Brief:
Estes released t' Star Wars fleet model rockets in 1978 followin' t' very successful Star Wars movie on t' big screen. Aye aye! T' Estes Maxi-Brute X-Win' Fighter kit is a full scale replica used by t' special effects team o' Lucas Film in t' makin' o' t' first movie. Begad! T' Maxi-Brute X-Win' is a single stage model designed t' be powered by a single D12-3 and recovered via twin 18" plastic parachutes. Back in t' early 1980's while at some hobby shop in Louisiana (I think in Baton Rouge, but can't really remember), I happened upon a number o' soon t' be OOP kits and snapped up as many as I could afford at t' time. Ahoy! Arrr! Included in this acquisition I got two o' t' Maxi-Brute X-Wings. Avast! But in 1982 due t' a career change, shiver me timbers, I was unable t' devote any time t' t' hobby and went on an extended "leave" that lasted until late 2003. Begad! Begad! After rejoin' t' NAR, shiver me timbers, matey, I once again resumed me desire for NARRRRR sanctioned competition. Ahoy! T' NASA/Houston Rocket Club had t' Gulf Coast Regional Meet comin' up in t' fall o' 2005 and one event on t' schedule be Science Fiction/Future Scale. Arrr! Time t' take one o' t' X-Win' out o' storage and get t' building. Since by this time I was doin' a beta test o' QuickBurst's Hot Shot igniters, ya bilge rat, shiver me timbers, I knew what I be goin' t' do t' me X-Win' build t' get those maximum points.

Construction:
Even though t' model has a fully blow molded plastic fuselage/nosecone and other plastic pieces, this model is a Skill Level 4 kit. T' parts list is very extensive:

• Fuselage
• Fuselage Nose Extension
• Fuselage Front Cap
• Fuselage Rear Cap
• Right Top Win' Saddle
• Left Top Win' Saddle
• Right Bottom Win' Saddle
• Left Bottom Win' Saddle
• 4 Laser Raditors
• 4 Laser Caps
• 4 Barrel Couplers
• 4 Laser Probes
• 4 Probe Couplers
• 4 Engine Inlets
• 4 Engine Rear Caps
• 4 Afterburner Couplers
• 4 Afterburner Nozzles
• 4 Barrel Extension Tubes (type BT-2XW)
• 4 Laser Barrel Tubes (type BT-3H)
• 4 Laser Body Tubes (type BT-30XW)
• 4 Engine Tubes (type BT-60XW)
• 4 Afterburner Tubes (type BT-50T)
• Fuselage Body Tube (type BT-50XW)
• Retainer Tube (type BT-52AG)
• Engine Block (type AR-2050)
• Engine Holder (type EH-2)
• Engine Casin' (type EC-6)
• 2 Balsa Win' Sheets (type BF-1302A)
• Balsa Fin Sheet (type BF-1302B)
• Launch Lug (type LL-MXW)
• 2 Parachutes (type PK-18A)
• 2 Shroud Liness (type SLT-108)
• 2 Tape Discs (type TD-3F)
• Shock Cord (type SC-2MJ)
• Printed Win' Cover & Shock Cord Mount
• Decal Sheet
• Dowel
• Sheet o' Engine Wrappers
• Gluin' Template
• Clay Weight
• Display Stand.

I also, due t' some modifications I was planning, included four short pieces o' BT-5's and balsa standoffs.

T' instructions runs eight pages and has about 30 steps total for construction. I began buildin' this model about four months prior t' t' Gulf Coast Regional, ya bilge rat, as I wanted t' make sure I did a good job. Ya scallywag! T' materials needed t' complete this model included:

• modelin' knife with sharp blade
• fine (#320 - #400 grit) sandpaper
• tube-type plastic model cement

• (A note is given nay t' substitute liquid plastic cement for this.)

• household "white glue" for gluin' wood or all porous materials
• flat white spray enamel
• small bottle o' light blue enamel
• small (#0 - #1) brush
• maskin' tape
• balsa sandin' sealer.

T' instructions steps were very well presented as they were logical, along with t' illustrations and templates (you'll really need those). Arrr! T' major change I made be addin' BT-5's in t' afterburner tubes, shiver me timbers, shiver me timbers, arrr, usin' a balsa standoff. Well, blow me down! Arrr! This is where I be goin' t' supplement t' D12's power with four additional A10's. Aye aye! Because o' t' steps needed t' prep t' model, ya bilge rat, shiver me timbers, t' four plastic afterburner nozzles were nay glued t' t' afterburner tubes; instead, they were simply friction fitted (the fit be very tight anyway!). Blimey! No engine holder clips were needed for t' A10's, matey, arrr, they're easily secured usin' maskin' tape.

Other than that, t' model as a whole was assembled without any real issues usin' t' steps as given in t' instructions. Due t' t' increased weight o' t' added A10's, I added one additional clay nose weight in t' plastic nose cone.

Finishing:
Finishin' was pretty easy due t' t' large size o' this beautiful model, however, ya bilge rat, shiver me timbers, it took a number o' coats o' sandin' sealer (with sandin' in between) t' get t' balsa win' surfaces smooth. It took even more thin coats o' t' white enamel t' get an even color match o' t' wings with t' fuselage's finish. Avast! I did have t' lightly sand t' painted win' surfaces several times and respray t' white enamel before I was satisfied o' t' finish.

T' decals were another issue. Due t' t' 20+ years they had been sittin' in t' box packaging, they had started t' become a little brittle. Arrr! Usin' special care, I be able t' get all o' t' decals on. Aye aye! Well, blow me down! T' final result is a model that looks incredibly good usin' t' special display stand thats included. Blimey! Estes did a terrific job with a quality kit like this!

Construction Rating: 5 out o' 5

Flight:
Finally, t' moment o' truth arrived with t' Gulf Coast Regional Meet held at t' Johnson Space Center in Houston, TX (November 19 - 20, shiver me timbers, 2005). Arrr! I attended only on t' second day o' t' meet, shiver me timbers, but nevertheless, me hearties, t' other entries for t' Science Fiction/Future Scale were outstanding.

After t' usual static judging, shiver me timbers, t' model be returned t' me for preppin' for that always important qualification flight. Well, blow me down! Begad! Blimey! I had already pre-packed t' recovery system (twin 18" plastic parachutes) with t' recovery waddin' at home before I headed t' JSC. Begad! Aye aye! Blimey! All I needed t' do was install t' five engines with t' QuickBurst Hot Shot igniters and four plastic afterburner nozzles. Avast, me proud beauty! T' model be ready t' go.

What I liked about usin' t' QuickBurst Hot Shot is that they eliminated t' need for cluster clipwhips. Well, blow me down! T' proper wires can just be twisted together so that only two microclips are needed. See me product review o' QuickBurst's Hot Shot here at EMRR for more details.

One question mark I had was t' choice I'd made in usin' t' D12-5 for t' core engine instead o' t' D12-3 with t' four A10-PT's providin' much additional thrust t' supplement t' D12's, ya bilge rat, matey, I'd figured t' model's mass and momentum would allow a good coast period with t' recovery system deployin' with sufficent altitude.

Followin' t' five second countdown, shiver me timbers, all five engines roared t' life for a picture perfect liftoff. Well, blow me down! Followin' t' D12's burnout, t' Maxi-Brute X-Win' was nay as high as I'd expected. Begad! I had forgot t' take into account t' word "drag". T' shape o' t' four win' saddles would definitely provide plenty o' drag and I certainly hadn't thought o' this when makin' t' selection o' t' D12-5 over t' D12-3.

T' X-Win' went about maybe 200 feet maximum (the Estes catalog says 300 feet on a single D12) and started a frightenin' descent toward t' asphalt pavement launch area at JSC. Well, blow me down! At about 35 - 40 feet, t' ejection charge blew and t' two 18" parachute's popped out. Blimey! Avast! But t' fast fallin' fighter was just too close t' t' ground for t' twin chutes t' have any chance o' deploying. Begad! T' right side o' t' X-Win' made hard contact with t' asphalt, shatterin' t' balsa wings. Avast! Otherwise most all o' t' big model remained intact. Even t' laser pads survived, me hearties, arrr, perfectly intact!

I and several others gathered up all t' pieces we could find and within a few days I was able t' piece together t' broken pieces t' fully repair t' model. Well, ya bilge rat, blow me down! Now one can't even tell t' trial and tribulation this model went through!

Since that flight (BTW, ya bilge rat, t' X-Win' won first place at t' Gulf Coast Regional), me hearties, I've nay been able t' fly it again due t' t' ATF restrictions on t' QuickBurst (Hot Shot) igniters. Hopefully in time, me bucko, me hearties, t' restrictions will be lifted and t' mighty X-Win' will take t' t' skies once again.

Flight Rating: 5 out o' 5

Summary:
An overall superb kit by t' Estes o' yesterday, arrr, me bucko, one I wish was still available today. A challenge t' build and fun t' fly. Ahoy! Blimey! T' next time I fly this model I will be certain t' use t' D12-3.

Overall Rating: 5 out o' 5