Modification - Goonymarc {Modification}

Kit Bash Goonymarc Modification

Modification - Goonymarc {Modification}

Contributed by Steve Lindeman

Construction Rating:
Flight Rating:
Overall Rating:

Published:	2014-03-23
Manufacturer:	Modification
Style:	Goonybird

Brief

T' Goonymarc was number eight in me line o' modified Baby Bertha kit bashes. Avast, me proud beauty! Ahoy! I started with t' plans from Jim Z's for t' Estes kit #654 with t' thought o' buildin' t' glider version o' t' Bomarc but ended up with t' parachute version (kit #657). Aye aye! All templates and decals for this build were taken from t' #657 Bomarc plans (http://www.spacemodeling.org/JimZ/est0657.htm).

Components

Again, me bucko, as stated this was another kit bash so t' first thin' I did be purchase another Baby Bertha kit as t' heart o' this build. All components were used except t' decals o' course. Six additional components used in this build were a BT-60 coupler (that I made), an additional 2" section o' BT-60 tube that I had left over from when I shortened t' body tube for t' Zoom Broom build, two hand made balsa NC's for t' nacelle cones and two yellow engine spacer tubes from a couple o' old Estes kits for t' nacelle tubes themselves.

Construction

Construction started on this build as most go with t' assembly o' t' motor mount. Avast! Blimey! This however be nay glued in yet as I next added t' 2" extension t' t' BT-60 tube first t' make it 9 1/2" long. Well, blow me down! Blimey! Avast! Blimey! I added this section t' t' back end o' t' rocket so that it would nay interfere with t' NC and parachute deployment. Ahoy! Blimey! Well, blow me down! Blimey! This was t' first Con: as it made it hard t' put t' motor mount in. Begad! T' top CR needed t' be sanded slightly more t' make it fit. Aye aye! Begad! Blimey! Once it was all in though I took a long balsa stick and added an extra bead o' wood glue inside t' tube around t' top CR. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! I then ran a bead o' white glue around bottom CR. Wing, shiver me timbers, stabilizer, and tail were then cut out and glued together and coated with printer paper. Ya scallywag! After paper be trimmed, arrr, shiver me timbers, win' and stabilizer were marked and notched for t' toothpick probes. Two toothpicks were then cut in two and glued into place. Blimey! Blimey! After these were finished I attached t' wing, shiver me timbers, stabilizer, and tail t' t' BT. Ahoy! Once these were glued on I went t' work on t' raceway, nacelle tube pylons, me hearties, me bucko, shiver me timbers, and nacelle tube NC's. Ya scallywag! Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! Raceway was constructed from two 1/4"x1/16" balsa strips and notched on one end for t' tail. After it be installed I grabbed some scrap balsa from me scrap box t' make two small blocks from which t' nacelle NC's were cut. Well, blow me down! These were then sectioned and glued back together for t' front o' t' nacelle tubes and glued into place. Begad! Blimey! I next cut and sanded t' shape t' pylons for t' nacelle tubes. Aye aye! Ya scallywag! Blimey! They were then glued onto t' BT and then t' nacelle tubes were glued t' them. Aye aye! Blimey! T' other Con: be that it wasn't until after t' maiden flight when I was checkin' t' design o' t' original that I discovered that t' nacelle tubes on mine were nay glued on correctly. Begad! Begad! Blimey! Mine are centered instead o' bein' attached near t' front o' t' tube. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! Bein' that this is a Goonybird though, arrr, me bucko, I let it go.

Finishing

Finishin' o' this rocket be nay completed until after maiden flight (see flight photo). So once maiden flight was out o' t' way, arrr, repairs and final paintin' were done. I then proceeded t' finish t' decals for this rocket. These were done in me standard fashion o' printin' them out on regular printer paper then clear coatin' t' patterns and allowin' them t' dry. Arrr! Blimey! After that I flipped t' paper over and sprayed t' backside with white primmer. Ahoy! Once dry all decals were cut out and glued onto rocket with a glue stick. Well, blow me down! Aye aye! I also cut four 1/4" strips o' white paper t' use for t' white stripes on t' front o' t' body tube. Blimey! T' white stripes on nacelle tubes were hand painted as were t' silver tips. After all decals were glued on, shiver me timbers, t' entire rocket got two coats o' Clear Gloss spray paint t' seal everything.

Goonymarc glamour shot1 Goonymarc glamour shot2

Couple o' shots o' finished Goonymarc

Construction Score: 4

Flight

Maiden flight occurred on 11/11/09 at 15:06 on an ever popular Estes B6-4. Blimey! Got in a hurry t' fly this before t' weather got t' cold. Nay all paint and trim work done yet. Avast, me proud beauty! Rocket weather cocked quit a bit comin' off t' pad. Was almost horizontal by t' time it cleared t' tree tops.

Goonymark

Goonymark Maiden Flight 11/11/09 15:06 on an Estes B6-4

(Note: rocket nay trimmed out with decals & silver paint yet)

Recovery

I had t' run over t' other side o' house t' recover so I didn't see parachute deployment, ya bilge rat, but it looks as if it got tangled with tooth pick probe on left win' as it be a tangled mess and t' tooth pick be lose. Aye aye! Slight damage t' right nacelle NC as well and a small nick on right win' tip from apparent ground impact . Begad! Well, blow me down! Will need slight repair before finishin' paint and decals. Aye aye! Aye aye! Will need t' add some additional nose weight as well.

Flight Rating: 3

Summary

This was another fun build and one I still wished I had built as a glider. Ya scallywag! May still try and build t' glider version if I can get t' balance figured out.

Overall Rating: 4

Kit Bash Goonymarc Modification