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

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

I made a basswood bulkhead and glued a screw eye into it (in t' same way as before). Arrr! Blimey! Ahoy! Blimey! This was glued 2" into a BT 80 section. Blimey! Blimey! I then rolled some corrugated cardboard (with one flat side pealed off) into t' section o' BT 80. Blimey! Blimey! Where it overlapped, I made a cut and glued the edges together t' form a custom tube coupler. When it dried, arrr, 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. This will act as a thrust ring. I then took the nose and cut t' base off so that thar be a 1" base. This will contain the electronics and possibly some o' t' camera.

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

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

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