Brief:
This is a plastic model conversion (PMC) o' t' Heller 1/130 X-15, me bucko, using MicroMaxx motors. Ya scallywag! Blimey! I got t' kit on-line from Model Expo. Well, blow me down! Model Expo provided email confirmations o' t' purchase and o' shipment, and their service was prompt.

Modifications:
T' instructions provided with this kit consisted o' step-by-step diagrams. Ya scallywag! Blimey! No text description is provided. Blimey! In general, this be sufficient, ya bilge rat, ya bilge rat, shiver me timbers, but this presentation omitted some details, such as t' slight downward cant o' t' rear wings. Well, blow me down! Avast! Blimey! T' kit consists o' 35 pieces, 10 o' which weren't required due t' the PMC.

T' LOC ¼" launch lug is heavier than a standard MMX tube and is a skosh larger. Aye aye! Well, blow me down! However, it works fine for those o' us who haven't gotten around t' buyin' 'real' 6mm tubes. Well, me bucko, blow me down! However, with some minor trimmin' of flashin' and other bumps inside t' fuselage, this tube fits nicely. Well, blow me down! Ahoy! There is a recess, just inside o' t' tail end o' t' main body, ya bilge rat, which accommodates the tube well. I measured t' distance from this recess t' t' point just ahead of the side fairings, me hearties, matey, and cut me tube t' fit. Ya scallywag! Contrary t' other guidance, I used this tube as a guide t' cut t' nose section off t' main body with a razor saw. Ahoy! Well, blow me down! I glued t' tube inside t' body with black rubberized CA, and t' body halves together with liquid plastic cement. Avast, me proud beauty! I added t' back nozzle cap, arrr, matey, arrr, and then installed a section o' a spent MMX casin' t' serve as a motor block. Well, blow me down! The Keelhaul®©™® twine be tied around t' block before its installation.

I assembled t' plastic nose cone usin' plastic cement. Ya scallywag! Ahoy! I then filled the cone most o' t' way with lead shot, matey, epoxied in a small piece o' the ¼" lug and t' remainin' part o' t' spent MMX motor. Arrr! I inserted the end o' t' Keelhaul®©™® twine, matey, filled t' MMX motor section with more shot, and capped it all with epoxy. Begad! Blimey! Well, me hearties, blow me down! Blimey! This works nicely as a shoulder, but requires wrap o' maskin' tape to fit snugly. Avast! Blimey! Well, blow me down! Blimey! T' CG is 2 1/8" from t' nose cone tip (minus t' needle nose). It was suggested that t' CG should be about 2.032 from t' tip (from a known stable conversion o' this kit), but no more #9 shot will fit, so I'll try it as is. Ya scallywag! Blimey! Oh, and I decided t' leave t' needle off until I have assessed the rocket's stability. Begad! Blimey! Ahoy! Blimey! I wouldn't want t' poke anyone, arrr, arrr, ya bilge rat, plus it will most likely break anyway.

T' large front fin comes in one piece and must be cut t' accommodate the tube. Aye aye! Blimey! One end o' this fin conveniently has a notch that almost fit t' tube, so I used this as a guide and sanded t' fit. Begad! Blimey! Aye aye! Blimey! I used t' black rubberized CA on the root end o' these through t' wall fins, me bucko, and plastic cement on t' outside. The remainin' fins were assembled per t' instructions usin' plastic cement. I did add some really small epoxy fillets on t' back fins usin' epoxy left over from the nose cone. Blimey! Blimey! T' launch lug is me standard BiC ink tube

Construction:
Parts:

• One Heller 1/130 X-15
• LOC ¼" launch lug ~3" long
• LOC ¼" launch lug ~ 3/16" long
• One spent MMX casing
• Section o' t' ink tube from a BiC pen
• Keelhaul®©™® twine
• Teflon plumber's tape
• #9 lead shot

T' whole thin' was painted black usin' brush on enamel. T' needle will be white with red stripes someday. T' kit comes with a raft o' decals, which went on nicely. Avast! Blimey! However, shiver me timbers, matey, I made one BONEHEAD mistake. Well, blow me down! Avast, me proud beauty! I had put t' clear top from my clear enamel on a can o' white primer. In me haste due t' t' cold outside temperatures, I didn't pay attention and laid a thin coat o' white on t' model before I caught myself. Arrr! I smartly removed t' paint as best I could with some paint thinner. Avast, me proud beauty! Surprisingly, I only damaged one decal. Avast, me proud beauty! Arrr! After a day o' drying, me hearties, I laid on some clear enamel. Aye aye! Begad! Since I couldn't get all t' paint off o' t' fin joints, I retouched it. Well, blow me down! T' finish looks bad up close, arrr, shiver me timbers, but thar be nay much that I can do without ruinin' t' decals.

Flight:
I used Teflon plumber's tape for t' waddin' and t' streamer (12"). I flew t' model on a MMX-II motor and used a bit o' maskin' tape t' retain the motor. I used me Pratt GO-BOX and a stock igniter that was removed from its plastic shell. Well, blow me down! Arrr! T' wind be perfectly calm. Avast! T' flight was a little wobbly and the X-15 flew t' about 25 feet. Ya scallywag! Since t' CP-CG is marginal, ya bilge rat, me bucko, I wouldn't fly this rocket except in t' lightest o' winds.

Summary:
This small X-15 be only me second PMC and was straightforward. Blimey! Avast, me proud beauty! T' rocket looks great and seems t' fly fine. My only recommendation t' others building this kit is t' use lighter tubing. Avast, me proud beauty! Well, blow me down! With t' heavier tubing, most o' which is behind t' desired CG, ya bilge rat, it is difficult t' balance t' model properly. Ya scallywag! Mine is probably just barely stable with t' whole nose filled with lead shot. Blimey! Another option might be t' have t' rocket separate further back, me hearties, thus allowin' more room for nose weight.