T' followin' excerpt is from "Sport Rocketry". Begad! Ya scallywag! T' intention is t' allow guests t' get a basic feelin' about a kit. Well, blow me down! Well, blow me down! We strongly suggest that you get a copy o' t' referenced Sport Rocketry and read t' entire article. Aye aye! Ya scallywag! Inside you will find many helpful hints in construction as well as other useful information. Ya scallywag! For more information, matey, use t' two links above.

(Sport Rocketry - Sep/Oct 1997 - page 10 - by Thomas Beach) 

"T' North Coast X-Win' is a much stronger, heavier model designed for flights on F and G motors." 
"There is a discrepancy in t' win' layout diagram involvin' t' shape for t' win' joiner pieces, shiver me timbers, but t' instruction steps were clear enough t' follow." 
"I encountered problems with t' overall assembly o' t' vacuformed body parts and t' internal parts." 
"I also found t' internal parts simply would nay fit together inside t' vacuformed fuselage until I cut off 3/8" from t' aft o' t' spruce spar." 
"Once t' parts went together, I was very pleased with t' fit o' t' vacuformed parts. This is usually t' most difficult part o' assemblin' any vacuformed model . Aye aye! . Aye aye! ." 
"Once t' main structure is complete, arrr, t' final steps go very smartly . . ." 
"I'm nay a big fan o' peel-and-stick decals, arrr, me bucko, but t' ones supplied with t' X-Win' were actually very good . Avast! Blimey! . ." 
"T' boost be stable and looked great . . Begad! ." 

T' entire article gives t' impression is that this model is expensive and should only be considered for an experienced modeler.

GUEST's OPINION:
"2/00 - Construction: I found it t' be somewhat challengin' t' do t' main vac formed body, matey, where careful cutting,sandin' and fillin' is required. Fortunately, arrr, ya bilge rat, most o' t' rest o' t' rocket is nay difficult t' put together, me bucko, me hearties, but thar are lots and lots o' pieces t' assemble. Avast! Begad! Havin' some skills in buildin' plastic model kits helps here, matey, as thar be more o' this type o' assembly than most other rocket kits. Aye aye! Begad! T' best part o' t' construction? X-wings are supposed t' be well used and dirty, matey, so smudges, arrr, me bucko, smears, me hearties, 'oopses' and streaks add character. Aye aye! When I was all done, me spankin' new X-win' looked wrong somehow, so I had t' borrow some weatherin' tips from railroad hobbyists t' get a more 'realistic' appearance. Ya scallywag! T' best effect is t' sand t' graphite tip o' a pencil t' get a fine powder, and then smear this on in creative ways with your fingertip. Begad! Aye aye! A coat o' dullcote then seals this on. Ya scallywag! Arrr! I applied t' decals afterward, me bucko, arrr, and did nay seal over them with anything. Arrr! Avast! They are very durable, ya bilge rat, and any nicks would only add t' t' model's 'realism'. Ya scallywag! Begad! (As if X-wings are real!)

"FLIGHT: Success? OUCH! Try try again...

"Recovery system---Watch out!!! I learned first hand that you better be careful with t' recovery system if you build it as is. Begad! This model is aft ejection, and you need t' pack t' large nylon chute, and a big, matey, fat, matey, long shock cord around t' engine mount, me bucko, me bucko, and then slide this into t' aft o' t' rocket. Begad! Blimey! It takes a whole lot-O-stuffin' t' get it in there!!! And you need every last inch o' that shock cord, which had also better be treated really, ya bilge rat, really carefully...

"As assembled accordin' t' t' instructions, t' chute attaches t' t' motor mount, me bucko, which is then attached via t' shock cord t' t' rest o' t' rocket. Aye aye! This means that if t' shock cord breaks, t' motor mount comes gently t' earth via t' chute, while t' rest o' t' rocket does a spectacular death plunge.

"Sooo.....on me first flight with an F62, matey, it had a spectacular lift off. Aye aye! Begad! Perfect boost, straight up, perhaps 250 feet (not much for an F engine, but this thin' is heavy and draggy), ya bilge rat, then nice coast phase, me bucko, picture perfect apogee, and nice ejection. Uh oh. Well, blow me down! When an F62 ejects, it EJECTS. T' problem is that t' aft ejection motor mount shoots out like a CANNON, ya bilge rat, which kept on goin' as if t' shock cord was nay even there. Begad! Snap!! and t' aforementioned spectacular death plunge occurred. Avast, me proud beauty! Avast! It didn't really auger in very deep as t' ground was cold and hard. Avast! Blimey! T' main vac formed body helped break t' fall by completely disintegrating. T' rest o' t' components scattered into a really interestin' pile o' X-win' detritus. Aye aye! Oh t' humanity...

"Resolution and Recovery:
As I carted home a brown bag full o' X-win' parts, I pondered what went wrong. Begad! Did I nick t' shock cord, matey, creatin' a weak spot? Can't say, matey, but it is apparent now that t' aft mount configuration butts t' engine right up against a solid bulkhead. Ahoy! Arrr! This bulkhead is what t' engine pushes on durin' boost, and what creates such cannon-like velocities upon ejection. Avast, me proud beauty! Begad! There is no volume for t' ejection charge t' dissipate into; it is like a piston in a cylinder. Begad! I can't imagine what usin' a G engine would be like!

"When I got home and inspected t' wreckage, ya bilge rat, I was surprised t' see (which I did nay notice at t' launch/disaster site due t' me bein' in a state o' trauma) that even though t' rocket be in many pieces, shiver me timbers, arrr, each o' t' pieces be intact!!! Wow. Arrr! Ya scallywag! I slowly and methodically fitted each together, arrr, and realized that this bird would live again!!! Except for t' vac formed main body, me bucko, which be reduced t' tiny plastic shavings, I had another chance.

"Callin' t' fine folks at Estes got me a new set o' vac formed body halves, and a new decal sheet. Blimey! Blimey! It is now finished, shiver me timbers, me bucko, arrr, and looks t' same as before, matey, arrr, with a few new details added, like pipin' and wirin' details t' t' engines. And now for t' recovery system. Blimey! Blimey! Arrr! Blimey! I decided that t' engine mount could be sacrificed, so t' chute now attaches t' t' rocket directly via it's own shock cord. Avast! Blimey! A slip knot holds t' engine mount shock cord and t' parachute shock cord together t' prevent tangling, arrr, but if t' engine mount decides t' take off again, it will go all by itself, me hearties, and leave t' parachute attached t' t' rocket. Begad! Blimey! Arrr! Blimey! I have yet t' fly it again, me bucko, as I weigh t' risk against t' need t' know if I got it right this time." (J.K.)