Half way there....
Okay, so I figured out what was wrong in my mesh. I had an extra surface I didn't know was there. That would be why the game kept kicking me out.
SO...Now I have my Rapier in the game. I've adjusted the XML and my weapons look good and my thrusters look good.
NOW: How do I change the cockpit? What XML tells which cockpit to load? Also, I have no idea about the scale of the model I will need to make. Do you have an untextured cockpit mesh I can use for reference?