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

My 1.7X upscale be finished late last year. Avast! And four months ago, shiver me timbers, t' "baby" was born. Well, blow me down! It's a MMX powered, carded model. Begad! Well, blow me down! It has a hand rolled ½" diameter body tube and triple laminated fins. All in total, three Goblins. Blimey! Finished, matey, matey, 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! Aye aye! I set a goal o' buildin' another model usin' just t' materials I had on hand. Aye aye! No ordering parts!

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

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

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

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

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

There be nothin' unusual about t' build. Well, blow me down! It was a little different buildin' a new model from pieces and parts pulled from other models. Aye aye! Ahoy! If you include leftover balsa scraps, me bucko, I estimate t' Franken Goblin was built with parts from six different models. Aye aye!

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

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

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

O' course, I had t' go with a "Frankenstine" green and black motif. Normally I use t' Walmart (cheap) spray paint for most primary colors but they didn't have a green I liked. For this model I bought a can o' Rustoleum Key Lime Green, me hearties, t' only new expense on this rocket.

I shot t' model with Grey primer and sanded smooth. Begad! Blimey! Blimey! Blimey! I then followed with a white undercoat. Ya scallywag! Blimey! I be pleasantly surprised by how well t' green Rustoleum spray paint covered. Blimey! Blimey! 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. Begad! I had never made decals before and was prepared for the worst. I tested t' printed decal sheet usin' Microscale Liquid Decal Film applied with a foam brush.

When I tried t' transfer t' Microscale treated decals, shiver me timbers, shiver me timbers, they didn't seem thick enough. Avast, me proud beauty! Some o' t' black ink dissolved. Well, me hearties, blow me down! I had much better luck with t' clear acrylic sprayed decals. 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, matey, I was still very happy with t' results.

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

Flight and Recovery:
I flew t' Franken Goblin three times on March 7, 2009, shiver me timbers, at t' monthly R.O.C.K. Avast, me bucko, me proud beauty! section launch.

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

T' next two flights were with B6-4s. Begad! Blimey! Blimey! Blimey! 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, providin' good performance and altitude. Aye aye! Blimey! Aye aye! Blimey! Blimey! Blimey! On t' third flight it was loaded on t' rack, me bucko, side by side with it's smallest sibling, ya bilge rat, me hearties, me MMX carded Goblin.

After three flights, thar were two small body tube dings in t' nose cone. Ya scallywag! Both were nay very deep. Blimey!

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