At the time I got this kit, I was really interested in building scratch rockets but I needed a launch pad and controller. The Initiator starter kit from Aerotech came with a very good launchpad and controller for my purposes. Besides, I figured I could use the kit as a warmup to scratch building. I was going to start with an Estes starter kit and maybe something that would take D engines. But thinking back to my Alpha III and how unimpressive it seemed with its weak motors, I decided to go straight to something larger and more impressive. I assembled the launch controller, launch pad, and rocket in about two hours [plus another two hours for the CA to fully cure]. The kit instructions were very clear and assembley was a snap. Sliding the upper finlock ring down the engine tube proved to be next to impossible before I sanded its inner edge a bit, but otherwise no problems at all. I didn't really care for the default color scheme and decals that come with the kit, so I choose to paint the rocket with a custom design. Having just painted the pip squeak with the color gradient and really liking it, I tried the same thing here. I went to the paint store and found some metallic spraypaint that looked interesting. Silver and copper were the colors of choice. I put down several coats of primer, sanding the nosecone before and during as recommended on several websites as a way of getting paint to stick to the ABS plastic. I think I sanded too much, as it stayed fuzzy but all the paint over it covered most of it up. Over the primer went a complete layer of silver. Then copper around the fins and up to the top launch lug. A layer of acrylic clear coat finished it off. Not as happy with how this came out, the colors aren't as exciting as I had planned. Particularly the silver. Somehow I was expecting chrome.  The last photo ever taken of the Initiator, just before flying a perfect flight into high winds and drifting away on its parachute, out of sight. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
