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

Construction began with t' minimum diameter section. Ya scallywag! 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. Begad! This will allow me t' use Estes and Aerotech single use and reloadable motors. Aye aye! 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). Begad! Avast! Below that, I glued a 1" piece o' a BT 80 transition section, shiver me timbers, then another ring. Well, blow me down! Avast, me proud beauty! The 2" long BT 50/80 transition section (made on VCP) was printed out, copied onto file folder material, cut out and glued on with white glue. Arrr! Well, blow me down! Glue a screw eye in t' top ring. Ahoy! Aye aye! I used scraps o' basswood t' stack on top o' one another to make a thicker joint. Ya scallywag! 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). Ya scallywag! This was glued 2" into a BT 80 section. Ya scallywag! I then rolled some corrugated cardboard (with one flat side pealed off) into t' section o' BT 80. Where it overlapped, me hearties, 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. 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. Avast, me proud beauty! Begad! 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. Aye aye! Root chord is 48mm, matey, me hearties, tip is 24mm, matey, and span is about 3" from root to tip. Avast! Begad! I cut them from 3/32" basswood and rounded them t' a streamlined shape. Ahoy! Ahoy! They were then coated with thin CA and sanded smooth. They are VERY smooth. Begad! Well, blow me down! I have t' say t' first fin turned out t' be one o' t' best I've ever made. T' streamline t' fin, me hearties, 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. Well, blow me down! Ahoy!

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

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