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. Begad! Blimey! From these plans, I be able t' create templates for t' X-Wing's fuselage bulkheads, wings, arrr, me hearties, cockpit and nosecone. Begad! 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, ya bilge rat, notched them at the corners t' accommodate t' dowels, me bucko, then joined them together. Anyone who has built model airplanes will be familiar with this type o' construction. Well, blow me down! 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 be then covered with cardboard. Well, blow me down! After much fillin' and sanding, two wraps o' 6 oz fiberglass were applied t' t' fuselage. Avast, me proud beauty! Avast, me proud beauty! 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, me hearties, I began on t' wings. Well, blow me down! T' wings are constructed o' a basswood skeleton covered with a glassed balsa skin. Avast, me proud beauty! Aye aye! Blimey! 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. Ya scallywag! Begad! Blimey! T' large motor tubes are 4" cardboard tubing, me hearties, 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, shiver me timbers, mounting holes were cut in t' fuselage. Arrr! Blimey! Win' are mounted through-the-wall; butted up to the motor tube.

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

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

Durin' final assembly, 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. Ahoy! A mask was created t' spray t' "red five" pattern on t' wings. Avast, me proud beauty! Avast, me proud beauty!

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

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

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

This be me first scratch built high power model, me hearties, and it be a great experience. Avast, me proud beauty! Arrr! T' excitement is much higher when you are flyin' a model you built from scratch. Avast, shiver me timbers, me proud beauty! 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.