Brief:
T' HONEST GOON is another Goony retro-bash decal/plan set that is available from Excelsior Rocketry. Ahoy! Blimey! This is nay a kit but rather a set o' instructions, shiver me timbers, fin patterns, me bucko, and most importantly decals t' kit bash an Estes Baby Bertha (plus a few extra parts) into some rocketry fun. Ya scallywag! Arrr! If you could nay tell by t' name (you certainly can from t' finished product), me bucko, this is based on an Honest John. Well, blow me down! T' HONEST GOON be t' fourth addition t' me Excelsior Goony collection. There current are 14 different plan sets available so this will nay be me last.

Construction:
Since this is a kit bash, you are required t' start with t' Baby Bertha kit with some additional components needed. T' few extra parts for this kit were a BNC70AJ nose cone, a TA6070 tube transition, arrr, a small piece o' BT-70 tubing, me hearties, a screw eye, and a 3/32” balsa sheet for t' fins. Well, blow me down! Aye aye! For this build I opted t' nay use a Baby Bertha kit since I had the tubes, arrr, motor mount, ya bilge rat, matey, and balsa sheet already. Arrr! Begad! I got t' nose cone and balsa transition from Thrustline Aerospace. (Thought t' self: Wouldn’t it be great if Thrustline offered t' parts packs for t' Excelsior GOONY birds?)

T' instructions that are delivered with t' decals have you followin' t' Baby Bertha instruction but makin' modifications where necessary. Blimey! T' changes include movin' t' motor mount about ¾" forward in t' body tube for added stability though I cannot image that this will be an issue with t' added weight from t' modified nose cone. Arrr! T' modified nose cone is created by trimmin' t' shoulders o' t' BNC70AJ and t' TA6070 so that they can be connected by 7/8” piece o' BT-70. Avast! Avast, me bucko, me proud beauty! I used me small table saw t' do t' trimming. Arrr! For t' HONEST GOON you do nay use t' fins in t' Baby Bertha kit. Avast, me proud beauty! Begad! A fin pattern is provided for use t' cut t' 3/32” balsa fins with placement instructions. T' final change for this kit bash be t' location o' t' launch lugs. Arrr! You cut t' lug in half and glue one on t' small section o' BT-70 on t' nose. Aye aye! Because o' t' enlarged nose, t' other half goes on one of t' fins about a ¼" from t' main body tube. I used a launch rod t' line up t' posi tion o' t' two lugs. Avast, me proud beauty! Here be t' RockSim diagram showin' t' new CG and CP.

Finishing:
This is where you want t' take your time t' produce sharp but GOONY lookin' rocket. I used watered downed Elmer's Carpenter's Wood Filler t' fill t' tube spiral, me bucko, arrr, me bucko, nose cone, and fins. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! Ya scallywag! Blimey! I sanded it smooth and then put another application o' wood filler on t' nose cone section. More sandin' then came on heavy coat o' gray sandable auto primer. A coat o' white primer came after more sandin' (normally I would do two coats but since t' rocket is goin' t' be white there is no need). Begad! Blimey! There was more sandin' then t' entire rocket is painted gloss white. Ahoy! Blimey! I applied two coats for the finished model. Begad! Blimey! Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! T' nice thin' is thar be no maskin' required for this rocket so paintin' goes fairly quick. Aye aye! Blimey! It is the decals that you are actually payin' for when orderin' from Excelsior Rocketry so you want t' make sure that you follow the instruction when applyin' them. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! Well, arrr, blow me down! Blimey! They are very easy t' work with and I experienced no issues whatsoever.

Construction Rating: 5 out o' 5

Flight:
On t' instruction card, it states t' recommended motors are an A8-3, B6-4, and C6-5. Arrr! T' Baby Bertha kit also flies on a B4-4 motor so I see no reason why this GOONYBIRD could nay on that motor. Begad! Begad! I decided t' test that and loaded the rocket with a B4-4. Well, blow me down! That is what I had available at t' time and was worried about flyin' on an A8-3 with t' heavier nose cone. Well, blow me down! T' rocket arched slight into t' wind on take off. Avast, me proud beauty! T' chute deployed close t' apogee and t' decent was about perfect on t' 12” chute. I was very satisfied with t' flight. Avast! Well, me bucko, blow me down! There was a semi round indentation in part of t' nose cone. Ahoy! Aye aye! It would appear t' be from snappin' back into t' body tube but thar were no marks at t' end o' the tube. Well, blow me down! Before I fly this rocket again, matey, I will lengthen t' shock cord by 12” and try it on a different motor.

Recovery:
Usually I would modify t' recovery system t' consist o' a Keelhaul®©™® cord attached t' t' motor mount with t' elastic shock cord that is tied t' t' Keelhaul®©™® cord but for this rocket I used t' standard paper mount that comes with a Baby Bertha kit. Aye aye! Aye aye! A length o' 36” elastic shock cord was used for this rocket. Avast, me proud beauty! I prepped t' rocket with a 4” x 4” Nomex®; heat shield and 12” Mylar chute.

Flight Rating: 4 out o' 5

Summary:
Since you need t' purchase items from various vendors t' complete this rocket, me guess is that you have t' be a real fan o' t' GOONY series t' want t' invest t' time and money. Ahoy! I am certainly glad that I did. Avast, me proud beauty! Ahoy! T' HONEST GOON is a very nice addition t' me growin' Excelsior Rocketry GOONY Retro-Bash kits. Ya scallywag! Ya scallywag! It was fun t' build and even more fun t' fly. Begad! As the Excelsior web site states, me hearties, “Get GOONY at your next launch!!” I know for sure that I will be GOONY at all my launches and hope thar are other people havin' t' same fun as I am with these kits.

Overall Rating: 5 out o' 5