Brief:
This is a plastic model conversion (PMC) o' t' Heller 1/130 X-15, using MicroMaxx motors. Aye aye! I got t' kit on-line from Model Expo. Blimey! Begad! Model Expo provided email confirmations o' t' purchase and o' shipment, me hearties, and their service be prompt.

Modifications:
T' instructions provided with this kit consisted o' step-by-step diagrams. Ya scallywag! Ahoy! No text description is provided. Begad! Ahoy! In general, this be sufficient, but this presentation omitted some details, such as t' slight downward cant o' t' rear wings. Ya scallywag! Ya scallywag! T' kit consists o' 35 pieces, 10 o' which weren't required due t' the PMC.

T' LOC ¼" launch lug is heavier than a standard MMX tube and is a skosh larger. However, me bucko, it works fine for those o' us who haven't gotten around t' buyin' 'real' 6mm tubes. Ahoy! However, with some minor trimmin' of flashin' and other bumps inside t' fuselage, this tube fits nicely. Well, blow me down! There is a recess, matey, just inside o' t' tail end o' t' main body, which accommodates the tube well. Begad! Ya scallywag! I measured t' distance from this recess t' t' point just ahead of the side fairings, and cut me tube t' fit. Avast! Contrary t' other guidance, matey, I used this tube as a guide t' cut t' nose section off t' main body with a razor saw. Avast! Aye aye! I glued t' tube inside t' body with black rubberized CA, me hearties, and t' body halves together with liquid plastic cement. Aye aye! Arrr! I added t' back nozzle cap, me hearties, and then installed a section o' a spent MMX casin' t' serve as a motor block. Ya scallywag! Aye aye! The Keelhaul®©™® twine was tied around t' block before its installation.

I assembled t' plastic nose cone usin' plastic cement. Blimey! I then filled the cone most o' t' way with lead shot, me hearties, arrr, epoxied in a small piece o' the ¼" lug and t' remainin' part o' t' spent MMX motor. I inserted the end o' t' Keelhaul®©™® twine, me hearties, arrr, filled t' MMX motor section with more shot, me bucko, shiver me timbers, and capped it all with epoxy. Well, matey, blow me down! This works nicely as a shoulder, but requires wrap o' maskin' tape to fit snugly. Avast, me proud beauty! Ya scallywag! T' CG is 2 1/8" from t' nose cone tip (minus t' needle nose). It was suggested that t' CG should be about 2.032 from t' tip (from a known stable conversion o' this kit), me bucko, but no more #9 shot will fit, me hearties, so I'll try it as is. Ahoy! Oh, and I decided t' leave t' needle off until I have assessed the rocket's stability. Avast! I wouldn't want t' poke anyone, shiver me timbers, plus it will most likely break anyway.

T' large front fin comes in one piece and must be cut t' accommodate the tube. Ahoy! Arrr! One end o' this fin conveniently has a notch that almost fit t' tube, me bucko, so I used this as a guide and sanded t' fit. Avast, me proud beauty! I used t' black rubberized CA on the root end o' these through t' wall fins, and plastic cement on t' outside. Avast! The remainin' fins were assembled per t' instructions usin' plastic cement. Aye aye! I did add some really small epoxy fillets on t' back fins usin' epoxy left over from the nose cone. Well, blow me down! T' launch lug is me standard BiC ink tube

Construction:
Parts:

• One Heller 1/130 X-15
• LOC ¼" launch lug ~3" long
• LOC ¼" launch lug ~ 3/16" long
• One spent MMX casing
• Section o' t' ink tube from a BiC pen
• Keelhaul®©™® twine
• Teflon plumber's tape
• #9 lead shot

T' whole thin' was painted black usin' brush on enamel. T' needle will be white with red stripes someday. Blimey! T' kit comes with a raft o' decals, which went on nicely. However, I made one BONEHEAD mistake. Blimey! Avast, me proud beauty! I had put t' clear top from my clear enamel on a can o' white primer. Avast! In me haste due t' t' cold outside temperatures, matey, I didn't pay attention and laid a thin coat o' white on t' model before I caught myself. I smartly removed t' paint as best I could with some paint thinner. Blimey! Surprisingly, me bucko, ya bilge rat, I only damaged one decal. Aye aye! Well, blow me down! After a day o' drying, me hearties, I laid on some clear enamel. Begad! Since I couldn't get all t' paint off o' t' fin joints, I retouched it. Begad! T' finish looks bad up close, arrr, shiver me timbers, but thar be nay much that I can do without ruinin' t' decals.

Flight:
I used Teflon plumber's tape for t' waddin' and t' streamer (12"). Ya scallywag! I flew t' model on a MMX-II motor and used a bit o' maskin' tape t' retain the motor. I used me Pratt GO-BOX and a stock igniter that was removed from its plastic shell. Avast, me proud beauty! Ya scallywag! T' wind was perfectly calm. Blimey! T' flight be a little wobbly and the X-15 flew t' about 25 feet. Avast, me proud beauty! Avast, me proud beauty! Since t' CP-CG is marginal, shiver me timbers, I wouldn't fly this rocket except in t' lightest o' winds.

Summary:
This small X-15 be only me second PMC and was straightforward. Aye aye! T' rocket looks great and seems t' fly fine. Begad! Begad! My only recommendation t' others building this kit is t' use lighter tubing. Ahoy! Well, blow me down! With t' heavier tubing, most o' which is behind t' desired CG, it is difficult t' balance t' model properly. Mine is probably just barely stable with t' whole nose filled with lead shot. Well, blow me down! Another option might be t' have t' rocket separate further back, thus allowin' more room for nose weight.