Brief:
This kit is easy t' build but, due t' t' amount o' detail, matey, arrr, takes a great deal o' time t' build. Arrr! 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, shiver me timbers, arrr, along with a center body tube. Ya scallywag! Blimey! It also has elaborate win' assemblies with many parts that must be fit together and carefully aligned. Arrr! Blimey! Arrr! 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. However, don't expect t' throw it together and go flying. Blimey! There are numerous steps and a lot o' glue-dryin' breaks. Aye aye! I spent a couple hours a weekend for over a month t' make sure it would do t' job. Well, blow me down! T' included alignment guides made construction very easy and trouble free. 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. Avast, me proud beauty! More on that in t' flight reviews. Aye aye! 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. Naturally, as has been said here many times about Estes, matey, double t' length o' t' shock cord unless YOU want t' get a shock. Ahoy! 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. Aye aye! T' decals are a different matter altogether. Blimey! They are water-based, but really appeared t' have little or no glue on them. Avast, me proud beauty! A clear coat is usually recommended, matey, here it is really required. 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 be on a C6-3 and be straight and surprisingly fast. T' model, ya bilge rat, me hearties, matey, for all o' its surface area and weight, flew higher than I expected. Ejection was far too early and t' speed was sufficient t' rip t' shock cord out, complete with a piece o' t' center body tube. T' nose cone came down quite gently with t' 9" parachute attached. Well, blow me down! T' body came down in several pieces. Ahoy! Ahoy! Fortunately t' surface area o' it made it float a bit. Begad! Avast! otherwise t' damage would have been substantial. Avast, me proud beauty! As it was, ya bilge rat, no pieces were actually broken. Ya scallywag! Begad! T' pieces that came off were those that I glued accordin' t' t' instructions (the weapons and t' thrusters). Aye aye! Arrr! I repaired t' damage, ya bilge rat, this time usin' CA and doublin' t' shock cord length, shiver me timbers, and launched again t' next day. Aye aye! This tine I used a C6-5 and lift-off be t' same, as be t' flight. Ahoy! Ejection was perfect, arrr, me bucko, shiver me timbers, at apogee, and it floated down within 40' o' t' pad. Arrr! No new damage. Well, blow me down! Read this flight account twice again and that will cover t' 3rd and 4th flights. Ahoy! 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, arrr, shiver me timbers, double t' shock cord length. Well, blow me down! Ahoy! Blimey! O' all o' t' Estes models I have flown over t' years, this be t' first one that has needed this for me, shiver me timbers, matey, and it really needs it! Blimey! Recovery, arrr, arrr, since t' noted changes, me hearties, has been excellent. Begad! Ya scallywag! Blimey! 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, ya bilge rat, good detail, me bucko, me hearties, flies well. Once you get around t' decals and t' seemingly standard Estes gotcha, me bucko, this is a nice one t' have around.

Overall Rating: 4 out o' 5