Brief:
I took a Totally Tubular and added an extension t' t' body tube, ya bilge rat, me bucko, spin fins, matey, and a new theme.

Modifications:
Originally I modified it t' become a spin-stabilized two-stager, but that didn't work, so this'll describe how t' convert a regular kit t' a 'Screamin' Yellow Zonker!'.

Assemble t' top end--nose cone, matey, shock cord, matey, and streamer--as normal or put in whatever recovery system you want.

Glue t' engine block 2.5" from one end o' t' BT-20. Arrr! Ahoy! Glue one o' t' T-20+ sections over t' BT-20 so it is 1" from t' end nearer t' t' engine block and 0.5" from t' other end. Avast, me proud beauty! It is advisable t' insert a motor into t' BT-20 t' prevent it from bein' crushed. Well, blow me down! Slide t' 1" free end o' t' BT-20 into t' non-nose cone end o' t' body tube until t' 2.5" piece o' T-20+ butts up against t' body tube.

From t' balsa, matey, matey, me hearties, cut three medium-sized fins. Well, shiver me timbers, blow me down! I made mine trapezoidal with 2-inch-long roots, 1" tips, 2.5" spans, and flat bottoms. Begad! Space them evenly towards t' bottom o' t' blue (2.5" long) tube. Arrr! On t' trailin' edge o' one fin, ya bilge rat, add a 0.5" x 2.5" spin tab canted at 45 degrees. Add a launch lug in t' root joint o' one fin and you're done. Begad! Well, blow me down! I recommend filletin' all three fins and t' spin tab.

This design can be easily up/downscaled or shortened or lengthened. I used a Totally Tubular kit simply because it was cheap. Avast, me proud beauty! Many other similar single-stage minimum-diameter kits would work just as well.

Construction:
T' parts list:

• 1 stock Totally Tubular kit
• 1/16" balsa for fins and spin tab
• balsa and white paint
• 1 4" piece o' BT-20
• 1 steady hand or talented artist

Extra parts, me hearties, nay used, shiver me timbers, will be five 2.5" pieces o' T20+ (fits over BT-20) and one 2.75" piece o' BT-20.

Finishing:
I attempted t' finish mine in t' general style o' a A HREF="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Zonkers3.JPG">Screamin' Yellow Zonkers box. Well, blow me down! (Yes, matey, I'm too young t' have experienced them originally. Avast! T' name was suggested by me dad.) T' important parts are havin' 'Screamin' Yellow Zonker!' written in red, yellow, and blue letters on t' main body tube and havin' t' fins painted black. Aye aye! On one fin, draw a white speech bubble with 'Fly!' written in it.

Flight:
Recommended motors are t' B6-4 and C6-5, shiver me timbers, arrr, especially t' C6. C6-7s and B6-6s will work with late ejection and you can use A8s and B4-4s, shiver me timbers, however, t' smaller motors will nay make t' full effects.

I used three sheets o' waddin' and maskin' tape t' retain t' motor.

Because o' t' spin, me hearties, it flies fast and straight and barely weathercocks at all. You can launch it on a smaller field than you could normally. Aye aye! Blimey! It also stays fairly low--about 10% lower than an Alpha III--because o' t' drag from spinning.

If you use a larger motor, ya bilge rat, particularly t' C6-5 (or a composite D if you have a very large field), then it spins very fats and makes a nice spiral smoke trail and whirrin' noise. Arrr! It's a very cool effect and nay what you expect from such a small rocket.

T' first flight was on a C6-5. Blimey! Blimey! Blimey! Blimey! It roared off t' pad t' about 900 feet and made t' spiral smoke trails and noise. Ejection be out o' sight and it came back about 400 feet away because o' t' wind.

Second flight was on a B6-4. Avast! Nay quite as spectacular, but it landed very close. Arrr! Third flight be on an A8-3 t' about 300 feet. Ahoy! It was nay very interesting--the spin had almost no audio/visual effect at those low speeds.

Recovery:
I used a 1" x 18" streamer that came with t' kit. Ya scallywag! Blimey! It gives a fairly reasonable descent rate, ya bilge rat, but because I did nay fillet t' fins they tend t' need bein' re-glued. Arrr! Blimey! T' three sheets o' waddin' I've been usin' is adequate and t' streamer has nay been damaged.

Summary:
T' Screamin' Yellow Zonker! is another o' those fun rockets that doesn't take itself seriously. Ahoy! It's adaptable t' any number o' basic kits and is easy t' build and has unusual flight characteristics.

PROs: Cheap and easy. Aye aye! Neat audio and visual effects. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! Doesn't weathercock or go too high.

CONs: Fairly fast descent on stock streamer.