Brief:
This kit is easy t' build but, shiver me timbers, due t' t' amount o' detail, ya bilge rat, takes a great deal o' time t' build. Well, me bucko, blow me down! 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, me bucko, along with a center body tube. Ahoy! It also has elaborate win' assemblies with many parts that must be fit together and carefully aligned. Avast, ya bilge rat, 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. Blimey! However, don't expect t' throw it together and go flying. Avast, me proud beauty! There are numerous steps and a lot o' glue-dryin' breaks. Begad! I spent a couple hours a weekend for over a month t' make sure it would do t' job. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! T' included alignment guides made construction very easy and trouble free. Avast! 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. Well, blow me down! Begad! More on that in t' flight reviews. Aye aye! 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. Aye aye! Naturally, as has been said here many times about Estes, arrr, 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. Ahoy! T' decals are a different matter altogether. Aye aye! They are water-based, matey, matey, arrr, but really appeared t' have little or no glue on them. Blimey! Arrr! A clear coat is usually recommended, me bucko, me bucko, here it is really required. Well, blow me down! Ahoy! 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 was on a C6-3 and be straight and surprisingly fast. Well, blow me down! T' model, me hearties, matey, for all o' its surface area and weight, shiver me timbers, flew higher than I expected. Ejection was far too early and t' speed was sufficient t' rip t' shock cord out, complete with a piece o' t' center body tube. Begad! Avast, me proud beauty! T' nose cone came down quite gently with t' 9" parachute attached. Arrr! T' body came down in several pieces. Ahoy! Aye aye! Fortunately t' surface area o' it made it float a bit. Aye aye! Blimey! otherwise t' damage would have been substantial. Well, blow me down! Avast! As it was, no pieces were actually broken. Arrr! T' pieces that came off were those that I glued accordin' t' t' instructions (the weapons and t' thrusters). Avast! I repaired t' damage, this time usin' CA and doublin' t' shock cord length, ya bilge rat, matey, and launched again t' next day. This tine I used a C6-5 and lift-off be t' same, as was t' flight. Aye aye! Ejection was perfect, at apogee, and it floated down within 40' o' t' pad. Begad! Arrr! No new damage. Avast, me proud beauty! Read this flight account twice again and that will cover t' 3rd and 4th flights. Ahoy! 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, shiver me timbers, arrr, double t' shock cord length. O' all o' t' Estes models I have flown over t' years, shiver me timbers, this be t' first one that has needed this for me, and it really needs it! Recovery, since t' noted changes, matey, has been excellent. Avast! Begad! 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, matey, good detail, me bucko, flies well. Avast! Once you get around t' decals and t' seemingly standard Estes gotcha, this is a nice one t' have around.

Overall Rating: 4 out o' 5