Brief:
Single stage, split-fin HPR rocket. Giant Leap describes it as "The Sexiest Kit Alive".

Photo courtesy of Giant Leap    

Construction:
The kit includes:

• 2 3.0" diameter "non-brittle" phenolic airframe tubes
• 1 8" long airframe coupler
• 2 3.0" bulkheads (plywood)
• 2 coupler bulkheads (plywood)
• 1 plastic boat tail
• 3 large forward fins (G10)
• 3 small aft fins (G10)
• 3 plywood centering rings
• 1 38mm motor mount, 24" long
• 2 9/16" by 12' nylon shock cords (w/ pre-sewn loops)
• 2 Kevlar shock cord protectors
• 2 Kevlar chute protectors
• 1 Slimline retainer
• 1 fiberglass electronics sled
• Various hardware required to assemble the recovery system
• 1 set ACME conforming rail guides
• Talon 3 decal
• Instructions manual in paper and VHS format

I'll state up front that I haven't even taken the VHS tape out of the bag it came in--I wish this was optional as it could reduce the kit price a bit. The printed instructions spell out all the steps fairly well. There are no diagrams, so it's important to read carefully. The only real "gotcha" in the instructions is that they contain parts lists and steps for both the basic (phenolic) version and the upgraded (fiberglass) version. Make sure you're reading the step for the version you've got!

The aft airframe section and the boat tail come pre-marked for alignment to ensure the fins line up right. This is good! However, the marking is done with a thick black marker, and could be more precise... I found it did the job well enough though.

I chose to not use the included rail guides and instead installed BlackSky-compatible rail buttons. I've heard bad things about metal rail guides, including that some clubs have banned them completely. I don't know if they deserve the bad rap (I've never used them), but I prefer the buttons anyway.

I do have one construction related gripe: No EZ-Glass sock. The kit is advertised on GL's website as including this. It's even listed in the parts list with the kit. I contacted the vendor I'd purchased it from, who in turn checked with Giant Leap and there is no sock for 3" airframes. They did make good on it by sending me a length of the 4" sock, but GL hasn't changed the description on their website. Since the EZ-Glass sock wasn't an option for reinforcing the airframe, I gave it a single layer of 6 oz cloth.

One other thing: The instructions recommend using high-temp epoxy for assembling the motor mount. I hadn't thought about that before, but it sure seems like a good idea. I used JB Weld throughout the MMT assembly.

Finishing:
The typical finish for the Talons seems to be all white with a dark color on the fin tips. It looks pretty good even with only primer on it, which is the stage I'm at. Finishing is pretty normal although you've got a big plastic boat tail to try to get paint to stick to in addition to the nose. There is a single "peel 'n stick" decal with "Talon 3" in black.

"Sexiest Kit Alive"? There's something moderately disturbing about considering a rocket kit "sexy". There's no doubt that the design attracts notice.

Construction Rating: 4 out of 5

Flight:
Giant Leap recommends 10 different Aerotech and CTI motors from the I200 to the J570. For my first flight, I used a Pro38 I205. I chose this based on some sims I ran using other rockets with parameters. Expected altitude was between 1,500' and 2,000'.

With the altimeter mounted on the sled, the electronics bay gets a bit cramped. I was able to get an AltAcc, plus the remote arming add-on in there with a bit of fussing. I double checked everything to ensure I hadn't accidentally pulled a wire anywhere.

No wadding is needed--the kit comes with Kevlar shock cord protectors and chute protectors. The down side is these are rather bulky items and internal space is at a premium. Be careful how you pack! Also, I realized a "flaw" in the instructions here: The installation step for the protectors in the bottom of the airframe assume you're flying with only motor-based ejection. If you follow this step, you'll need to run a longer lead for your drogue charge, in order for the Kevlar to do its job. No chutes are included with the kit, so I used a small military X-form chute for a drogue, and a 48" PML chute for the main. There was barely enough room to stuff everything in. Motor retention is by Slimline motor retainer. I like these! They are a simple and elegant solution, just be careful you don't lose the clip!

The flight was as good as it gets! Nice straight boost (and in a hurry!) with no wiggles, wobbles, or spin.

Recovery:
The "down" part was as good as the "up". The drogue deployed at 1,773' according to the AltAcc, and the rocket descended comfortably to 600', where the main deployed. The 48" chute seemed to be just about perfect and the landing was quite gentle. The Kevlar did its job as there was no scorching or anything to the shock cords or chutes. I wish all my flights ended up like this!

Flight Rating: 5 out of 5

Summary:
I'm very glad Giant Leap picked up and re-released the Talon kits. I've wanted one since the time ScotGlas made them. I'm definitely not disappointed. I feel a bit burned about the EZ-Glass sock--someone could probably make a case for false advertising, but it wouldn't have been a deal killer for me anyway. It was the Talon I wanted. A chance to try out that glass sock would have been a bonus.

Overall PROs:

• Cool design!
• Included motor retention!
• Included Kevlar chute and shock cord protectors!
• Pre-sewn shock cords.
• Included hardware for electronics bay, plus quick links, etc.
• Flies at least as good as it looks!

Overall CONs:

• No included main or drogue chutes.
• EZ-Glass sock is "vaporware".
• VHS instructions are superfluous.
• Printed instructions contain steps for two versions and can be confusing because of this.
• Included metal rail guides may prevent flying with some groups.

Overall Rating: 4 out of 5