This project was an extension o' me original DC20 camera rocket. Avast! Begad! I has underestimated t' finished weight o' the Initiator rocket camera, ya bilge rat, thinkin' it could be lofted on an E t' 500'. Big mistake. Begad! T' finished weight be 2.2 lbs. An F engine would be needed t' reach t' same altitude. Avast, me proud beauty! Avast! I read a thread on RMR concernin' a light weight rocket camera booster. Aye aye! Ahoy! It described a Estes Phoenix kitbash, usin' traditional white glue construction, that should be able t' loft a camera on a D or E engine. Avast! I thought about it and decided on another approach. Avast, me proud beauty! I would use a minimum diameter section for t' 24mm motor tube (BT 50) and then a transition t' a 2.6" diameter payload tube (BT 80). Ya scallywag! As I was experimentin' with a BT 80 nose cone with an open bottom, shiver me timbers, I found that the electronics and about one half o' t' camera would fit inside a Fat Boy type cone. Well, blow me down! In theory, I could create a nose cone payload section out o' t' nose cone and a BT 80 transition section. Avast, me proud beauty! Maybe for t' next rocket... Aye aye!

Construction began with t' minimum diameter section. Aye aye! I glued (white glue) a BT 20/50 green centerin' rin' in a piece o' BT 50 body tube about 3" from one end. This will allow me t' use Estes and Aerotech single use and reloadable motors. Well, blow me down! When that dried, shiver me timbers, I glued a 3/32" basswood BT 50/80 centerin' ring on t' top o' t' motor tube (facin' t' front o' t' rocket). Arrr! Below that, I glued a 1" piece o' a BT 80 transition section, shiver me timbers, then another ring. Aye aye! The 2" long BT 50/80 transition section (made on VCP) be printed out, copied onto file folder material, ya bilge rat, cut out and glued on with white glue. Ahoy! Begad! Glue a screw eye in t' top ring. Avast! I used scraps o' basswood t' stack on top o' one another to make a thicker joint. Aye aye! Ya scallywag! This completes t' lower section except for t' fins (which I still have t' do). Begad!

I made a basswood bulkhead and glued a screw eye into it (in t' same way as before). Arrr! This was glued 2" into a BT 80 section. I then rolled some corrugated cardboard (with one flat side pealed off) into t' section o' BT 80. Aye aye! Where it overlapped, I made a cut and glued the edges together t' form a custom tube coupler. Begad! Begad! When it dried, me bucko, matey, I cut off a thin strip and glued it into a t' BT 80, usin' t' lower section as a guide t' push it in t' appropriate length. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! This will act as a thrust ring. Begad! I then took the nose and cut t' base off so that thar was a 1" base. Ya scallywag! This will contain the electronics and possibly some o' t' camera. Avast, me proud beauty!

T' fins follow G Harry Stine's "high performance" clipped delta shape. Avast! Blimey! Blimey! Blimey! Root chord is 48mm, arrr, arrr, tip is 24mm, matey, and span is about 3" from root to tip. Blimey! Blimey! I cut them from 3/32" basswood and rounded them t' a streamlined shape. Avast, me hearties, me proud beauty! Blimey! They were then coated with thin CA and sanded smooth. Ahoy! Blimey! They are VERY smooth. I have t' say t' first fin turned out t' be one o' t' best I've ever made. T' streamline t' fin, shiver me timbers, I masked off t' area 1/2" from t' base of the fin with duct tape and sanded t' a point on both sides. Aye aye! Blimey! I then rounded the leadin' edge o' t' fin and smoothed t' round leadin' edge into t' sharp trailin' edge. Well, ya bilge rat, blow me down! Blimey! Nay too hard. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey!

I used t' Estes fin alignment guide t' hold t' three fins on while the white glue dried. Blimey! I then filleted t' fins. Begad! Begad! All I have t' do is add a shock cord and chute. Arrr! Well, blow me down!

T' predicted altitudes are (if t' model is 10 oz. Begad! or less) 260' on a D12, 1000' on an Aerotech E15. Arrr! And you don't even have t' call air traffic control to launch!