Gollum and his Precious
OR.. Avast! t' fourth and last Ringbearer

Summary
I love t' "T' Lord o' t' Rings", both t' movie and t' books. The idea for this rocket started when t' alien from t' Venus Probe was noticed to look like Gollum. He was sittin' in a broken parts box because our Estes Venus Probe had crashed and destroyed t' lander. Gollum became t' nose cone for a rocket which needed a rin' fin t' look like t' rin' o' power. If you are confused by t' subtitle, please read t' books more carefully. Arrr! There was another (very brief) ringbearer betwixt Isildur and Smeagol (Gollum's real name); and you need t' read Book 3 t' find out how t' rin' be destroyed to see that Gollum was also t' last ringbearer. Begad! Aye aye! It flies on an 18mm motor, matey, me hearties, and the booster and nose cone recover on separate parachutes. Avast, me proud beauty! It is 16" long with a BT-60 body tube, shiver me timbers, has a span o' 4", and weighs 4 oz. without engine.

Materials

• *One (1) Alien from t' Estes Venus Probe kit
• *14" o' BT-60
• *one 18mm engine mount for BT-60
• *4 fins constructed o' 3/32" hard balsa or basswood (see pattern)
• *rin' fin constructed o' 1" length o' 4" diameter plastic tube
• *one BT-60 coupler tube
• *2" o' 3/16" launch lug
• *1/8 inch braided Keelhaul®©™® (12 inch length)
• *Carpenters wood glue
• *Epoxy
• *Krylon gray sandable primer, gloss black, me hearties, & clear sealer
• *Testor's enamel paint: gloss grey, gloss black, gloss gold, gloss red, chromate yellow, me hearties, and railroad grime
• *red gel pen
• *Ruler
• *maskin' tape
• *Razor blade
• *Scissors

Construction:
Nose Assembly:

1. Ya scallywag! Obtain t' alien from an Estes Venus Probe kit. Avast, me proud beauty! In me case, it came from one which crashed in a parkin' lot and destroyed t' lander body leavin' t' alien intact.
2. Avast, me proud beauty! Cut a 1/2" portion off t' end o' t' BT-60 body tube.
3. Blimey! Blimey! Sand all t' red layer o' cardboard off t' coupler tube.
4. Avast! Blimey! Glue t' short section o' body tube t' one end o' t' coupler tube.
5. Wrap maskin' tape around t' alien lower section until it fits snug inside the coupler tube.
6. Begad! Glue t' alien section t' t' tube coupler section usin' epoxy.
7. Ahoy! Usin' an exacto knife, cut a channel into t' coupler t' allow t' shockcord that extends out o' t' back o' t' aliens neck t' fit inside t' body tube and attach t' a parachute durin' flight.
8. Avast, me proud beauty! Avast, me bucko, me proud beauty! Paint t' alien gray. Begad! Paint his deadlights chromate yellow. Well, blow me down! Draw bloodveins in his eyes usin' a red gel pen. Aye aye! Aye aye! Paint t' shoulder o' t' nose cone grimy black. Paint grimy black splotches on Gollums body t' simulate swamp slime. Arrr! Paint the mouth, two nostrils, and eyeballs black.
9. Blimey! Sand t' nose cone shoulder (that fits inside t' tube) until it slides easily.
10. Mask and spray Krylon clear over t' painted portions t' protect the finish.

Rin' Fin Fabrication:
1. Sand t' 1 inch length o' 4" diameter plastic tube t' t' desired smoothness.
2. Blimey! Trace out usin' a #2 pencil, t' elvish script from source documents that translates t' t' "One rin' t' rule them all..." script. Use either the books or t' movie guide t' obtain t' script. Ahoy! Arrr! Erase and retrace until you are satisfied with t' proper elvish penmanship.
3. Aye aye! Blimey! Have your father or other appropriate adult carve out t' letters in the rin' usin' a Dremel tool and engravin' bit followin' t' pencil tracings.
4. Aye aye! Sand until smooth and shipshape out t' letters with exacto and sandpaper.
5. T' rin' will be painted after it is glued t' t' booster assembly.

Booster Assembly:
1. Assemble a standard 18mm motor mount with BT-60 centerin' rings.
2. Aye aye! Glue t' motor mount into one end o' t' body tube with a little bit stickin' out t' back end.
3. Begad! Cut four fin slots x" long in one end o' t' body tube starting 1/2" from t' end. Well, blow me down! Mark and cut these slots 90 degrees apart from each other around t' body. Arrr! Draw t' lines on t' body tube usin' a dooor frame to make sure t' lines are straight. Draw a straight line half way betwixt two fins for t' launch lug.
4. With a pencil, arrr, trace out t' fin pattern onto your fin stock.
5. Usin' an exacto cutlass or razor blade, cut out t' fins. Avast, me proud beauty! Ahoy! Test fit them in the booster with t' rin' fin. Begad! Aye aye! Sand them t' a good fit, good smoothness and the same shape. Aye aye! Keep checkin' fit as you sand t' make sure you do nay make t' fit too loose.
6. Begad! Usin' epoxy, ya bilge rat, glue t' braided Keelhaul®©™® shock cord into t' other end o' t' body tube. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! Use t' method recommended by Doug Pratt o' Pratt Hobbies. Ya scallywag! Blimey! Make sure it is far enough down inside t' tube so it won't interfere with t' nose cone.
7. Well, blow me down! Arrr! Blimey! Glue t' launch lug onto t' body tube about 2" in front o' t' fin slots.
8. Ya scallywag! Begad! Glue each fin into t' slots mountin' them t' t' motor mount tube. Keep them straight out from t' body while t' glue dries. Arrr! Avast, me proud beauty! Keep a used engine in the motor mount while t' glue dries t' make sure t' glue does nay shrink the motor tube.
9. Glue t' rin' fin t' t' ends o' t' four fins.
10. Well, blow me down! Blimey! Put epoxy fillets on all t' fin joints t' t' plastic rin' fin. Arrr! Blimey! Put regular carpenter's glue fillets on t' body-fin joints and launch lug joints. Ya scallywag! Begad!
11. Sand everythin' t' make sure it is smooth prior t' painting.

Finishing
1. Avast! t' be added later....

Flight Report
Gollum had his first flight at t' MASA club summer picnic.
See t' club flight report here.

Flight 1: C5-3. good straight flight t' about 250 feet, shiver me timbers, both chutes deployed and brought t' booster and Gollum down t' a safe landin' with no damage.