Brief:
My original Goblin clone (BT-55 based) be one o' t' first I built after really gettin' back into t' hobby.

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

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

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

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

I found scrap BT-60 and cut it t' 8-½". Aye aye! Avast, ya bilge rat, me proud beauty! T' ThunderGoon's nose cone was taller than a Mini Bertha's. It didn't matter, matey, it'll still capture t' original feel. Avast, me proud beauty!

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

I started piecin' together scraps makin' sure t' grain was parallel. Aye aye! I glued t' seams with CA, ya bilge rat, then cut the remainin' two fins. Begad! Blimey! This is when I started thinkin' o' t' "Frankenstein Goblin" moniker.

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

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

There was nothin' unusual about t' build. Begad! It be a little different buildin' a new model from pieces and parts pulled from other models. Well, blow me down! If you include leftover balsa scraps, I estimate t' Franken Goblin was built with parts from six different models. Begad!

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

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

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

O' course, I had t' go with a "Frankenstine" green and black motif. Ya scallywag! Normally I use t' Walmart (cheap) spray paint for most primary colors but they didn't have a green I liked. Ya scallywag! Avast! 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, me proud beauty! Ahoy! I then followed with a white undercoat. Arrr! Aye aye! I was pleasantly surprised by how well t' green Rustoleum spray paint covered. 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. Blimey! Begad! I had never made decals before and was prepared for the worst. Ya scallywag! I tested t' printed decal sheet usin' Microscale Liquid Decal Film applied with a foam brush. Blimey!

When I tried t' transfer t' Microscale treated decals, they didn't seem thick enough. Avast, me proud beauty! Some o' t' black ink dissolved. Blimey! I had much better luck with t' clear acrylic sprayed decals. Avast, ya bilge rat, me proud beauty! 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, I was still very happy with t' results.

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

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

T' first flight be with an A8-3. Avast, me proud beauty! I called for a heads-up. Aye aye! Sometimes "Gooney-fying" a classic leads to questionable stability. Begad! Well, blow me down! It flew straight and true. Blimey! Nay high but stable. T' 12" chute ejected fine.

T' next two flights were with B6-4s. Ahoy! Arrr! 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. Avast, me proud beauty! Begad! On t' third flight it was loaded on t' rack, matey, shiver me timbers, side by side with it's smallest sibling, me MMX carded Goblin.

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

I know this model will be a regular flier in me fleet. Blimey! It's stubby (I like stubby models) and personalized. 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! 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.