I started work on the X-Win' shortly after gettin' level 1 certification. Aye aye! Construction was based on a set o' plans I found on a Japanese website for a paper X-Win' model. Aye aye! From these plans, shiver me timbers, I was able t' create templates for t' X-Wing's fuselage bulkheads, ya bilge rat, wings, me hearties, cockpit and nosecone. Construction began with t' purchase of a 38mm motor tube, a sheet o' 1/4" aircraft plywood and several 1/4" dowels. Begad! I cut t' fuselage bulkheads from t' plywood, me bucko, notched them at the corners t' accommodate t' dowels, then joined them together. Avast, me proud beauty! Avast! Anyone who has built model airplanes will be familiar with this type o' construction. Aye aye! A 2 1/2' long section o' 2.6" body tube be placed inside t' forward end of fuselage t' contain t' parachute and t' allow easy attachment o' t' nose cone. Ahoy! Blimey! T' fuselage be then covered with cardboard. Arrr! After much fillin' and sanding, two wraps o' 6 oz fiberglass were applied t' t' fuselage. Holes were cut in t' bottom o' t' fuselage t' accommodate t' 1/2" copper pipe that would serve as t' launch lug.

With work finished on t' fuselage, I began on t' wings. Avast, me proud beauty! Ahoy! T' wings are constructed o' a basswood skeleton covered with a glassed balsa skin. Arrr! T' engine fairings are build from cardboard reinforced at t' corners with basswood. Well, blow me down! Three different body tube sizes were used in t' construction o' t' wings. T' large motor tubes are 4" cardboard tubing, me bucko, arrr, t' aft "afterburners" are 2.6" tubin' and t' lasers on t' wingtips are made from 54mm motor tubing. Well, blow me down! All tubin' be purchased from LOC Precision. When t' wings were complete, me bucko, arrr, arrr, mounting holes were cut in t' fuselage. Avast, me proud beauty! Ahoy! Win' are mounted through-the-wall; butted up to the motor tube. Avast, me proud beauty!

T' nose cone and cockpit are built from t' same cardboard that be used t' cover t' fuselage. Ya scallywag! Again, templates were created from t' paper model plans. Blimey! A 2.6" coupler was epoxied inside t' nosecone t' allow attachment t' t' fuselage. Well, blow me down! Blimey! 2 lbs o' BB's and epoxy were added t' t' nosecone for stability. Begad! Blimey!

T' detailin' on t' aft o' t' model was made with wood bits from Michael's arts and crafts. Ahoy! Ya scallywag! There are pieces o' wooden flower pots, matey, shiver me timbers, bowls, milk cans, etc. Begad! R2-D2 is from an old Estes mini-engine powered kit.

Durin' final assembly, me bucko, t' wings were glued in place and acrylic panels were installed betwixt t' top and bottom wings for increased strength and to improve stability in flight. Arrr! Aye aye! All gaps were filled with an epoxy paste called PC-11. Begad! Blimey! Many hours o' sandin' were required t' get t' model ready for paint. T' paints used were 4 cans o' Testors camouflage gray (if anyone knows o' a lower cost alternative, arrr, let me know!), me bucko, me hearties, Testors Yellow and Krylon Red. Blimey! A mask was created t' spray t' "red five" pattern on t' wings. Blimey!

With construction nearly complete, ya bilge rat, I began t' think about recovery. Blimey! Well, blow me down! The finished model weighs in at about 13lb with motor installed. Avast, me bucko, me proud beauty! It be goin' t' be difficult t' get enough chute into this thing. Well, blow me down! T' best I could do was two 48" chutes on t' rocket, arrr, and a separate 36" chute on t' nose.

T' rocket flew at NYPower 11 on an Aerotech I-284 with 6 second delay. Begad! I had thought about tryin' t' do a level 2 cert with t' model, but I was nay at all confident that t' model would be recovered without damage. Avast! Besides, I really want t' get into altimeters and dual deployment for me eventual level 2 attempt. Aye aye! Breezy conditions made if difficult t' orient t' rocket edgewise t' t' wind. Avast, me proud beauty! A brace was improvised usin' a piece o' body tube that was found near t' launch pad and some wire from used igniters. Takeoff was slow, me hearties, and t' flight path was a gentle arc onto the rocket's back. Avast, me proud beauty! Begad! T' flight was slightly marred by t' premature separation of t' 2lb nosecone which proceeded t' snag on one o' t' wings. Ya scallywag! Maximum altitude was around 500' T' fight was a real nail biter with t' twin parachutes deployin' about 100' off t' ground. Ya scallywag! As expected, arrr, t' chutes were not sufficent t' prevent damage t' t' rocket. Aye aye! Well, blow me down! Two o' the "afterburners" were damaged, ya bilge rat, one heavily. A split also occurred along the front o' t' fuselage, matey, this may have been caused by t' premature separation, ya bilge rat, arrr, or t' plus-size ejection charge that be used t' ensure deployment. Blimey! T' model is repairable.

T' rocket be a real crowd pleaser. Well, blow me down! People seem t' like t' more unconventional models. Well, blow me down! Begad! T' me knowledge it be t' only rocket at NYPower that got a cheer when t' chutes deployed. Blimey!

This be me first scratch built high power model, and it be a great experience. Well, blow me down! T' excitement is much higher when you are flyin' a model you built from scratch. Begad! I highly recommend givin' it a try. Avast, me proud beauty!

Special thanks t' Bobby Buchalski from Hanger 11 for assistance and advice in preppin' t' model for flight and t' Chuck Rudy from Voodoo Digital Productions for assistance at t' launch pad.