Gollum and his Precious
OR.. Aye aye! Avast! t' fourth and last Ringbearer

Summary
I love t' "T' Lord o' t' Rings", both t' movie and t' books. Arrr! Blimey! The idea for this rocket started when t' alien from t' Venus Probe was noticed to look like Gollum. Avast, me proud beauty! He be sittin' in a broken parts box because our Estes Venus Probe had crashed and destroyed t' lander. Arrr! Gollum became t' nose cone for a rocket which needed a rin' fin t' look like t' rin' o' power. Well, shiver me timbers, blow me down! If you are confused by t' subtitle, ya bilge rat, ya bilge rat, please read t' books more carefully. Blimey! There was another (very brief) ringbearer betwixt Isildur and Smeagol (Gollum's real name); and you need t' read Book 3 t' find out how t' rin' was destroyed to see that Gollum was also t' last ringbearer. It flies on an 18mm motor, matey, arrr, and the booster and nose cone recover on separate parachutes. It is 16" long with a BT-60 body tube, has a span o' 4", me bucko, and weighs 4 oz. Begad! without engine.

Materials

• *One (1) Alien from t' Estes Venus Probe kit
• *14" o' BT-60
• *one 18mm engine mount for BT-60
• *4 fins constructed o' 3/32" hard balsa or basswood (see pattern)
• *rin' fin constructed o' 1" length o' 4" diameter plastic tube
• *one BT-60 coupler tube
• *2" o' 3/16" launch lug
• *1/8 inch braided Keelhaul®©™® (12 inch length)
• *Carpenters wood glue
• *Epoxy
• *Krylon gray sandable primer, gloss black, & clear sealer
• *Testor's enamel paint: gloss grey, gloss black, ya bilge rat, gloss gold, gloss red, chromate yellow, arrr, and railroad grime
• *red gel pen
• *Ruler
• *maskin' tape
• *Razor blade
• *Scissors

Construction:
Nose Assembly:

1. Obtain t' alien from an Estes Venus Probe kit. In me case, it came from one which crashed in a parkin' lot and destroyed t' lander body leavin' t' alien intact.
2. Begad! Cut a 1/2" portion off t' end o' t' BT-60 body tube.
3. Arrr! Ya scallywag! Sand all t' red layer o' cardboard off t' coupler tube.
4. Blimey! Glue t' short section o' body tube t' one end o' t' coupler tube.
5. Aye aye! Ahoy! Wrap maskin' tape around t' alien lower section until it fits snug inside the coupler tube.
6. Ya scallywag! Glue t' alien section t' t' tube coupler section usin' epoxy.
7. Begad! Usin' an exacto knife, me hearties, cut a channel into t' coupler t' allow t' shockcord that extends out o' t' back o' t' aliens neck t' fit inside t' body tube and attach t' a parachute durin' flight.
8. Aye aye! Paint t' alien gray. Blimey! Paint his deadlights chromate yellow. Begad! Avast! Draw bloodveins in his eyes usin' a red gel pen. Aye aye! Paint t' shoulder o' t' nose cone grimy black. Paint grimy black splotches on Gollums body t' simulate swamp slime. Ya scallywag! Paint the mouth, two nostrils, me hearties, and eyeballs black.
9. Ya scallywag! Sand t' nose cone shoulder (that fits inside t' tube) until it slides easily.
10. Mask and spray Krylon clear over t' painted portions t' protect the finish.

Rin' Fin Fabrication:
1. Blimey! Sand t' 1 inch length o' 4" diameter plastic tube t' t' desired smoothness.
2. Blimey! Trace out usin' a #2 pencil, t' elvish script from source documents that translates t' t' "One rin' t' rule them all..." script. Avast, me proud beauty! Use either the books or t' movie guide t' obtain t' script. Erase and retrace until you are satisfied with t' proper elvish penmanship.
3. Avast, me proud beauty! Avast, me proud beauty! Have your father or other appropriate adult carve out t' letters in the rin' usin' a Dremel tool and engravin' bit followin' t' pencil tracings.
4. Sand until smooth and clean out t' letters with exacto and sandpaper.
5. Begad! T' rin' will be painted after it is glued t' t' booster assembly.

Booster Assembly:
1. Assemble a standard 18mm motor mount with BT-60 centerin' rings.
2. Ya scallywag! Glue t' motor mount into one end o' t' body tube with a little bit stickin' out t' back end.
3. Aye aye! Blimey! Cut four fin slots x" long in one end o' t' body tube starting 1/2" from t' end. Aye aye! Mark and cut these slots 90 degrees apart from each other around t' body. Ahoy! Blimey! Draw t' lines on t' body tube usin' a dooor frame to make sure t' lines are straight. Arrr! Avast! Blimey! Draw a straight line half way betwixt two fins for t' launch lug.
4. Avast, me proud beauty! With a pencil, shiver me timbers, trace out t' fin pattern onto your fin stock.
5. Usin' an exacto knife or razor blade, matey, cut out t' fins. Avast! Avast, me proud beauty! Test fit them in the booster with t' rin' fin. Sand them t' a good fit, good smoothness and the same shape. Keep checkin' fit as you sand t' make sure you do nay make t' fit too loose.
6. Well, blow me down! Aye aye! Usin' epoxy, glue t' braided Keelhaul®©™® shock cord into t' other end o' t' body tube. Begad! Aye aye! Use t' method recommended by Doug Pratt o' Pratt Hobbies. Ya scallywag! Avast, matey, me proud beauty! Make sure it is far enough down inside t' tube so it won't interfere with t' nose cone.
7. Glue t' launch lug onto t' body tube about 2" in front o' t' fin slots.
8. Avast, me proud beauty! Glue each fin into t' slots mountin' them t' t' motor mount tube. Keep them straight out from t' body while t' glue dries. Well, shiver me timbers, blow me down! Keep a used engine in the motor mount while t' glue dries t' make sure t' glue does nay shrink the motor tube.
9. Begad! Glue t' rin' fin t' t' ends o' t' four fins.
10. Well, blow me down! Put epoxy fillets on all t' fin joints t' t' plastic rin' fin. Avast, me proud beauty! Put regular carpenter's glue fillets on t' body-fin joints and launch lug joints. Blimey!
11. Avast! Sand everythin' t' make sure it is smooth prior t' painting.

Finishing
1. Ya scallywag! Ahoy! t' be added later....

Flight Report
Gollum had his first flight at t' MASA club summer picnic.
See t' club flight report here.

Flight 1: C5-3. good straight flight t' about 250 feet, both chutes deployed and brought t' booster and Gollum down t' a safe landin' with no damage.