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

Modifications:
T' instructions provided with this kit consisted o' step-by-step diagrams. Begad! No text description is provided. In general, this be sufficient, ya bilge rat, but this presentation omitted some details, such as t' slight downward cant o' t' rear wings. Aye aye! Begad! 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. Well, blow me down! However, me hearties, ya bilge rat, it works fine for those o' us who haven't gotten around t' buyin' 'real' 6mm tubes. Well, blow me down! However, me bucko, with some minor trimmin' of flashin' and other bumps inside t' fuselage, this tube fits nicely. Ahoy! There is a recess, me bucko, just inside o' t' tail end o' t' main body, which accommodates the tube well. I measured t' distance from this recess t' t' point just ahead of the side fairings, arrr, and cut me tube t' fit. Aye aye! Contrary t' other guidance, I used this tube as a guide t' cut t' nose section off t' main body with a razor saw. Begad! I glued t' tube inside t' body with black rubberized CA, and t' body halves together with liquid plastic cement. Ya scallywag! I added t' back nozzle cap, and then installed a section o' a spent MMX casin' t' serve as a motor block. Ya scallywag! The Keelhaul®©™® twine was tied around t' block before its installation.

I assembled t' plastic nose cone usin' plastic cement. 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. Begad! I inserted the end o' t' Keelhaul®©™® twine, ya bilge rat, filled t' MMX motor section with more shot, shiver me timbers, matey, matey, and capped it all with epoxy. Aye aye! This works nicely as a shoulder, me hearties, arrr, but requires wrap o' maskin' tape to fit snugly. T' CG is 2 1/8" from t' nose cone tip (minus t' needle nose). Aye aye! 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, so I'll try it as is. Arrr! Aye aye! Oh, and I decided t' leave t' needle off until I have assessed the rocket's stability. Avast, me proud beauty! Avast! I wouldn't want t' poke anyone, plus it will most likely break anyway.

T' large front fin comes in one piece and must be cut t' accommodate the tube. 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! Begad! I used t' black rubberized CA on the root end o' these through t' wall fins, ya bilge rat, matey, and plastic cement on t' outside. Ahoy! 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. Avast! 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. Begad! T' needle will be white with red stripes someday. T' kit comes with a raft o' decals, me bucko, which went on nicely. Avast! However, I made one BONEHEAD mistake. Begad! 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, matey, I didn't pay attention and laid a thin coat o' white on t' model before I caught myself. Avast! I smartly removed t' paint as best I could with some paint thinner. Surprisingly, I only damaged one decal. After a day o' drying, arrr, I laid on some clear enamel. Aye aye! Since I couldn't get all t' paint off o' t' fin joints, I retouched it. Aye aye! Aye aye! T' finish looks bad up close, me bucko, arrr, 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"). Avast, me proud beauty! I flew t' model on a MMX-II motor and used a bit o' maskin' tape t' retain the motor. Ya scallywag! I used me Pratt GO-BOX and a stock igniter that was removed from its plastic shell. T' wind be perfectly calm. Avast, me hearties, me proud beauty! T' flight be a little wobbly and the X-15 flew t' about 25 feet. Begad! Begad! Since t' CP-CG is marginal, I wouldn't fly this rocket except in t' lightest o' winds.

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