This is a scale kit of the SAAB 372 Air-to-Air Missile, as used by the Swedish air force. As far as TLP kits go, this one is pretty easy to build. It is labeled as a Skill Level 3 kit, which is accurate. Forming the boattail from card stock was the hardest part of building this rocket. Overall, this is a fun flying model rocket kit which won't disappoint, as long as you enjoy builder's kits. While one is shown in the face card, no decals are provide with the kit. This is always the case with The Launch Pad kits. The one shown in the picture was made with clear Avery label paper.

Parts List

There's nothing unusual about the packaging for this mid-power kit, it comes in a clear plastic bag with the usual TLP face card.

- plastic nose cone with clay nose weight
- 2 body tubes (BT-80) with coupler
- 2 balsa fin stock sheets
- 6 balsa strips
- fin templates
- motor tube, engine hook and centering rings
- shock cord, shock cord mount and launch lug
- Mylar parachute assembly
- assembly instruction sheets

To build this flying mid-power rocket kit, all you need is glue, a hobby knife, and some sand paper.

Construction

Usually, I'll replace the balsa fin stock included with TLP kits with some quality basswood. As I had run out of basswood, it was time to try something different.

The fins were laminated with label paper. Each fin was simply placed on the sticky side of a sheet of label paper. A hobby knife was ran across the edge of the fin to remove it from the sheet. This was done to both sides of each fin. It certainly stiffened up the fins and made them as smooth as can be.

The forward fins are mounted on a section of rectangular balsa rod. The balsa pieces you see above the fin will be glued onto the airframe to make the model rocket look like the real deal. This photo also shows the airframe with the boattail glued in place. I replaced the card stock provided with some 110lb stock. Forming the boattail was one of the more difficult parts of this build.

First, the aft fin set was secured in place. To line up for forward fin set, a couple of square balsa rods were used. Once the fins are in place, the decorative balsa pieces (see earlier picture) are glued in place, along with the launch lugs. Generous glue fillets were applied to fins and balsa pieces to finish the construction of this The Launch Pad model.

Measurements

The TLP face card lists the SAAB 372 as having a length of 39" with a 2.6" (BT-80) diameter.

Finishing

Other than painting the tip of the nose cone gray, the paint scheme is pretty easy to complete. The instructions say the ring around the body tube is yellow. It looks more like orange on the face card.

The rocket was painted "wicker white" (Folk Art) with a DA500 Hobbico paint gun. The circles around the body tube are Canyon Orange (Americana). This was the second rocket being painted with the paint gun.

Once I started applying the Future clear coat, it hit me that I'd forgotten to paint the nose cone tip gray. All in all, the model still came out looking OK.

Flight Data

According to The Launch Pad, the recommended motors are D12-3, E15-4 and F24-4. To safely fly it on a D12-3, you'll need to build light.

As I had equipped this model rocket with a 29mm motor mount, it was first flown on a F40W-7. This made for an excellent flight. As an unexpected bonus, the rocket whistled on the way up. The balsa fins held up just fine.