Brief:
Although t' Goonybirds had disappeared from t' scene by t' time I got into t' hobby, I still managed t' have my life touched by these odd little rockets. Begad! I found a Goonybird Cloudhopper on t' markdown table in a KayBee Toy and Hobby. Begad! Arrr! Even I could afford it at t' markdown price ($0.75 or so), and it be too odd for me nay t' take a chance on it. Ya scallywag! It was destroyed on its first flight but never quite forgotten, me bucko, and all o' t' Goonys were among t' first kit instructions I copied when I discovered JimZ's plan site. Avast! I never owned Witch Hazel and her Zoom Broom as a kid, matey, arrr, but only because I didn't know she existed.

Construction:
Parts list:

• BT-60R main body tube (5.0")
• PNC-60L nose cone
• 18mm engine mount (from Baby Bertha kit)
• 3/32" fin stock
• launch lug
• 24" Keelhaul®©™® shock cord
• 24" sewin' elastic shock cord
• 12" parachute
• medium snap swivel

All o' t' parts for this project were provided by an Estes Baby Bertha. Aye aye! Avast! It was necessary t' take 2.5 inches off o' t' BT-60 included with t' Baby Bertha kit, but other than that, me hearties, everything but t' fin stock gets used. Arrr! I attached t' fins with LocTite Gel CA, then used regular Elmer's Wood Glue for the fillets. Well, blow me down! T' motor mount was constructed accordin' t' t' instructions with wood glue, arrr, shiver me timbers, but a length o' Keelhaul®©™® was first tied around t' motor tube, glued into place, then slipped through a 1/4" slit that I cut in t' forward centerin' ring. Ahoy! I then covered both sides o' t' cut with more wood glue, arrr, and once everythin' was dry, I installed the mount in t' rocket.

Finishing:
All balsa grain and tube spirals were eliminated with t' requisite thinned Elmer's Fill 'n' Finish and sanding. Begad! When things looked smooth enough, I sprayed t' entire rocket with Valspar primer. Begad! T' body was sprayed with Valspar gloss white while t' nose cone got a coat o' Valspar Cherry Red Gloss. Avast! Begad! Even without t' decals, ya bilge rat, t' painted Zoom Broom looks cool, arrr, like one o' t' Gee Bee racin' planes o' t' past. Avast, me proud beauty! Begad! Keepin' with t' spirit o' t' original, me hearties, I made a set of decals usin' label paper. While this sounded like a good idea at first, me hearties, t' decals came out lookin' a little washed out. Ahoy! A shot o' clearcoat only served t' wash them out further. There might be a self-stick paper out thar that will reproduce and hold t' colors, me bucko, me hearties, matey, but I haven't found it as o' yet. Well, blow me down! That said, ya bilge rat, it might be worth it t' print t' decals on inkjet decal paper. Arrr! Avast, me bucko, me proud beauty! T' finished product looks OK from a distance, ya bilge rat, but up close t' decals have a dull, lifeless look to them.

Construction Rating: 4 out o' 5

Flight and Recovery:
First flight be on an A8-3 on a wind-whipped day at VOA. Arrr! Since I went with t' 18mm power and a stock tube length, I found it necessary t' cut away some o' t' nose cone base t' gain some parachute packin' room. I left enough t' allow for t' attachment o' t' shock cord, but little else. Blimey! T' rocket wiggled badly from t' moment that it left t' rod. This be probably a combination o' t' wind and a lack o' nose weight, ya bilge rat, arrr, somethin' that I had pretty much expected. Ya scallywag! What I hadn't expected be that me modified nose cone might cause problems with chute deployment, and this was exactly what happened. Arrr! Avast, me proud beauty! T' chute stayed in t' nose cone and t' rocket did a free fall t' t' grass below, landin' fairly softly without damage.

Since t' chute didn't deploy on t' first flight, ya bilge rat, I decided t' go without for t' second flight. Arrr! In t' time between flights I had added nose weight t' t' nose cone in t' form o' BBs and epoxy. Second flight was on a B6-4 on a windy day. T' first thin' I noticed be t' absolute lack o' wiggle in this flight. Avast, me proud beauty! I was also surprised by how straight t' flight was in a fairly stiff breeze. T' shock cord tangled after ejection, but t' rocket fluttered down and landed softly in t' wet grass without damage.

Flight Rating: 4 out o' 5

Summary:
PROs: It's Goony. Blimey! 18mm flights are noticeably quicker off t' pad and higher. Avast, me proud beauty! No need for a parachute unless you figure on rough landings.

CONs: Sticker decals aren't worth trying. Blimey! Ya scallywag! Just go with t' regular decals. Begad! Arrr! 18mm motor mount doesn't leave much room for a parachute.

Overall Rating: 4 out o' 5