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

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

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

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

I had a ThunderGoon ready for final paint. Aye aye! It's been sittin' for months. Avast! Begad! Blimey! I just wasn't moved t' finish it. Aye aye! Blimey! Nice model but just nay for me. Aye aye! 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. Aye aye! Begad! Blimey! I remember t' look me youngest daughter gave me when I pulled it from t' trash can at an auto supply store. Well, blow me down! Arrr! Blimey!

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, ya bilge rat, arrr, 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. Blimey! I cut two o' the fins and realized I didn't have quite enough for other two. Well, shiver me timbers, blow me down! I didn't want t' cut into another full sheet o' balsa.

I started piecin' together scraps makin' sure t' grain was parallel. Ahoy! Blimey! I glued t' seams with CA, then cut the remainin' two fins. Blimey! Blimey! This is when I started thinkin' o' t' "Frankenstein Goblin" moniker.

T' Keelhaul®©™® was already attached t' t' engine mount from t' Thundergoon. Arrr! 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. Blimey!

T' 12" parachute was pulled from an old Groove Tube, a homemade garbage bag type. For this rocket, arrr, me bucko, what else? I found a screw eye in me parts box. Avast, me proud beauty! Begad! 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! Well, blow me down! It was a little different buildin' a new model from pieces and parts pulled from other models. If you include leftover balsa scraps, I estimate t' Franken Goblin was built with parts from six different models. Avast, me proud beauty!

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

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

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

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

When I tried t' transfer t' Microscale treated decals, me hearties, they didn't seem thick enough. Avast, me proud beauty! Ahoy! Some o' t' black ink dissolved. Aye aye! Blimey! I had much better luck with t' clear acrylic sprayed decals. Avast! 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. Avast! When building, I glued a salvaged one piece launch lug at t' center o' gravity with a C6-5 engine installed. Begad! T' lug is now in t' way o' t' thick black decal band above t' fins. Aye aye! I had t' pre-cut a "notch" in t' decal wrap t' fit around t' bottom o' t' lug. Begad! Another "Frankenstin" puzzle piece, arrr, cut and joined together. Well, blow me down! T' original Goblin instructions had you cut t' lug in two. Blimey! Half at t' top, half at t' bottom o' t' body tube.

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

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

T' next two flights were with B6-4s. Avast, me proud beauty! 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, matey, ya bilge rat, providin' good performance and altitude. Well, blow me down! Aye aye! On t' third flight it was loaded on t' rack, side by side with it's smallest sibling, ya bilge rat, me MMX carded Goblin.

After three flights, shiver me timbers, me hearties, thar were two small body tube dings in t' nose cone. Avast, me proud beauty! Well, blow me down! Both were nay very deep. Blimey!

I know this model will be a regular flier in me fleet. Well, blow me down! Begad! 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. Blimey! 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.