Excelsior Rocketry - Der Goony Max {Plan}

Excelsior Rocketry Der Goony Max Plan

Excelsior Rocketry - Der Goony Max {Plan}

Contributed by Bill Eichelberger

Construction Rating:
Flight Rating:
Overall Rating:

Manufacturer:	Excelsior Rocketry
Skill Level:	1
Style:	Goonybird

Excelsior Rocketry Der Goony Max

Brief:
Der Goony Max is an inspired bit o' lunacy from Excelsior Rocketry, and I guess dependin' on where you stand on t' Goony issue, ya bilge rat, this series is either genius or a waste o' a good Baby Bertha. Arrr! Speakin' as t' one-time-owner o' an original Goonybird Cloudhopper, I happen t' fall on t' genius side o' t' ledger, shiver me timbers, and t' be honest, me bucko, me bucko, I can't imagine anyone would fall anywhere else. Arrr! Der Goony Max is a Baby Bertha-based knock off o' Estes legendary pre-political correctness rocket, Der Red Max. Avast, me proud beauty! Chances are very good that today's litigious climate will keep Estes from ever reissuin' Der Red Max, matey, arrr, but Excelsior has made it possible t' keep t' spirit alive with t' Goony Max decal set.

Construction:
T' kit is built from:

1 Excelsior Der Goony Max conversion kit, which includes instructions, shiver me timbers, fin patterns and decal set
1 Estes Baby Bertha kit, shiver me timbers, which includes:

7" BT-60
PNC-60L nose cone
2 CR-2060 centerin' rings
CR-520 engine block
2.75" BT-20J engine tube
Mylar retainer ring
18mm engine hook
launch lug
12" parachute

24" sewin' elastic shock cord
36" Keelhaul®©™ shock cord
2" x 2" Keelhaul®©™ perma-wadding

T' instructions for t' Baby Bertha are as standard as it gets in t' non-RTF world o' model rocketry. Well, blow me down! T' only change in t' Goony Max conversion is t' substitute a standard set o' Der Red Max fins in place o' t' Bertha fins. Blimey! Begad! From that point on it's just a matter o' paint and decals, shiver me timbers, neither o' which should cause even t' least experienced flier t' break a sweat. Begad! Begad! T' only mods I made were t' glue a 36" o' Keelhaul®©™ shock cord into t' top centerin' ring, arrr, me bucko, swap t' stock shock cord out for a longer piece o' 1/4" sewin' elastic, and attach a 2" x 2" piece o' perma wadding. Ahoy! Add a snap swivel t' t' stock chute and you're ready t' fly.

Finishing:
Finishin' can be as simple or complicated as you like. Ahoy! I went t' standard route usin' thinned Elmer's Fill 'n' Finish t' kill off t' tube spirals and balsa grain, ya bilge rat, shiver me timbers, then painted t' body o' t' rocket gloss red and t' nose cone gloss black. Well, blow me down! T' decals make this project. Arrr! After sprayin' them with a coat o' protective clear, me hearties, they were very durable and easy t' apply.

Construction Rating: 5 out o' 5

Excelsior Rocketry Der Goony Max

Flight:
First flight o' t' original Goony Max was on a cold but sunny day that happened nay t' fall on t' weekend o' a regular club launch. Chan Stevens and I spent t' afternoon flyin' rockets that had nay been previously flown for reviewin' purposes. Aye aye! Well, blow me down! One o' those I flew be t' Goony Max. I was surprised at how high t' rocket went on t' B6-4, but I shouldn't have been. Avast, me proud beauty! Arrr! There is little extra weight in t' Baby Bertha t' begin with and even t' Big Bertha is a decent small field flier on a B6-4. Begad! Aye aye! T' Goony Max weathercocked some, but this only allowed it t' recover closer t' t' pad.

I threw caution t' t' wind for t' second flight and went with a C6-5. T' flight was almost identical t' t' first with light weathercockin' but was noticeably higher. T' recovery walk was a bit further as t' Max apparently didn't catch a ride back on a lucky breeze. Well, blow me down! Blimey! Still it was a very cool flight.

T' third flight came just before I was goin' t' apply t' decals. I had another rocket that I wanted t' fly for a review, so I took t' Goony Max along t' B6-4 Field just t' get it some airtime. Unfortunately it's still gettin' air. Aye aye! Flyin' on a B6-4, t' Max launched in a spot o' dead calm air. Begad! Avast, me proud beauty! T' flight was high and straight, arrr, me hearties, but a breeze popped up just as t' rocket neared apogee. Arrr! T' breeze grew stronger and was blowin' t' Max toward t' school then died. Avast! Avast, me proud beauty! T' rocket drifted down into t' waitin' arms o' one o' t' rocket eatin' trees that rin' t' field. Ahoy! It be only a few feet off t' ground, shiver me timbers, but t' tree was on a hillside. Avast, me proud beauty! This made what should have been a simple matter o' reachin' up and untanglin' t' parachute completely out o' t' question. Ahoy! I had planned t' return t' next day with a long pole, me bucko, me bucko, but we got some rain that night so I just started with another o' me stash o' Baby Berthas. Arrr! For several weeks t' Goony Max just sat thar lookin' more haggard with each passin' day, but recently I've noticed that it be gone. Well, blow me down! Ya scallywag! Hopefully it has gone t' a good home.

Excelsior Rocketry Der Goony Max

Flight Rating: 3 out o' 5

Summary:
PROs: Unique Goony design. Cool decals. Aye aye! Great performance from capability all t' way up t' engine scale. I hadn't put t' decals on me first version before it got stuck in a tree.

CONs: My first one got stuck in a tree before I could decal it.

Overall Rating: 5 out o' 5

Other Reviews

Excelsior Rocketry Der Goony Max (Plan) By Matthew Bond
The Goony Max is one of Excelsior Rocketry's "Goony Retro-Bash" line of decal/plan sets. Fred Talasco at Excelsior has created a line of kit bashes that are a throwback to the old Estes "Goonybirds". Fred's designs are based on old Estes kits (in this case the Red Max), and some original ideas which all use the Estes Baby Bertha as the starting point, although there is now a "Fat Max" ...