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

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

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

T' fins follow G Harry Stine's "high performance" clipped delta shape. Arrr! Root chord is 48mm, tip is 24mm, and span is about 3" from root to tip. Avast! Avast, me proud beauty! I cut them from 3/32" basswood and rounded them t' a streamlined shape. They were then coated with thin CA and sanded smooth. Blimey! Arrr! They are VERY smooth. Blimey! Ahoy! I have t' say t' first fin turned out t' be one o' t' best I've ever made. Avast! 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. Arrr! I then rounded the leadin' edge o' t' fin and smoothed t' round leadin' edge into t' sharp trailin' edge. Ahoy! Nay too hard. Blimey! Aye aye!

I used t' Estes fin alignment guide t' hold t' three fins on while the white glue dried. I then filleted t' fins. Aye aye! All I have t' do is add a shock cord and chute. Ya scallywag! Begad!

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