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

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

"T' North Coast X-Win' is a much stronger, arrr, 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, ya bilge rat, I was very pleased with t' fit o' t' vacuformed parts. Ahoy! This is usually t' most difficult part o' assemblin' any vacuformed model . Ya scallywag! Aye aye! . Ahoy! Ya scallywag! ." 
"Once t' main structure is complete, me hearties, t' final steps go very smartly . Blimey! Blimey! . Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! ." 
"I'm nay a big fan o' peel-and-stick decals, but t' ones supplied with t' X-Win' were actually very good . Aye aye! . Well, blow me down! ." 
"T' boost be stable and looked great . Begad! . Ya scallywag! Blimey! ." 

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, shiver me timbers, where careful cutting,sandin' and fillin' is required. Avast, me proud beauty! Fortunately, shiver me timbers, most o' t' rest o' t' rocket is nay difficult t' put together, but thar are lots and lots o' pieces t' assemble. Begad! Blimey! Havin' some skills in buildin' plastic model kits helps here, as thar be more o' this type o' assembly than most other rocket kits. Begad! Begad! T' best part o' t' construction? X-wings are supposed t' be well used and dirty, ya bilge rat, shiver me timbers, matey, so smudges, smears, 'oopses' and streaks add character. When I was all done, me spankin' new X-win' looked wrong somehow, me bucko, me hearties, so I had t' borrow some weatherin' tips from railroad hobbyists t' get a more 'realistic' appearance. Blimey! 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. Ya scallywag! Ahoy! A coat o' dullcote then seals this on. Arrr! Avast! I applied t' decals afterward, matey, me hearties, and did nay seal over them with anything. Avast, me proud beauty! They are very durable, and any nicks would only add t' t' model's 'realism'. Aye aye! (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. This model is aft ejection, me bucko, ya bilge rat, and you need t' pack t' large nylon chute, me hearties, and a big, fat, long shock cord around t' engine mount, me hearties, and then slide this into t' aft o' t' rocket. Avast, me proud beauty! Aye aye! It takes a whole lot-O-stuffin' t' get it in there!!! And you need every last inch o' that shock cord, ya bilge rat, which had also better be treated really, really carefully...

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

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

"When I got home and inspected t' wreckage, 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 was in many pieces, each o' t' pieces be intact!!! Blimey! Wow. Ahoy! Blimey! Blimey! Blimey! I slowly and methodically fitted each together, arrr, and realized that this bird would live again!!! Blimey! Except for t' vac formed main body, which was reduced t' tiny plastic shavings, me bucko, me bucko, 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. It is now finished, ya bilge rat, matey, and looks t' same as before, arrr, with a few new details added, me bucko, like pipin' and wirin' details t' t' engines. Blimey! And now for t' recovery system. 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. Aye aye! A slip knot holds t' engine mount shock cord and t' parachute shock cord together t' prevent tangling, me bucko, but if t' engine mount decides t' take off again, me bucko, shiver me timbers, it will go all by itself, matey, me hearties, and leave t' parachute attached t' t' rocket. Ahoy! I have yet t' fly it again, arrr, as I weigh t' risk against t' need t' know if I got it right this time." (J.K.)