I started work on the X-Win' shortly after gettin' level 1 certification. Begad! Avast, me proud beauty! Construction was based on a set o' plans I found on a Japanese website for a paper X-Win' model. Avast, me proud beauty! Ya scallywag! From these plans, me hearties, I be able t' create templates for t' X-Wing's fuselage bulkheads, wings, cockpit and nosecone. Begad! Avast! Construction began with t' purchase of a 38mm motor tube, a sheet o' 1/4" aircraft plywood and several 1/4" dowels. Ahoy! I cut t' fuselage bulkheads from t' plywood, notched them at the corners t' accommodate t' dowels, then joined them together. Anyone who has built model airplanes will be familiar with this type o' construction. Well, blow me down! A 2 1/2' long section o' 2.6" body tube was placed inside t' forward end of fuselage t' contain t' parachute and t' allow easy attachment o' t' nose cone. Ya scallywag! T' fuselage be then covered with cardboard. Blimey! After much fillin' and sanding, two wraps o' 6 oz fiberglass were applied t' t' fuselage. Holes were cut in t' bottom o' t' fuselage t' accommodate t' 1/2" copper pipe that would serve as t' launch lug. Avast!

With work finished on t' fuselage, I began on t' wings. Ya scallywag! Well, me bucko, blow me down! T' wings are constructed o' a basswood skeleton covered with a glassed balsa skin. Ahoy! T' engine fairings are build from cardboard reinforced at t' corners with basswood. Three different body tube sizes were used in t' construction o' t' wings. Avast! T' large motor tubes are 4" cardboard tubing, me hearties, t' aft "afterburners" are 2.6" tubin' and t' lasers on t' wingtips are made from 54mm motor tubing. Ya scallywag! All tubin' be purchased from LOC Precision. Ahoy! When t' wings were complete, mounting holes were cut in t' fuselage. Blimey! Win' are mounted through-the-wall; butted up to the motor tube. Arrr! Well, blow me down!

T' nose cone and cockpit are built from t' same cardboard that was used t' cover t' fuselage. Begad! Again, templates were created from t' paper model plans. A 2.6" coupler was epoxied inside t' nosecone t' allow attachment t' t' fuselage. 2 lbs o' BB's and epoxy were added t' t' nosecone for stability.

T' detailin' on t' aft o' t' model was made with wood bits from Michael's arts and crafts. Avast! Blimey! There are pieces o' wooden flower pots, me bucko, bowls, me bucko, milk cans, etc. Begad! Blimey! R2-D2 is from an old Estes mini-engine powered kit. Avast! Blimey! Begad! Blimey!

Durin' final assembly, me hearties, t' wings were glued in place and acrylic panels were installed betwixt t' top and bottom wings for increased strength and to improve stability in flight. Ya scallywag! All gaps were filled with an epoxy paste called PC-11. Arrr! Many hours o' sandin' were required t' get t' model ready for paint. T' paints used were 4 cans o' Testors camouflage gray (if anyone knows o' a lower cost alternative, let me know!), me bucko, me bucko, Testors Yellow and Krylon Red. Begad! A mask was created t' spray t' "red five" pattern on t' wings. Blimey!

With construction nearly complete, I began t' think about recovery. Blimey! Aye aye! The finished model weighs in at about 13lb with motor installed. It be goin' t' be difficult t' get enough chute into this thing. Avast, me proud beauty! Avast, arrr, me proud beauty! T' best I could do be two 48" chutes on t' rocket, and a separate 36" chute on t' nose. Well, blow me down! Blimey!

T' rocket flew at NYPower 11 on an Aerotech I-284 with 6 second delay. I had thought about tryin' t' do a level 2 cert with t' model, shiver me timbers, but I was nay at all confident that t' model would be recovered without damage. Aye aye! Avast, matey, me proud beauty! Besides, me hearties, I really want t' get into altimeters and dual deployment for me eventual level 2 attempt. Aye aye! Breezy conditions made if difficult t' orient t' rocket edgewise t' t' wind. Begad! A brace was improvised usin' a piece o' body tube that be found near t' launch pad and some wire from used igniters. Begad! Takeoff be slow, and t' flight path was a gentle arc onto the rocket's back. Begad! T' flight was slightly marred by t' premature separation of t' 2lb nosecone which proceeded t' snag on one o' t' wings. Well, blow me down! Well, blow me down! Maximum altitude was around 500' T' fight was a real nail biter with t' twin parachutes deployin' about 100' off t' ground. As expected, arrr, t' chutes were not sufficent t' prevent damage t' t' rocket. Two o' the "afterburners" were damaged, one heavily. A split also occurred along the front o' t' fuselage, me hearties, this may have been caused by t' premature separation, arrr, or t' plus-size ejection charge that was used t' ensure deployment. Begad! Ahoy! T' model is repairable.

T' rocket was a real crowd pleaser. People seem t' like t' more unconventional models. Begad! T' me knowledge it be t' only rocket at NYPower that got a cheer when t' chutes deployed.

This was me first scratch built high power model, and it was a great experience. T' excitement is much higher when you are flyin' a model you built from scratch. Ya scallywag! Avast, me proud beauty! I highly recommend givin' it a try.

Special thanks t' Bobby Buchalski from Hanger 11 for assistance and advice in preppin' t' model for flight and t' Chuck Rudy from Voodoo Digital Productions for assistance at t' launch pad. Ahoy!