When I got back into rocketry after a couple years off, arrr, arrr, me bucko, I saw Internet sites describin' rocket cameras. Ahoy! I already had t' Astrocam, but I wanted more. Ya scallywag! Specifically, me bucko, I wanted as many pictures I could get per flight. Begad! And so t' quest began...

Amazingly, me brother had an Opus 35 camera. Begad! Ya scallywag! Many people had modified this for airborne use, so I tried that. Ahoy! It almost worked, but I think I broke t' camera. Ahoy! Arrr! In fact, I broke two other cameras in t' process. Whoops. Arrr! It was then I came across t' RC Aerial Photography Site. Aye aye! This guy had used a Digital camera t' take pictures from an RC glider. Aye aye! And, matey, he claimed it could be used in rocketry. Avast, me proud beauty! Cool, ya bilge rat, I thought. Begad! Ya scallywag! So I began t' research t' DC 20 digital camera for rocketry use. Aye aye! A normal 35mm camera could take 36 shots, shiver me timbers, me hearties, but this could only take 8. Begad! Oh well, it's better than one picture per flight. Well, blow me down! Avast, arrr, me proud beauty! So I got a DC 20 for me birthday. Blimey! I just got t' rocket controller, but that be no problem t' assemble. Aye aye! I added a phono jack with a nail in it t' use as a switch.

T' camera mount is simply a board o' 3/16 inch aircraft plywood and 2 centerin' rings made out o' t' same substance. Blimey! One centerin' rin' has two holes in where a wire is looped. Blimey! Arrr! This makes it easier t' pull t' mount out o' t' BT.

Here be t' top view:

Here be t' side view:

With electronics installed

I used VCP t' come up with t' necessary stability calculations. Begad! Eventually I'll post t' forward fin size, me hearties, shiver me timbers, etc. Well, blow me down! (T' model uses forward fins t' make sure it will nay be overly stable. Well, blow me down! I later found these are nay needed and broke them off) But for now, I'll just describe t' payload section. T' body tube is a full length o' Estes BT-80 (2.6" diameter) with two strips o' folder material glued t' t' top and bottom o' t' BT t' add thickness t' t' Estes/Aerotech BT joint. Blimey! It is covered with clear tape (masking?) for a smother transition. Ya scallywag! It has a 4" tube coupler made out o' corrugated cardboard with one layer o' paper peeled off. T' lower bulkhead is 3/8" plywood with two holes for t' wire for shock cord/parachute attachment. Avast, me proud beauty! Avast, me hearties, me proud beauty! Above this bulkhead is about 2" o' paddin' t' absorb some o' t' lift-off stress. Ahoy! Avast, arrr, me proud beauty! T' camera mount sits on top o' this and points t' camera out o' a small slit in t' side o' t' BT. Avast, me proud beauty! Again, t' tube is reinforced with folder material for strength. Begad! Finally t' Aerotech Initiator nose cone gets put on top. Ahoy! T' whole payload section was painted gold. Arrr! It is now painted red t' match t' cone.

T' original design:

After I snapped off t' fins:

T' Launch

T' first launch be on a F25 29mm Aerotech single use engine. Aye aye! It supposedly broke 500'.

Future Projects

My newest booster is goin' t' be light enough t' loft t' camera on a D or E engine.