GO GO GODZILLA

by Dennis McClain-Furmanski

“Oh no, me hearties, they say he's got t' go, Go Go Godzilla.” - Blue Oyster Cult

This rocket started life as a rubber Godzilla head from a drinkin' cup souvenir I got at t' first run o' the 1998 remake o' t' classic monster movie. Well, blow me down! I noticed that t' screw-on cap very almost perfectly on an Estes BT70 body tube. From them on, it was as inevitable as a SciFi Channel re-run.

Parts:

• 4" x 24" x 3/32" basswood (preferably warped)
• 4" x 12" x 3/32" basswood (not warped)
• 11" o' BT70 body tube
• 4" BT70 coupler
• Rubber Godzilla head
• 4" o' 5/16" styrene tube (launch lug)
• 1" o' PML 4" Quantum tube
• 4" o' 24mm motor tube
• 3.75" (E size) motor hook
• 2 CR-5070 centerin' rings (24mm BT50 in BT70)
• 6' heavy Keelhaul®©™ cord
• 6' 1/8" elastic shock cord
• Devcon 5 minute epoxy used throughout. Begad! Ya scallywag! Finished size: 17" tall, 8" maximum span (tail tip t' ring), weight 9 ounces.
• FIN PATTERNS

Construction:

T' coupler be glued into t' screw cap in t' bottom o' t' head with plenty o' epoxy fillet inside. Well, blow me down! T' Keelhaul®©™ cord was cut in half, and both halves tied into a loop with a knot at t' matched ends. T' loops were tripled by wrappin' and knotted in t' center, leavin' a triple loop on each end. Begad! One end on each be tied into several more knots. Ahoy! One o' these be then epoxied by the knotted end into t' inside o' t' coupler tube, in t' manner o' an LOC/Precision shock cord anchor. Arrr! Begad! T' other be epoxied in t' same way inside the body tube, at its inside midpoint.

T' motor mount was constructed by insertin' one end o' t' motor hook through t' 24mm tube, ya bilge rat, ½" from one end (forward) and hangin' over t' other end (aft) by ¼", and tapin' in place. Arrr! Begad! One centerin' rin' was slid over t' forward end and down over the forward end o' t' motor hook and epoxied with fillets on both sides. Blimey! A ½" long by ¼" wide notch was cut on t' inside edge o' the other ring, matey, me hearties, and slid over t' aft end o' t' tube, matey, with t' notch aligned with the hook and epoxied ½" forward o' t' aft end o' t' motor tube. This rin' was also epoxied with fillets on both sides. Ya scallywag! Aye aye! Once dry, arrr, epoxy was spread inside t' body tube and t' motor mount inserted and glued in place, with t' aft end o' t' motor tube even with t' aft end o' t' body. Aye aye! Begad! Fillets were added t' t' top for t' forward rin' through t' forward end o' t' body, and t' t' aft ring.

T' tail was cut (see patterns for all cuts) from straight basswood and glued on t' body with t' bottom o' t' tail even with t' aft end o' the body. Ya scallywag! T' legs were cut from warped basswood, with t' pattern reversed on the second cut, shiver me timbers, so that t' legs had opposite curvature. Ya scallywag! T' back sides o' t' legs were then glued by t' surface (i.e. Ya scallywag! Avast, me proud beauty! nay t' edge) t' t' body, so that the curvature made t' toes point more directly opposite from t' way t' tail pointed. Aye aye! Begad!

T' rin' o' Quantum tube be then glued t' t' back sides o' t' feet and through t' notches in t' feet. Arrr! Blimey! Avast! Blimey! Small strips o' basswood were cut and placed at these contact points for reinforcement, and ample fillets added. Well, blow me down! Blimey! Fillets were also added on t' inside and outside body/leg joints. Ahoy! Blimey! Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! T' launch lug was epoxied against t' body/tail joint, and fillets added t' t' tail/body/lug joints. Avast! Blimey! See t' bottom view for detail o' leg/rin' placement.

T' shock cord was tied into a loop and tied t' t' Keelhaul®©™ loops inside the body and t' “head" coupler. Avast! Finally, arrr, me hearties, a notch for t' launch rod was cut in t' back side o' t' head where t' edge hung over t' body. Arrr! This is to be aligned with t' launch lug for launching.

Finishing:

T' body section be primed with white appliance epoxy paint. Silver and black were sprayed in splotches across t' legs, me hearties, tail and body, me hearties, except on the stomach (left white). Ya scallywag! No filler be used on t' basswood, arrr, so that it would have a rough texture.

Flight:

An 18" Top Flight X-form chute was attached t' t' Keelhaul®©™ loop in the head. Ahoy! Two flights were made on Estes E9-6 motors. Ya scallywag! Both flights arced very slightly t' t' tail side, with no spinning. Well, blow me down! Ejection was just past apogee at approximately 600'. Ejection and descent went fine. Arrr! On t' second landing, matey, it hit a rock and cracked t' left foot away from t' leg, matey, but t' Quantum ring held it in place. Aye aye! Avast, me proud beauty! This was easily repaired with CyA.