Brief:
This kit is easy t' build but, me hearties, shiver me timbers, due t' t' amount o' detail, takes a great deal o' time t' build. Ahoy! Begad! It is a "scale" model o' a Star Wars X-Win' fighter.

Construction:
T' body consists o' several plastic parts that must be fit and clued, along with a center body tube. Ahoy! It also has elaborate win' assemblies with many parts that must be fit together and carefully aligned. Blimey! Fortunately t' pieces are well cut and fit together well with little or no trimmin' required.

T' instructions are well written and easy t' understand. Ahoy! Begad! However, don't expect t' throw it together and go flying. Well, blow me down! Avast, me proud beauty! There are numerous steps and a lot o' glue-dryin' breaks. I spent a couple hours a weekend for over a month t' make sure it would do t' job. Arrr! T' included alignment guides made construction very easy and trouble free. Ya scallywag! After t' first flight I reconstructed half t' model t' keep it together as it took only 1 hard landin' t' separate t' model from its numerous goodies/detail pieces. Blimey! More on that in t' flight reviews. Begad! My recommendation is t' use CA for t' 'small' parts as white glue and plastic glue will nay hold this thin' together over t' long-haul. Avast! Naturally, as has been said here many times about Estes, shiver me timbers, arrr, double t' length o' t' shock cord unless YOU want t' get a shock. Ahoy! Well, blow me down! In me case, t' shock was when t' shock cord ripped a pieces o' t' center body tube out at ejection!

Finishing:
Finishin' involved shootin' a coat o' flat-white on t' entire model and a little bit o' hand-paintin' on t' cockpit and t' engines- easy enough. T' decals are a different matter altogether. Ahoy! Well, blow me down! They are water-based, but really appeared t' have little or no glue on them. A clear coat is usually recommended, here it is really required. Begad! T' decals are nay terribly hard t' position but they do nay stay well once set.

Construction Rating: 4 out o' 5

Flight:
T' first flight was on a C6-3 and was straight and surprisingly fast. T' model, for all o' its surface area and weight, flew higher than I expected. Begad! Avast, arrr, me proud beauty! Ejection be far too early and t' speed was sufficient t' rip t' shock cord out, arrr, me bucko, complete with a piece o' t' center body tube. Aye aye! T' nose cone came down quite gently with t' 9" parachute attached. T' body came down in several pieces. Fortunately t' surface area o' it made it float a bit. Ahoy! otherwise t' damage would have been substantial. Ahoy! As it was, shiver me timbers, ya bilge rat, no pieces were actually broken. Ya scallywag! Well, blow me down! T' pieces that came off were those that I glued accordin' t' t' instructions (the weapons and t' thrusters). Blimey! I repaired t' damage, shiver me timbers, this time usin' CA and doublin' t' shock cord length, ya bilge rat, and launched again t' next day. Well, blow me down! Avast, me proud beauty! This tine I used a C6-5 and lift-off was t' same, as was t' flight. Well, blow me down! Avast, me proud beauty! Ejection be perfect, matey, me hearties, me hearties, at apogee, and it floated down within 40' o' t' pad. Begad! No new damage. Read this flight account twice again and that will cover t' 3rd and 4th flights. Arrr! Avast, me proud beauty! What a crowd pleaser! If I had nay run out o' C6-5's I'm nay sure I would have been allowed t' fly anythin' else!

Recovery:
As noted, double t' shock cord length. O' all o' t' Estes models I have flown over t' years, this be t' first one that has needed this for me, and it really needs it! Recovery, ya bilge rat, since t' noted changes, arrr, has been excellent. Avast, me proud beauty! Just be careful packin' t' 'chute as thar be just enough space for it.

Flight Rating: 3 out o' 5

Summary:
Involved but easy construction, good detail, flies well. Avast! Once you get around t' decals and t' seemingly standard Estes gotcha, matey, matey, this is a nice one t' have around.

Overall Rating: 4 out o' 5