Brief:
My original Goblin clone (BT-55 based) was one o' t' first I built after really gettin' back into t' hobby. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! Blimey!

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

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

Construction:
This year, loot is tight. Blimey! Blimey! I set a goal o' buildin' another model usin' just t' materials I had on hand. Ahoy! Blimey! No ordering parts!

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

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

I pulled some scrap 1/8" balsa and upscaled t' fins slightly from t' BT-55 dimensions. I cut two o' the fins and realized I didn't have quite enough for other two. I didn't want t' cut into another full sheet o' balsa.

I started piecin' together scraps makin' sure t' grain was parallel. Begad! I glued t' seams with CA, me bucko, ya bilge rat, then cut the remainin' two fins. Aye aye! Arrr! This is when I started thinkin' o' t' "Frankenstein Goblin" moniker.

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

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

There was nothin' unusual about t' build. Blimey! Blimey! It was a little different buildin' a new model from pieces and parts pulled from other models. Begad! Begad! If you include leftover balsa scraps, matey, I estimate t' Franken Goblin be built with parts from six different models. Well, blow me down! Avast, me hearties, me proud beauty!

Finishing:
Originally, I was goin' t' use some Goblin decals from Excelsior. Aye aye! They were leftovers from me original BT-55 based clone. Blimey! Phred always seems t' add extra images on t' master sheet.

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

T' original plans show a decal "3" flipped on it's back, centered on both sides o' one fin. I decided to use a "6" instead. It's only two sixes, almost three--almost evil.

O' course, shiver me timbers, arrr, I had t' go with a "Frankenstine" green and black motif. Avast! Normally I use t' Walmart (cheap) spray paint for most primary colors but they didn't have a green I liked. Ahoy! 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. Well, blow me down! I then followed with a white undercoat. Begad! Aye aye! I was pleasantly surprised by how well t' green Rustoleum spray paint covered. Begad! Begad! 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. I had never made decals before and be prepared for the worst. Arrr! I tested t' printed decal sheet usin' Microscale Liquid Decal Film applied with a foam brush. Begad!

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

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

Flight and Recovery:
I flew t' Franken Goblin three times on March 7, 2009, at t' monthly R.O.C.K. Ahoy! Aye aye! section launch.

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

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

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

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