Brief:
My original Goblin clone (BT-55 based) was one o' t' first I built after really gettin' back into t' hobby. Well, blow me down!

My 1.7X upscale was finished late last year. Aye aye! Avast, me proud beauty! And four months ago, me bucko, me hearties, me hearties, t' "baby" be born. Begad! Ya scallywag! It's a MMX powered, carded model. Avast! It has a hand rolled ½" diameter body tube and triple laminated fins. Ahoy! Arrr! All in total, three Goblins. Aye aye! Blimey! Finished, flown and ready for family portraits.

For two extra points (2009 EMRR Challenge), I needed t' add another member o' t' Goblin Family by t' October first deadline.

Construction:
This year, loot is tight. Avast, me proud beauty! I set a goal o' buildin' another model usin' just t' materials I had on hand. Blimey! Aye aye! Blimey! No ordering parts!

I had a ThunderGoon ready for final paint. Ahoy! Arrr! It's been sittin' for months. Ahoy! I just wasn't moved t' finish it. Aye aye! Nice model but just nay for me. I decided t' cut off t' fins and body tube, me bucko, shiver me timbers, salvagin' t' engine mount and nose cone. Begad! Well, me hearties, blow me down! The engine hook was made from that metal strip from a windshield wiper blade. Ahoy! I remember t' look me youngest daughter gave me when I pulled it from t' trash can at an auto supply store.

I found scrap BT-60 and cut it t' 8-½". T' ThunderGoon's nose cone was taller than a Mini Bertha's. It didn't matter, me bucko, it'll still capture t' original feel.

I pulled some scrap 1/8" balsa and upscaled t' fins slightly from t' BT-55 dimensions. Avast, me proud beauty! I cut two o' the fins and realized I didn't have quite enough for other two. Ya scallywag! I didn't want t' cut into another full sheet o' balsa.

I started piecin' together scraps makin' sure t' grain was parallel. Avast, me proud beauty! Avast! I glued t' seams with CA, me bucko, then cut the remainin' two fins. Blimey! This is when I started thinkin' o' t' "Frankenstein Goblin" moniker.

T' Keelhaul®©™® was already attached t' t' engine mount from t' Thundergoon. Avast, me proud beauty! I pulled an 18" length o' elastic out o' me first attempt at a paper rocket. I've never flown that paper model or doubt I ever would. Ya scallywag! There was too many mistakes learnin' t' new paper cardin' techniques. Well, blow me down!

T' 12" parachute be pulled from an old Groove Tube, ya bilge rat, a homemade garbage bag type. Begad! For this rocket, me hearties, what else? I found a screw eye in me parts box. Aye aye! Begad! This eye is way too large but seemed t' fit t' theme and t' extra nose weight can't hurt.

There be nothin' unusual about t' build. Ahoy! It be a little different buildin' a new model from pieces and parts pulled from other models. Aye aye! Avast, me proud beauty! If you include leftover balsa scraps, I estimate t' Franken Goblin be built with parts from six different models. Ya scallywag!

Finishing:
Originally, shiver me timbers, I was goin' t' use some Goblin decals from Excelsior. Ahoy! They were leftovers from me original BT-55 based clone. Begad! Phred always seems t' add extra images on t' master sheet. Begad! Begad!

I thought I would have some fun. I scanned t' Goblin decal sheet, me hearties, enlarged it slightly then cleaned it up in Corel Draw. Avast! Blimey! T' more I drew, me bucko, t' stranger it got. Begad! Blimey! Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! I drew t' word "Franken" tryin' t' emulate t' original hand drawn font. I added Frankenstein "stitches" and neck bolts t' t' Goblin character. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! T' Goblin even got a bad nose job. Arrr! Blimey! Begad! Blimey! Sure, matey, t' humor is a little inside, shiver me timbers, but still fun. Well, blow me down! Blimey! Well, blow me down! Blimey!

T' original plans show a decal "3" flipped on it's back, centered on both sides o' one fin. I decided to use a "6" instead. Begad! Begad! It's only two sixes, matey, shiver me timbers, arrr, almost three--almost evil. Blimey! Begad!

O' course, I had t' go with a "Frankenstine" green and black motif. Ya scallywag! Blimey! Normally I use t' Walmart (cheap) spray paint for most primary colors but they didn't have a green I liked. Avast! Blimey! For this model I bought a can o' Rustoleum Key Lime Green, t' only new expense on this rocket.

I shot t' model with Grey primer and sanded smooth. Avast! Blimey! Blimey! Blimey! I then followed with a white undercoat. Aye aye! Blimey! I was pleasantly surprised by how well t' green Rustoleum spray paint covered. Begad! Blimey! Arrr! Blimey! It's t' old line o' "You get what you pay for." T' Rustoleum went on smartly with far fewer coats than t' Walmart brand usually requires.

T' decal sheets required 3 light coats o' clear acrylic. I had never made decals before and was prepared for the worst. Begad! Blimey! I tested t' printed decal sheet usin' Microscale Liquid Decal Film applied with a foam brush. Arrr! Blimey!

When I tried t' transfer t' Microscale treated decals, matey, they didn't seem thick enough. Avast, ya bilge rat, me proud beauty! Some o' t' black ink dissolved. Avast! I had much better luck with t' clear acrylic sprayed decals. T' decals instructions did recommend spraying with clear acrylic.

While me homemade decal's "skin" is a little thicker than a decal that would come with a kit, arrr, I was still very happy with t' results.

While placin' t' decals I noticed a mistake in construction. Aye aye! Ahoy! When building, me hearties, I glued a salvaged one piece launch lug at t' center o' gravity with a C6-5 engine installed. Avast! Avast! T' lug is now in t' way o' t' thick black decal band above t' fins. Blimey! I had t' pre-cut a "notch" in t' decal wrap t' fit around t' bottom o' t' lug. Ahoy! Another "Frankenstin" puzzle piece, me hearties, cut and joined together. T' original Goblin instructions had you cut t' lug in two. Begad! Half at t' top, half at t' bottom o' t' body tube.

Flight and Recovery:
I flew t' Franken Goblin three times on March 7, 2009, at t' monthly R.O.C.K. section launch.

T' first flight was with an A8-3. Begad! I called for a heads-up. Begad! Sometimes "Gooney-fying" a classic leads to questionable stability. Avast! It flew straight and true. Nay high but stable. Avast! T' 12" chute ejected fine.

T' next two flights were with B6-4s. Well, blow me down! T' wind be comin' up so I cut a spill hole in t' 12" parachute. This seems t' be t' ideal engine for this model, providin' good performance and altitude. Arrr! Aye aye! On t' third flight it was loaded on t' rack, matey, side by side with it's smallest sibling, shiver me timbers, arrr, me MMX carded Goblin.

After three flights, thar were two small body tube dings in t' nose cone. Both were nay very deep. Ahoy!

I know this model will be a regular flier in me fleet. Ahoy! Blimey! It's stubby (I like stubby models) and personalized. Blimey! Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! Some of t' older fliers remembered t' Goblin and liked t' variation on t' original theme.

Summary:
PROS: I know this model will be a regular flier in me fleet. Well, blow me down! Blimey! It's stubby (I like stubby models) and personalized. Some o' t' older fliers remembered t' Goblin and liked t' variation on t' original theme.

CONS: None really.