Brief:
Although t' Goonybirds had disappeared from t' scene by t' time I got into t' hobby, I still managed t' have my life touched by these odd little rockets. Begad! Avast, me proud beauty! I found a Goonybird Cloudhopper on t' markdown table in a KayBee Toy and Hobby. Even I could afford it at t' markdown price ($0.75 or so), me bucko, and it be too odd for me nay t' take a chance on it. Well, blow me down! It be destroyed on its first flight but never quite forgotten, me hearties, shiver me timbers, and all o' t' Goonys were among t' first kit instructions I copied when I discovered JimZ's plan site. I never owned Witch Hazel and her Zoom Broom as a kid, but only because I didn't know she existed.

Construction:
Parts list:

• BT-60R main body tube (5.0")
• PNC-60L nose cone
• 18mm engine mount (from Baby Bertha kit)
• 3/32" fin stock
• launch lug
• 24" Keelhaul®©™® shock cord
• 24" sewin' elastic shock cord
• 12" parachute
• medium snap swivel

All o' t' parts for this project were provided by an Estes Baby Bertha. Ahoy! Avast! Blimey! It was necessary t' take 2.5 inches off o' t' BT-60 included with t' Baby Bertha kit, but other than that, shiver me timbers, everything but t' fin stock gets used. Ya scallywag! Blimey! I attached t' fins with LocTite Gel CA, me bucko, arrr, then used regular Elmer's Wood Glue for the fillets. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! T' motor mount was constructed accordin' t' t' instructions with wood glue, but a length o' Keelhaul®©™® was first tied around t' motor tube, glued into place, me hearties, then slipped through a 1/4" slit that I cut in t' forward centerin' ring. I then covered both sides o' t' cut with more wood glue, matey, and once everythin' was dry, I installed the mount in t' rocket.

Finishing:
All balsa grain and tube spirals were eliminated with t' requisite thinned Elmer's Fill 'n' Finish and sanding. Well, blow me down! Blimey! When things looked smooth enough, me hearties, I sprayed t' entire rocket with Valspar primer. Aye aye! T' body be sprayed with Valspar gloss white while t' nose cone got a coat o' Valspar Cherry Red Gloss. Begad! Even without t' decals, matey, t' painted Zoom Broom looks cool, like one o' t' Gee Bee racin' planes o' t' past. Blimey! Keepin' with t' spirit o' t' original, me bucko, I made a set of decals usin' label paper. Avast! While this sounded like a good idea at first, me bucko, arrr, t' decals came out lookin' a little washed out. Arrr! A shot o' clearcoat only served t' wash them out further. There might be a self-stick paper out thar that will reproduce and hold t' colors, arrr, matey, arrr, but I haven't found it as o' yet. Avast! Blimey! That said, matey, it might be worth it t' print t' decals on inkjet decal paper. Ahoy! T' finished product looks OK from a distance, but up close t' decals have a dull, arrr, lifeless look to them.

Construction Rating: 4 out o' 5

Flight and Recovery:
First flight was on an A8-3 on a wind-whipped day at VOA. Since I went with t' 18mm power and a stock tube length, I found it necessary t' cut away some o' t' nose cone base t' gain some parachute packin' room. I left enough t' allow for t' attachment o' t' shock cord, but little else. Blimey! Ya scallywag! T' rocket wiggled badly from t' moment that it left t' rod. This was probably a combination o' t' wind and a lack o' nose weight, somethin' that I had pretty much expected. Arrr! What I hadn't expected was that me modified nose cone might cause problems with chute deployment, me bucko, and this be exactly what happened. Ya scallywag! T' chute stayed in t' nose cone and t' rocket did a free fall t' t' grass below, landin' fairly softly without damage.

Since t' chute didn't deploy on t' first flight, matey, I decided t' go without for t' second flight. Begad! In t' time between flights I had added nose weight t' t' nose cone in t' form o' BBs and epoxy. Arrr! Blimey! Second flight be on a B6-4 on a windy day. Aye aye! T' first thin' I noticed was t' absolute lack o' wiggle in this flight. Blimey! I was also surprised by how straight t' flight was in a fairly stiff breeze. Aye aye! T' shock cord tangled after ejection, ya bilge rat, arrr, arrr, but t' rocket fluttered down and landed softly in t' wet grass without damage.

Flight Rating: 4 out o' 5

Summary:
PROs: It's Goony. Ahoy! 18mm flights are noticeably quicker off t' pad and higher. Begad! No need for a parachute unless you figure on rough landings.

CONs: Sticker decals aren't worth trying. Ya scallywag! Just go with t' regular decals. Avast! Blimey! Blimey! 18mm motor mount doesn't leave much room for a parachute.

Overall Rating: 4 out o' 5