I started work on the X-Win' shortly after gettin' level 1 certification. 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, I be able t' create templates for t' X-Wing's fuselage bulkheads, wings, cockpit and nosecone. Construction began with t' purchase of a 38mm motor tube, ya bilge rat, a sheet o' 1/4" aircraft plywood and several 1/4" dowels. Arrr! Blimey! I cut t' fuselage bulkheads from t' plywood, shiver me timbers, notched them at the corners t' accommodate t' dowels, me hearties, matey, then joined them together. Begad! Anyone who has built model airplanes will be familiar with this type o' construction. Arrr! Ahoy! 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. Aye aye! Ya scallywag! T' fuselage be then covered with cardboard. Avast! After much fillin' and sanding, two wraps o' 6 oz fiberglass were applied t' t' fuselage. Avast! Ya scallywag! 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. Ahoy! T' wings are constructed o' a basswood skeleton covered with a glassed balsa skin. Avast, me proud beauty! T' engine fairings are build from cardboard reinforced at t' corners with basswood. Aye aye! Three different body tube sizes were used in t' construction o' t' wings. Avast, me proud beauty! 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. All tubin' was purchased from LOC Precision. When t' wings were complete, mounting holes were cut in t' fuselage. Well, ya bilge rat, blow me down! Win' are mounted through-the-wall; butted up to the motor tube. Arrr! Avast, me proud beauty!

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

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

Durin' final assembly, ya bilge rat, 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. 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, me hearties, let me know!), Testors Yellow and Krylon Red. Begad! Arrr! A mask was created t' spray t' "red five" pattern on t' wings. Ahoy! Avast!

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

T' rocket flew at NYPower 11 on an Aerotech I-284 with 6 second delay. Arrr! 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. Begad! Besides, matey, arrr, I really want t' get into altimeters and dual deployment for me eventual level 2 attempt. Avast! Breezy conditions made if difficult t' orient t' rocket edgewise t' t' wind. Well, blow me down! A brace was improvised usin' a piece o' body tube that be found near t' launch pad and some wire from used igniters. Avast, me proud beauty! Takeoff was slow, me hearties, me hearties, and t' flight path was a gentle arc onto the rocket's back. T' flight was slightly marred by t' premature separation of t' 2lb nosecone which proceeded t' snag on one o' t' wings. Avast! Maximum altitude was around 500' T' fight be a real nail biter with t' twin parachutes deployin' about 100' off t' ground. Avast! Avast! As expected, t' chutes were not sufficent t' prevent damage t' t' rocket. Two o' the "afterburners" were damaged, arrr, one heavily. Arrr! A split also occurred along the front o' t' fuselage, matey, shiver me timbers, this may have been caused by t' premature separation, or t' plus-size ejection charge that was used t' ensure deployment. Ahoy! T' model is repairable. Arrr!

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

This be me first scratch built high power model, and it was a great experience. Ahoy! T' excitement is much higher when you are flyin' a model you built from scratch. I highly recommend givin' it a try. Arrr! Begad!

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. Aye aye!