All Rocketry Blogs

 Rocketry Product: Excelsior Rocketry - Nike Goon

Rich's Rockets: Building the Excelsior Nike-G (part 1) (2016-09-22)

The Nike-G was the last of the pre-2016 build pile rockets, dating in fact to 2013 when I bought the decals and plans from Excelsior. I’ve finally started on it. Ready for all the gory build ... [Read More]

Rich's Rockets: Building the Excelsior Nike-G (part 2) (2016-10-02)

I used the Estes fin tool to position the rear fins, then cobbled together this setup to align the rest of the fins to them. Fins and launch lug are on. Now for the fillets. 26 of them.😮 [Read More]

Rich's Rockets: Building the Excelsior Nike-G (part 3) (2016-10-16)

I’m hurrying to finish this rocket. Partly because finishing it this year is one of my goals, and we’re almost at the end of good painting weather for the year. Partly because Apogee ... [Read More]

Rich's Rockets: Building the Excelsior Nike-G (part 4) (2016-10-24)

Yuck. The decals were pretty fragile. I should’ve put a clear coat on them before applying. The wraps fell apart on me and I pushed them back together as best I could, but the upper one ... [Read More]

Rich's Rockets: Building the Excelsior Nike-G (part 5) (2016-10-25)

Here’s the Nike-G, done. Not my best work. But not my worst either. And here’s the goony missile fleet: Honest Goon, Patrioony, and Nike-G. [Read More]

Model Rocket Building: Nike Goon Build, Part 1, Background and Parts (2017-02-11)

Goony conversions are somewhat based on the Estes Goonybirds from 1973. They were short, goofy BT-60 based models that flew on 13mm "T" engines. Excelsior Rockets brought out new 18mm plan kits that ... [Read More]

Model Rocket Building: Nike Goon Build, Part 2, Scaling to a BT-60 (2017-02-13)

I found this picture at RocketReviews.com, from a build and review by Matthew Bond. This is the Goony version designed and produced by Excelsior Rocketry. I didn't have the Excelsior plan/decal set ... [Read More]

Model Rocket Building: Nike Goon Build, Part 3, Fins (2017-02-14)

I wasn't able to fit the low, larger fins onto the kit balsa sheet. The Nike Goon fin pattern was traced on the Baby Bertha fins. The excess was cut off and glued onto the larger piece. Look close ... [Read More]

Model Rocket Building: Nike Goon Build, Part 4, Centering Rings (2017-02-15)

These rings must have come from an older kit, these were die-cut, not laser cut. Before punching out the centering rings they were marked for replaceable Kevlar. Pencil marks were made on opposite ... [Read More]

Model Rocket Building: Nike Goon Build, Part 5, Engine Mount (2017-02-15)

On the Goony models the engine mount is set in farther up in the body tube. This puts the center of gravity forward and makes for better stability. The bottom bend of the engine hook is even with ... [Read More]

Model Rocket Building: Nike Goon Build, Part 6, Same Kit Differences (2017-02-16)

The two Nike Goons under construction were made from two different Baby Bertha kits. Both had the same face card but they were obviously from two different runs. At first the nose cones looked the ... [Read More]

Model Rocket Building: Nike Goon Build, Part 7, Fin Gluing (Lots Of Fins) (2017-02-17)

I tend to sand off most of the primer/filler before things are glued together. Here I'm scraping the glue areas for a better bond. The fin root scraped area is a little wider than the 3/32" thick ... [Read More]

Model Rocket Building: Nike Goon Build, Part 8, Black Trim (2017-02-18)

Home print black decals are a bit translucent on white paint. After transfer they sometimes look like a very dark gray. I decided to hand cut the pieces from Contact Blackboard Covering material. To ... [Read More]

Model Rocket Building: Nike Goon Build, Part 9, Black Trim (2017-02-19)

Here's the smaller fins. A strip was set between the two fin triangles to keep the cuts in line. Interesting thing about the trim. Down the root edge there is a thin white line. The squares set on ... [Read More]

Model Rocket Building: Nike Goon Build, Part 10, Added Paint Weight? (2017-02-20)

I'm a sport flyer and don't pay much attention to the weight of paint. Daniel Petrie (The Rocket N00b) did some great articles about paint and how the weight can effect performance. To visit his blog ... [Read More]

Model Rocket Building: Nike Goon, Finished (2017-02-21)

This was a fun build. I didn't know if the complicated trim vinyl would work. There are still some water slide decals to go on, a vertical red U.S. GOONY on the upper body and maybe a NIKE G on two ... [Read More]

Model Rocket Building: Nike Goon Follow-Up With Decals (2017-02-26)

Did you ever finish a model and wish you had done a few things differently? As I usually do, I made two of the Nike Goons. One to fly, the other to sell on Ebay. On the left is the first try using ... [Read More]

Model Rocket Building: Launch! Schoolyard Soccer Field, September 29, 2019 (2019-09-30)

I didn't get to the NEFAR launch yesterday, next month should be a lot cooler. Off to the schoolyard about 7:30 a.m. before the wind kicks up. I was trying a faster shutter speed at 3,200 of a ... [Read More]