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Just spent a couple hours going through document storage files looking back at how the Camroc came to be. In a mid 1962 Model Rocket News we let our mail order customers know we wanted to develop a camera to take aerial photos from a model rocket. In reviewing these old files I discovered a number of drawings and ideas our customers submitted. Ideas included ways to use an existing small camera manufactured in Japan, cameras that looked out the side of the rocket, one designed to be suspended from a parachute pointing down, etc. One idea had the rocket motor at the top of the rocket, with a tripod of wires suspending the camera below. Another young rocketeer submitted a drawing suggesting something similar to the design we were working on, which eventually became the Camroc. (Note: These, and other Estes files, will eventually end up in the archives at the MOF)

First Camroc Photo http://www.oldrocketforum.com/attac...tid=47324&stc=1

The prototype of the Camroc was first flown in 1964. The round negative for the first picture was hand-cut in the dark, without adequate guides or tooling to get a perfect cut. It was funny shaped, but the picture was clear, and we knew we were on our way. Of course there was still lots to be done. Injection molds had to be made for the plastic parts, equipment made in our machine shop to cut the round film disks, other parts ordered, darkroom processing set up to develop the film and print the photos, assembly instructions written, etc. Unfortunately, we way underestimated the time all of this would take, and as a result started promoting the future availability long before we could deliver. We were relieved when backorders finally went out the door in time for Christmas in 1965. Our policy of opening the morning mail, then shipping the same day had suffered a severe blow.

Later, when I gave Lee Piester some static over one of his products being delay for an extended time, he replied, “Well, we all have our Camroc”. Ouch!!