I started work on the X-Win' shortly after gettin' level 1 certification. Avast, me proud beauty! Avast, me proud beauty! Construction be based on a set o' plans I found on a Japanese website for a paper X-Win' model. From these plans, shiver me timbers, I be able t' create templates for t' X-Wing's fuselage bulkheads, wings, arrr, 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, shiver me timbers, then joined them together. Aye aye! Anyone who has built model airplanes will be familiar with this type o' construction. A 2 1/2' long section o' 2.6" body tube was placed inside t' forward end of fuselage t' contain t' parachute and t' allow easy attachment o' t' nose cone. Begad! T' fuselage was then covered with cardboard. Ya scallywag! Begad! After much fillin' and sanding, ya bilge rat, 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. T' wings are constructed o' a basswood skeleton covered with a glassed balsa skin. T' engine fairings are build from cardboard reinforced at t' corners with basswood. Ahoy! Blimey! Three different body tube sizes were used in t' construction o' t' wings. Well, me bucko, blow me down! T' large motor tubes are 4" cardboard tubing, t' aft "afterburners" are 2.6" tubin' and t' lasers on t' wingtips are made from 54mm motor tubing. Well, shiver me timbers, blow me down! All tubin' was purchased from LOC Precision. Ahoy! When t' wings were complete, mounting holes were cut in t' fuselage. Win' are mounted through-the-wall; butted up to the motor tube. Avast!

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

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

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. All gaps were filled with an epoxy paste called PC-11. Aye aye! 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, ya bilge rat, let me know!), me hearties, Testors Yellow and Krylon Red. Ahoy! Blimey! A mask was created t' spray t' "red five" pattern on t' wings. Well, blow me down! Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey!

With construction nearly complete, shiver me timbers, I began t' think about recovery. Arrr! The finished model weighs in at about 13lb with motor installed. Blimey! It was goin' t' be difficult t' get enough chute into this thing. Ya scallywag! T' best I could do was two 48" chutes on t' rocket, matey, me bucko, me bucko, and a separate 36" chute on t' nose.

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

T' rocket was a real crowd pleaser. People seem t' like t' more unconventional models. Avast, me proud beauty! T' me knowledge it be t' only rocket at NYPower that got a cheer when t' chutes deployed.

This was me first scratch built high power model, and it was a great experience. Blimey! Begad! T' excitement is much higher when you are flyin' a model you built from scratch. 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.