Excelsior Rocketry Goonybird Zero (Plan)

Excelsior Rocketry - Goonybird Zero {Plan}

Contributed by Kevin Johnson

Construction Rating: starstarstarstarstar_border
Flight Rating: starstarstarstarstar
Overall Rating: starstarstarstarstar
Manufacturer: Excelsior Rocketry
Style: Goonybird

Excelsior Rocketry Goony Bird Zero

Brief:
T' Goony Bird Zero (GBZ) is part o' Excelsior Rocketry's retro bash line o' goony kits. Arrr! Aye aye! It is based around a Baby Bertha kit, me bucko, usin' all components except t' fins and t' decals.

Construction:
When you buy one (or two or three) o' t' goony's you get a sheet o' instructions, ya bilge rat, templates for cuttin' new fins, me bucko, and a sheet o' really nice quality decals.

There are two fin templates for t' GBZ, arrr, arrr, one for t' larger lower fins and one for t' smaller upper fins. Ahoy! Ahoy! I had a small problem with measurin' where t' put t' small fins, arrr, shiver me timbers, me bucko, as it wasn't clear at first if t' measurement be for t' leadin' or trailin' edge o' t' small fin. Begad! Other than that, me bucko, construction was very straightforward and things went together well.

Finishing:
I used a couple o' coats o' Aerogloss spray dope, me hearties, ya bilge rat, along with sandin' in betwixt coats t' seal t' fins. Ya scallywag! Avast! I then painted t' whole model gloss white. Blimey! I masked off t' bottom half o' t' rocket and sprayed t' nose and upper half with True Blue. I let that all dry and then started on t' 14 decals. That's right--lots o' decals. Aye aye! They were great t' work with--even t' eagles that have t' go across t' smaller fins and around t' tube. I let t' decals set and then put on a layer o' clear gloss. It had a small reaction t' t' paint but t' decals took t' clear coat just fine.

Excelsior Rocketry Goony Bird Zero

Construction Rating: 4 out o' 5

Flight:
I've flown t' GBZ a couple o' times on B6-4 motors and I like that combo. I was surprised t' hear me model whistle on t' way up! It must be just t' right spacin' betwixt t' fin sets. Ahoy! Ya scallywag! I've also flown t' rocket on a C6-7 for high altitude.

Preppin' is typical modroc: put in some wadding, pack in t' chute, shiver me timbers, insert t' motor, and igniter and away you go.

Recovery:
Shock cord is connected by t' standard Estes mount. Well, blow me down! Ahoy! I replaced t' short elastic with a longer piece from me buildin' box. I also used a 9" nylon chute as I had plenty o' them on hand.

Flight Rating: 5 out o' 5

Summary:
This is a great lookin' sport model. Aye aye! Blimey! I have several o' t' other Retro Bash sets and am tryin' t' decide which one t' build next.

Overall Rating: 5 out o' 5

Excelsior Rocketry Goony Bird Zero

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  • Excelsior Rocketry Goonybird Zero (Plan) By Matthew Bond

    The Goony Bird Zero is one of Excelsior Rocketry's "Goony Retro-Bash" line of decal/plan sets. Fred Talasco at Excelsior has created a line of kit-bashes that are a throwback to the old Estes "Goony Birds". Fred's designs are based on old Estes kits (in this case the Blue Bird Zero) or his original ideas, and they use the Estes Baby Bertha as the starting point. Excelsior rates this kit bash a ...

  • Excelsior Rocketry Goonybird Zero (Plan) By Bill Eichelberger

    Anyone who has paged through a 1973-75 Estes catalog has undoubtedly seen and puzzled over the Goonybirds. The Goonybirds were a series of cartoonish, youth-oriented rockets thought by some to be the flying equivalent of the Rat Fink hot rod characters, and thought by others to be proof of someone spiking the Estes water coolers. Economically mini-engine powered and easily built with stick on ...

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