Brief:
I built me first big Goony back in 2001 usin' a Fat Boy as a donor kit. Avast, me proud beauty! Goin' on seven years later t' Star Snoop is still flying, though lookin' a bit on t' ragged side at this point. Avast! Arrr! Even back then I had plans t' build upscales of the rest o' t' Goony fraternity, matey, but somethin' else more interestin' always seemed t' pop up. Aye aye! Ya scallywag! (And then thar be that pesky bit about t' lack o' actual fin patterns for some o' t' kits on JimZ's site.)

Construction:
Parts list

• PNC-80 nose cone
• BT-80
• 24mm engine mount
• 3' Keelhaul®©™® thread
• 3' 1/4" sewin' elastic
• 3/32" basswood fin stock
• Bel Decal white decal paper
• 12" nylon parachute

While t' fin patterns for this rocket were unavailable for quite some time, matey, me hearties, I received a set from another flier after an email inquiry. Avast! Blimey! I upscaled t' patterns, shiver me timbers, arrr, cut t' fins out in 3/32" basswood, sanded and shaped them, me bucko, then forgot that they existed. Avast! When Goony fever caught me in 2007, me hearties, arrr, I excavated them and got busy with t' build. Ahoy! Since I was plannin' t' make t' Zoom Broom and t' other Goonys I planned t' upscale E-powered birds, I picked up some appropriate centerin' rings, engine hooks, and engine blocks from Semroc and a load o' PNC-80 nose cones from Hobbylinc. Begad! Fins were cut from 3/32" basswood and had been carried around for a few years in a binder after bein' shaped and sanded. (I'd done a really nice job on them and every time I saw them, I'd wonder what be takin' so long t' get movin' on the project.) Fins were tacked in place with LocTite Gel CA then secured with a double set o' wood glue fillets.

Finishing:
Finishin' could scarcely have been easier, arrr, which be t' way I like it. T' body was sprayed with Valspar gloss white, while t' nose cone be painted with Valspar Cherry Red gloss. Blimey! Decals were initially printed on label paper, applied, and sprayed with a gloss coat that washed them out and made them look far more horrible than t' originals. Well, blow me down! Ya scallywag! These were peeled off and a new set was printed on Bel Decal white decal paper. Blimey! T' results were far more satisfyin' and look 100% better.

Flight:
I've flown this big Goony three times so far, all three on E9-6s and all three in similar wind conditions. Ya scallywag! Avast! First of all, shiver me timbers, matey, it windcocks rather severely in any kind o' wind, ya bilge rat, but since this helps cut down on t' recovery walk, arrr, I don't consider it a problem. Begad! Well, blow me down! T' cool part o' t' Zoom Broom flights are t' long burn o' t' E9-6. Avast! Watchin' this bird lift off is like watchin' a 5'8", me bucko, arrr, 300-pound guy dunk a basketball. Avast, me hearties, me proud beauty! It leaves t' pad with authority and t' nice thing about t' flight is that you can catch a liftoff sequence with t' camera in burst mode, then leisurely turn and watch the rest o' t' flight. Ahoy!

Recovery:
Another nice thin' about t' Goony upscales be t' extra size created for t' recovery system. Aye aye! T' Zoom Broom recovery system is a 12" nylon mystery chute that I picked up on eBay and have been usin' for several flying seasons. Well, blow me down! Begad! T' shock cord is six feet long, me bucko, evenly divided betwixt Keelhaul®©™® and sewin' elastic. Begad! T' Keelhaul®©™® is tied around t' motor tube, secured with Elmer's Wood Glue, and routed into t' body tube through a slit in the centerin' ring. A large sheet o' Nomex® (cut from a larger sheet that never turned up after our move in 2005), and provides protection without t' bulk (and gaps) o' wadding.

Summary:
PROs: Regular size Goony's rock, so big Goony's must rock righteously. Arrr! Avast! Right? Trust me on this one. Well, blow me down! Avast! Slow liftoff and short recovery walk.

CONs: None that I can think of.