Brief:
This rocket, like its older Estes and Centuri brothers, is based on the AGM-86 A.L.C.M. Cruise Missile. Although it isn't 18mm, it sure get's up there! (Estes should have made it 18mm, trade-off in a RTF world.)

Construction:
This is a Ready-to-Fly model. The only thing that I would CON about it is that the shock cord wasn't long enough, and that the 13mm motor wasn't adequate power for this plastic wonder.

Construction Rating: 2 out of 5

Flight:
When I flew the A.L.C.M., on its first flight the shock cord snapped the nose cone into one of the fins. After I fixed that with epoxy, the other superglue, it flew okay except that the motor ring kind of started to melt. A tip would be to put in a motor tube{13mm}, otherwise after 4 flights, it's going to go into retirement. I plan on getting one more to modify and see what happens!

Recovery:
Not counting the fin breaking and after putting in a longer shock cord, it recovered better.

Flight Rating: 3 out of 5

Summary:
Pro: Pre-made, RTF, and cool looking.
Con: Short shock cord, 13mm powered, and going to replaced after 4-5 flights.

Overall Rating: 3 out of 5

UPDATE: 02/03/00 After buying 1 more RTF CM, I took a 13mm tube [Estes BT-5] and cut it to length with the 'motor compartment', took a round metal file and sanded around the 'motor braces', super glued the new motor tube in there, then grinded the 'motor retaining nozzle' to fit over the 13mm tube. After that and a coat of primer gray and new decals, it looks like the C.A.L.C.M.