Goblin discontinued?

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Well this saddens me. My Goblin (actually a Super Goblin, since I added a 24x70mm booster) was one of my earliest builds returning to this hobby and I have learned much from it.

My girlfriend built one too, gave it a Captain America paint scheme, and flew it at LDRS. You can see a picture in my launch report there.
 
Well, they are cheap 24mm rockets. The Estes kit is about $17.50 depending upon where you buy it. It's rare to see a 24mm for less than $20 (although to argue with myself the Olympus is at Hobby Lobby for $17.99) -- but still, cheap enough to order two. After never owning one my entire life, now seems like a good time.
 
The Vanderburn stuff adds weight without reducing drag, but more importantly, the fin shape is the OG (Original Goblin) fin shape. I like the 7237 reissue fin shape better. And not that it matters, but I don't really dig their notes on motor retention. I'll definitely do it differently.

Yup. 3/32" basswood with ttw tabs, just move the CR back and notch it for the hook. Much stronger, minimal weight gain.

IMG_20221005_081719300_HDR.jpg
 
Well, they are cheap 24mm rockets. The Estes kit is about $17.50 depending upon where you buy it. It's rare to see a 24mm for less than $20 (although to argue with myself the Olympus is at Hobby Lobby for $17.99) -- but still, cheap enough to order two. After never owning one my entire life, now seems like a good time.

$12 at AC Supply right now.

I used a green ring ACR, all the way back, with no motor hook on the last one I built. (friction fit retention) Kevlar string glued to motor tube. I don't recall if the kit included paper rings or nice green rings. I never have liked hooks. It takes just as long to rip the motor out with Robogrip pliers, as it does fumbling around with those hooks.

The balsa on the last kit was pretty tough. Like Goblins and Alphas get select balsa or something.
 
i was thinking that the cool goblin chute would be a simple stencil to cut and paint, then i pictured what would happen when you bunched up the chute. how do they apply color to cheap plastic chute material?
 
I wonder how an iron-on transfer would work on a nylon chute? Pop some transfer paper in your printer, print out the readily available graphics and you're good to go. I think I'll give it a try on my next build.
 
Anytime someone wants instructions/plans for an Estes kit, first try JimZ's site:

https://www.spacemodeling.org/jimz/estes.htm
Tends not to have new kit plans, but does have a lot of the old ones.

Including the original Goblin:

https://www.spacemodeling.org/jimz/estes/k-55.pdf

Interesting that the instructions shows the "3" oriented 90 degrees to the body, like with a plane. If I built one, I'd have the "3" so it would be readable with the rocket vertical. Actually, I did have a Goblin, around 1971, flew it a lot. Probably had the "3" oriented to be vertical with the rocket on the pad.
With just a few exceptions, the instructions for all the past and present Estes kits are on their website. Just use the search function on the upper right of the page.

Hans.
 
i'm building a basic ol' Estes Goblin and wanted to check the paint and decal scheme, so i went to the Estes website and... no Goblin?!? say it ain't so...

on a related note, are all four fins yellow? thinkin' i'd like to make one black with a big yellow three on it.
I have always liked the Goblin. I built one when I was a kid over 45 years ago and then again just a few years back. I painted mine orange and black since I thought it fit well with Halloween.
 
With just a few exceptions, the instructions for all the past and present Estes kits are on their website. Just use the search function on the upper right of the page.
Does not include scans of decals or patterns for fins, wings, and other balsa parts that one needs if they want to rebuild, clone or upscale.At least not the one I just checked out.
 
Then there are those of us who will build it with a longer MMT, thinner TTW basswood fins, and fill the nose cone with GPS and dual deploy controls.
Experimenting with 24 mm 100 N-s G20.

The Hobgoblin is a great rocket from NCR,
https://northcoastrocketry.com/products/hobgoblin
Had an original Hobgoblin. Last flown in 1992 when it crashed. 8" diameter, modified for 3 in line 54 mm mounts. Plenty stable, no nose weight required.
 
It looks like I'll have to grab a couple for my stash pile (different than the build pile) for when my current Estes kit meets it's inevitable demise. I have a Semroc MMX version and the Loc 5.5" version. I would like some of the others mentioned, some day.
 
Just picked up a few more, we fly these on f44’s at our club, super fun. Have a 6-grain Pro24 case I plan to shove in one of these, CTI G117? 😎
 
Just picked up a few more, we fly these on f44’s at our club, super fun. Have a 6-grain Pro24 case I plan to shove in one of these, CTI G117? 😎
I’m curious how you’d pack a 9-inch case plus recovery gear into a 9-inch tube. I’ve got a few ideas but none very roomy.
 
I’m curious how you’d pack a 9-inch case plus recovery gear into a 9-inch tube. I’ve got a few ideas but none very roomy.

Ya base of the nose cone will need to be trimmed, run a pinned small eyebolt up top in the cone

ok, project is on 😎(ordered 4 more goblin kits haha)

6C7C9777-C9AA-4911-A249-FB6F25609144.jpeg
 
Discontinued?? I may have to order one now. Not my favorite rocket (I like Big Daddy), but I'll buy one just to have.
Any 24mm and up is good for me. No problem there.
I don't worry about discontinued models. Unless it has complex parts that are hard to deal with (Little Joe II), I just scratch build from the plans.
 
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