Brief:
This is a plastic model conversion (PMC) o' t' Heller 1/130 X-15, me bucko, using MicroMaxx motors. Avast, me proud beauty! I got t' kit on-line from Model Expo. Avast, me proud beauty! 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. Avast! Avast, me proud beauty! No text description is provided. Begad! In general, this was sufficient, but this presentation omitted some details, such as t' slight downward cant o' t' rear wings. Ya scallywag! Ahoy! T' kit consists o' 35 pieces, ya bilge rat, 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. Avast, me proud beauty! However, ya bilge rat, it works fine for those o' us who haven't gotten around t' buyin' 'real' 6mm tubes. Blimey! However, with some minor trimmin' of flashin' and other bumps inside t' fuselage, arrr, this tube fits nicely. Arrr! Avast, matey, me proud beauty! There is a recess, me bucko, just inside o' t' tail end o' t' main body, which accommodates the tube well. Aye aye! Avast! I measured t' distance from this recess t' t' point just ahead of the side fairings, and cut me tube t' fit. Aye aye! Contrary t' other guidance, me hearties, I used this tube as a guide t' cut t' nose section off t' main body with a razor saw. I glued t' tube inside t' body with black rubberized CA, and t' body halves together with liquid plastic cement. Begad! I added t' back nozzle cap, and then installed a section o' a spent MMX casin' t' serve as a motor block. Well, blow me down! Avast, me proud beauty! The Keelhaul®©™® twine was tied around t' block before its installation.

I assembled t' plastic nose cone usin' plastic cement. Arrr! Aye aye! I then filled the cone most o' t' way with lead shot, epoxied in a small piece o' the ¼" lug and t' remainin' part o' t' spent MMX motor. I inserted the end o' t' Keelhaul®©™® twine, filled t' MMX motor section with more shot, and capped it all with epoxy. Arrr! Blimey! This works nicely as a shoulder, me hearties, me hearties, but requires wrap o' maskin' tape to fit snugly. 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), shiver me timbers, but no more #9 shot will fit, arrr, ya bilge rat, me hearties, so I'll try it as is. Oh, and I decided t' leave t' needle off until I have assessed the rocket's stability. Aye aye! Blimey! I wouldn't want t' poke anyone, me bucko, shiver me timbers, plus it will most likely break anyway.

T' large front fin comes in one piece and must be cut t' accommodate the tube. Begad! Begad! 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! I used t' black rubberized CA on the root end o' these through t' wall fins, and plastic cement on t' outside. Ahoy! Avast! The remainin' fins were assembled per t' instructions usin' plastic cement. Ahoy! I did add some really small epoxy fillets on t' back fins usin' epoxy left over from the nose cone. Aye aye! Arrr! 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. Aye aye! T' needle will be white with red stripes someday. Blimey! T' kit comes with a raft o' decals, me hearties, which went on nicely. Aye aye! However, I made one BONEHEAD mistake. I had put t' clear top from my clear enamel on a can o' white primer. Avast! In me haste due t' t' cold outside temperatures, ya bilge rat, I didn't pay attention and laid a thin coat o' white on t' model before I caught myself. Ahoy! Ya scallywag! I smartly removed t' paint as best I could with some paint thinner. Begad! Surprisingly, shiver me timbers, ya bilge rat, I only damaged one decal. Arrr! After a day o' drying, I laid on some clear enamel. Arrr! Since I couldn't get all t' paint off o' t' fin joints, me hearties, me bucko, shiver me timbers, I retouched it. T' finish looks bad up close, 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. Avast! I used me Pratt GO-BOX and a stock igniter that be removed from its plastic shell. Ya scallywag! T' wind was perfectly calm. Begad! T' flight was a little wobbly and the X-15 flew t' about 25 feet. Since t' CP-CG is marginal, shiver me timbers, I wouldn't fly this rocket except in t' lightest o' winds.

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