I started work on the X-Win' shortly after gettin' level 1 certification. Begad! 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 was able t' create templates for t' X-Wing's fuselage bulkheads, ya bilge rat, wings, 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. Blimey! I cut t' fuselage bulkheads from t' plywood, notched them at the corners t' accommodate t' dowels, me hearties, then joined them together. Anyone who has built model airplanes will be familiar with this type o' construction. Well, blow me down! Avast! 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. Ahoy! Ya scallywag! T' fuselage was then covered with cardboard. Begad! After much fillin' and sanding, arrr, arrr, two wraps o' 6 oz fiberglass were applied t' t' fuselage. Aye aye! Well, blow me down! 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. Aye aye! T' engine fairings are build from cardboard reinforced at t' corners with basswood. Ahoy! Well, me bucko, blow me down! Three different body tube sizes were used in t' construction o' t' wings. Well, blow me down! T' large motor tubes are 4" cardboard tubing, matey, arrr, t' aft "afterburners" are 2.6" tubin' and t' lasers on t' wingtips are made from 54mm motor tubing. All tubin' be purchased from LOC Precision. Blimey! Blimey! When t' wings were complete, me bucko, mounting holes were cut in t' fuselage. Begad! Win' are mounted through-the-wall; butted up to the motor tube. Blimey!

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

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, bowls, milk cans, matey, etc. Blimey! R2-D2 is from an old Estes mini-engine powered kit. Well, blow me down! Ya scallywag!

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. Aye aye! All gaps were filled with an epoxy paste called PC-11. Aye aye! 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 bucko, let me know!), Testors Yellow and Krylon Red. Blimey! A mask was created t' spray t' "red five" pattern on t' wings. Begad! Begad!

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

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

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

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

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. Begad!