PAC-3 S.A.M Skill 3

This is a huge rocket, but it is not for the novice modeler. There are some areas of special concern, as follows: 1. They supply a cardstock template to make a paper cone extension to convert the blunt tip plastic nose cone to a spike tip. As anyone who has made a spike tip paper cone knows, this is very difficult, especially forming the tip. HINT: Use a pencil when gluing the tab to help form the tip and prevent crimping and creasing. 2. Clay weight is provided to add to the nose cone for stability, but they supplied potter's clay, not modelling clay. It left a white residue all over my hands and everything it touched. Would have been better if they had used metal weights and epoxy, e.g. bb/lead shot. 3. Instructions omit the gluing of the launch lugs. E-mailed Launch Pad on their website to inform them. They say on their site will respond within 24 hours: We promise!. 3 days later and still no response. Had to guesstimate on location of lugs. 4. 2 couplers are provided, nested within the main body tubes. Had a dickens of a time removing them. Perhaps it was the humidity, but they seemed to be almost glued on. 5. Instruction say to use balsa filler/ sanding sealer to smooth the seam between the plastic nose cone and paper extension. Instead I used Squadron putty: much easier and faster. Overall, despite all the challenges, I wound up with a very nice ( and BIG) looking bird.