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

Amazingly, me bucko, me bucko, me brother had an Opus 35 camera. Ya scallywag! Well, me hearties, blow me down! Blimey! Many people had modified this for airborne use, me hearties, so I tried that. Avast, me proud beauty! Begad! Blimey! It almost worked, but I think I broke t' camera. Avast, me proud beauty! In fact, ya bilge rat, I broke two other cameras in t' process. Begad! Whoops. It was then I came across t' RC Aerial Photography Site. Avast, ya bilge rat, me proud beauty! Blimey! This guy had used a Digital camera t' take pictures from an RC glider. Ahoy! Blimey! And, shiver me timbers, he claimed it could be used in rocketry. Avast! Well, blow me down! Blimey! Cool, I thought. Begad! So I began t' research t' DC 20 digital camera for rocketry use. Blimey! Ahoy! Blimey! A normal 35mm camera could take 36 shots, ya bilge rat, but this could only take 8. Oh well, matey, it's better than one picture per flight. So I got a DC 20 for me birthday. Avast, arrr, me proud beauty! Blimey! I just got t' rocket controller, me hearties, but that be no problem t' assemble. 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. Arrr! Blimey! One centerin' rin' has two holes in where a wire is looped. Ahoy! Blimey! 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. Eventually I'll post t' forward fin size, etc. (T' model uses forward fins t' make sure it will nay be overly stable. I later found these are nay needed and broke them off) But for now, I'll just describe t' payload section. Avast, me proud beauty! 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. It is covered with clear tape (masking?) for a smother transition. Begad! Aye aye! It has a 4" tube coupler made out o' corrugated cardboard with one layer o' paper peeled off. Begad! T' lower bulkhead is 3/8" plywood with two holes for t' wire for shock cord/parachute attachment. Avast, me proud beauty! Above this bulkhead is about 2" o' paddin' t' absorb some o' t' lift-off stress. Avast, 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. Aye aye! Again, shiver me timbers, t' tube is reinforced with folder material for strength. Begad! Arrr! Finally t' Aerotech Initiator nose cone gets put on top. Begad! T' whole payload section was painted gold. Blimey! It is now painted red t' match t' cone.

T' original design:

After I snapped off t' fins:

T' Launch

T' first launch was on a F25 29mm Aerotech single use engine. Avast, me proud beauty! 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.