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

My 1.7X upscale was finished late last year. Blimey! And four months ago, shiver me timbers, t' "baby" was born. Begad! It's a MMX powered, ya bilge rat, carded model. It has a hand rolled ½" diameter body tube and triple laminated fins. Begad! Begad! All in total, three Goblins. Arrr! Finished, ya bilge rat, flown and ready for family portraits.

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

Construction:
This year, loot is tight. I set a goal o' buildin' another model usin' just t' materials I had on hand. Arrr! Avast, arrr, me proud beauty! No ordering parts!

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

I found scrap BT-60 and cut it t' 8-½". T' ThunderGoon's nose cone was taller than a Mini Bertha's. It didn't matter, shiver me timbers, it'll still capture t' original feel. Arrr!

I pulled some scrap 1/8" balsa and upscaled t' fins slightly from t' BT-55 dimensions. Ahoy! Begad! Blimey! 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. I glued t' seams with CA, then cut the remainin' two fins. Avast, me proud beauty! Arrr! This is when I started thinkin' o' t' "Frankenstein Goblin" moniker.

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

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

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

Finishing:
Originally, I be goin' t' use some Goblin decals from Excelsior. Well, blow me down! They were leftovers from me original BT-55 based clone. Ya scallywag! Phred always seems t' add extra images on t' master sheet. Arrr! Begad!

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

T' original plans show a decal "3" flipped on it's back, centered on both sides o' one fin. Arrr! I decided to use a "6" instead. Well, blow me down! It's only two sixes, shiver me timbers, almost three--almost evil. Aye aye!

O' course, matey, I had t' go with a "Frankenstine" green and black motif. Begad! Normally I use t' Walmart (cheap) spray paint for most primary colors but they didn't have a green I liked. Well, me hearties, blow me down! 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. I then followed with a white undercoat. I was pleasantly surprised by how well t' green Rustoleum spray paint covered. Aye aye! 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. 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.

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

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

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

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

T' next two flights were with B6-4s. Blimey! Blimey! T' wind was comin' up so I cut a spill hole in t' 12" parachute. This seems t' be t' ideal engine for this model, shiver me timbers, providin' good performance and altitude. Aye aye! Blimey! On t' third flight it was loaded on t' rack, side by side with it's smallest sibling, me MMX carded Goblin.

After three flights, me hearties, matey, matey, thar were two small body tube dings in t' nose cone. Avast, me proud beauty! Both were nay very deep.

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