kits are stand-WAY-OFF Scale at best.
Most of the materials I have to replace to consider them truly mid-power and find them to be woefully inadequate for what they are advertised as.
That being said, some others like them due to nobody else offering most of these profiles.
I personally would rather scratch-build or buy a kit that lives up to my standards.
Problem is there are few offerings of what I consider to be a good value in scale.
They are either very low end like the TLP kits, or very high end like the Apogee or Sandman (Roachwerks) kits.

I personally would rather buy a high-end kit rather than try to put lipstick on a pig.

[InFlight]

If you really want a few of these CDI has a some.

CDI Kit list (http://www.cdimodelrocketry.com/products.php?cat=Launch%20Pad)


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[gdjsky01]

Aside from their website and the few rockets from them I found on Ebay, I can't seem to find anything else on them. I am curious if anyone here has any feedback they can share regarding this company and the quality of their rockets.

Thanks,

Paul


Paul here's the deal. It seems you either love the kits or you hate them. :chuckle: If you follow the instructions (at least for the first build) you'll be rewarded with a nice looking (depending on your skills) rocket and flys fine in 'normal' (not too windy) conditions.

A LOT of people disagree. Most IMNSHO (but probably not all) did not follow the instructions and had a less than optimal experience because some of the designs are sensitive to any added weight in the tail. Overbuilt they will fail. And if you are launching on a hard clay surface like I do, the chute needs to be bigger. Grass is fine.

I love the kits. They are builders kits. They require (IMO) finess and skill, not just a builder who can slap the heaviest materials, most glue, and biggest motor on/in their kits. That works for most kits. Wonderful. But without extra care to simulate the CG/CP of the stock kit compared to whatever beefier build you made, you are likely to fail.

If you want one, get one. Just one first. Build it stock (ok ok make the shock cord 3 times longer ;)). See what you think.

As I said, you'll either be hooked, or be broken of the habit forever... so YMMV :D

[paul.nortness]

Thanks for the info guys.

I just ordered the 2.6 Phoenix, and I ordered parts to scratch build my own....so I have both angles.

[paul.nortness]

I just received my TLP Phoenix this afternoon.

I have to say....as much as people gripe about the paper wrap nosecone.....IMHO it is one of the closest matches to the actual AIM-54 nose profile.

Going to be an interesting build for sure.

[cas2047]

I hope you can post your build progress Paul, and maybe a picture or two along the way. :)

[paul.nortness]

certainly going to do my best at taking progress pics.

I tend to build really streaky....I'll just get in the zone and before I think about picking up the camera, I have whatever I am building half done.

[gdjsky01]

certainly going to do my best at taking progress pics.

I tend to build really streaky....I'll just get in the zone and before I think about picking up the camera, I have whatever I am building half done.


Love to see em if you do.

[paul.nortness]

I've fondled this kit and looked through the instructions about 4000 times and I gotta say, I really love what I am seeing. A true builders kit. I really like the detail options TLP gives you like the hardpoint mounting brackets, etc. No decals? No worries I say. Any modeler worth his salt should be able to easily replicate the markings on a missile without too much trouble. I've switched to basswood for the fins and that is the only mod I am making.

I like the 2.6 AIM-54 so much, I just ordered their AIM-9 Sidewinder and AGM-65 Maverick.

[cas2047]

No decals? No worries I say. Any modeler worth his salt should be able to easily replicate the markings on a missile without too much trouble.

I have to agree with you there. I've been printing my own waterslide decals for a couple of years now and it's easy and adds fun to the build for me. All you need is your ink jet or laser printer and two kinds of decal paper (clear and white) for either the ink jet or laser printer.

If using the inkjet printer and paper; once you print the decals just apply a couple of coats of Krylon varnish decal spray to prevent the colors from running when you put them in water. I've actually used Krylon and Rustoleum clear coat and had the same results.

Whenever I clone a kit or build a kit without decals I print my own decals. I cloned the Estes Colonial Viper kit and you can't tell that the decals aren't the originals.

Currently I'm using Bell inkjet decal paper http://www.belldecal.com/ but there are other great sources including;
Papilio http://www.papilio.com/index.html
Testors http://www.testors.com/category/133656/Testors

Testors even sells a kit with paper and a bonding agent for inkjet waterslide decals.

[gdjsky01]

I've fondled this kit and looked through the instructions about 4000 times and I gotta say, I really love what I am seeing. A true builders kit. I really like the detail options TLP gives you like the hardpoint mounting brackets, etc. No decals? No worries I say. Any modeler worth his salt should be able to easily replicate the markings on a missile without too much trouble. I've switched to basswood for the fins and that is the only mod I am making.

I like the 2.6 AIM-54 so much, I just ordered their AIM-9 Sidewinder and AGM-65 Maverick.

Glad so far you are happy. Hopefully you'll be just as happy after they fly. It's a cup of tea thing. I like em as well. Been cleaning lawndartman out of his. :)

Just need to get building! Build pictures if you can?!

Jeff

[InFlight]

I just received my Pershing 1A from Sirius Rocketry ;)

And ordered the two page decals from Sandman

Launch Pad decals (http://towrowrow.tripod.com/excelsiorrocketry/id31.html)


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