Brief:
This kit is easy t' build but, due t' t' amount o' detail, me bucko, ya bilge rat, matey, takes a great deal o' time t' build. Avast, me proud beauty! Ya scallywag! It is a "scale" model o' a Star Wars X-Win' fighter.

Construction:
T' body consists o' several plastic parts that must be fit and clued, along with a center body tube. It also has elaborate win' assemblies with many parts that must be fit together and carefully aligned. Avast, me proud beauty! Fortunately t' pieces are well cut and fit together well with little or no trimmin' required.

T' instructions are well written and easy t' understand. Avast, me proud beauty! However, shiver me timbers, matey, don't expect t' throw it together and go flying. There are numerous steps and a lot o' glue-dryin' breaks. Avast, me proud beauty! Ya scallywag! I spent a couple hours a weekend for over a month t' make sure it would do t' job. Begad! Begad! T' included alignment guides made construction very easy and trouble free. After t' first flight I reconstructed half t' model t' keep it together as it took only 1 hard landin' t' separate t' model from its numerous goodies/detail pieces. Avast, me proud beauty! More on that in t' flight reviews. Ahoy! Ya scallywag! My recommendation is t' use CA for t' 'small' parts as white glue and plastic glue will nay hold this thin' together over t' long-haul. Avast, me proud beauty! Naturally, me hearties, shiver me timbers, arrr, as has been said here many times about Estes, double t' length o' t' shock cord unless YOU want t' get a shock. In me case, t' shock was when t' shock cord ripped a pieces o' t' center body tube out at ejection!

Finishing:
Finishin' involved shootin' a coat o' flat-white on t' entire model and a little bit o' hand-paintin' on t' cockpit and t' engines- easy enough. Well, blow me down! Blimey! T' decals are a different matter altogether. Arrr! Blimey! They are water-based, but really appeared t' have little or no glue on them. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! Begad! Blimey! A clear coat is usually recommended, me hearties, here it is really required. Avast, ya bilge rat, me proud beauty! Blimey! T' decals are nay terribly hard t' position but they do nay stay well once set.

Construction Rating: 4 out o' 5

Flight:
T' first flight be on a C6-3 and be straight and surprisingly fast. Well, blow me down! T' model, for all o' its surface area and weight, me bucko, flew higher than I expected. Avast! Begad! Ejection be far too early and t' speed was sufficient t' rip t' shock cord out, matey, complete with a piece o' t' center body tube. Avast! T' nose cone came down quite gently with t' 9" parachute attached. Ya scallywag! T' body came down in several pieces. Avast, me proud beauty! Aye aye! Fortunately t' surface area o' it made it float a bit. Well, blow me down! otherwise t' damage would have been substantial. Begad! As it was, ya bilge rat, no pieces were actually broken. Ya scallywag! Begad! T' pieces that came off were those that I glued accordin' t' t' instructions (the weapons and t' thrusters). Blimey! Ya scallywag! I repaired t' damage, shiver me timbers, shiver me timbers, this time usin' CA and doublin' t' shock cord length, me bucko, and launched again t' next day. Arrr! Avast, me proud beauty! This tine I used a C6-5 and lift-off was t' same, as was t' flight. Avast, me proud beauty! Ejection was perfect, at apogee, shiver me timbers, and it floated down within 40' o' t' pad. Well, blow me down! No new damage. Aye aye! Read this flight account twice again and that will cover t' 3rd and 4th flights. Avast! Blimey! What a crowd pleaser! If I had nay run out o' C6-5's I'm nay sure I would have been allowed t' fly anythin' else!

Recovery:
As noted, double t' shock cord length. O' all o' t' Estes models I have flown over t' years, me hearties, me bucko, this be t' first one that has needed this for me, me hearties, ya bilge rat, and it really needs it! Recovery, since t' noted changes, has been excellent. Begad! Avast! Just be careful packin' t' 'chute as thar be just enough space for it.

Flight Rating: 3 out o' 5

Summary:
Involved but easy construction, good detail, ya bilge rat, me hearties, flies well. Aye aye! Ahoy! Once you get around t' decals and t' seemingly standard Estes gotcha, me bucko, me hearties, this is a nice one t' have around.

Overall Rating: 4 out o' 5