Estes - (Astron) Ranger (K-6 or #1206) Gallery

[Fud91]

Refurb of an original Estes K-23 Big Bertha complete. Thanks to SEMROC for the "spare" parts. Wanted to go with a paint scheme that was reminiscent of the '69/'70 Catalog colors, but with a bit of a throwback decal. Made the decal using MS Power Point and printed it out on Testors Decal paper. Pretty happy with the look. Had some issues with the black paint (used a Sharpie oil based pen for the detail) running when I oversprayed with laquer - wasn't too happy about that Live and learn. Hope to fly it next weekend.

 

[Fud91]

Refurb of an original Estes K-23 Big Bertha complete. Thanks to SEMROC for the "spare" parts. Wanted to go with a paint scheme that was reminiscent of the '69/'70 Catalog colors, but with a bit of a throwback decal. Made the decal using MS Power Point and printed it out on Testors Decal paper. Pretty happy with the look. Had some issues with the black paint (used a Sharpie oil based pen for the detail) running when I oversprayed with laquer - wasn't too happy about that Live and learn. Hope to fly it next weekend.

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Successful launch today on a B6-4. Great flight, really nice arc at apogee. Here's the pre-launch pic:

 

[Devontmp]

Here is my Super Big Bertha and my Super Baby Bertha. Both flew today on E9-4.

 

[Steve York]

Estes #2093 Broadsword. Essentially this is a Super Big Bertha with a longer 24mm mount to support the first, short-lived and cato-prone, Estes black-powder E motors. An orange cardboard insert was provided for use of the shorter D motors. A different peel-and-stick detail sheet is also provided (and poorly applied in my example, which still flies after many fin repairs and a D engine cato).

 

[Steve York]

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A modern Big Bertha kit modified as follows: Stock nose cone replaced with the payload section (tube and balsa nose block) of an Astron Ranger I had as a kid in the 70s. The original Ranger cone was lost and the Bertha cone had gone to another project, so I used a pointed Estes plastic cone I had on hand. The stock Berta 18mm mount was replaced with a mount for Estes Ds. Launch lugs were also ungraded for 3/16" rods. This was a great flier, and with an adapter, flies well on Bs and Cs for small-field use. Yes, that's an "astronaut," a Lanard Star Corps action figure who often flew as payload. Sadly, after dozens of flawless flights, this one ended up at the top of a 50 foot tree last summer. I plan to build a replacement at some point.

 

[Devontmp]

Here is one of my Big Berthas on a D12-5

 

[NikeRam]

I was just about to say the exact same thing. The Ranger and the Big Bertha are two completely different rockets. One has a cluster of 3 each 18mm motors and a payload section, one is just a big single 18mm rocket. No one should group them together just because similar outward appearances.

NR

I think this thread needs to be broken up into threads specific to the Ranger, Big Bertha, Baby Bertha, Mini-Bertha, Super Big Bertha, etc.

 

[Skp]

Big Bertha built for NARAM 56

 

[ewg1967]

Here is my spin on Big Bertha. I call her "Carded".

 

[qquake2k]

Nice! I like that!

 

[lcorinth]

My Big Bertha was my most successful build to date - I managed to get the fins completely sealed for the first time, and the body tube spiral seams are invisible. This was a real breakthrough for me.

I nearly destroyed it on its first launch today, though. I put an engine that was too weak in it. It ascended 50 feet maximum, then took a ballistic dive back to Earth. The nose popped off at the last moment, chute did not deploy, and the tube drove itself into the ground. Fortunately, I had reinforced the ends of the tube with CA during the build, so when I pulled it out of the ground, it was fine - just a bit muddy.

 

[Rocket86]

That's a great looking Big Bertha, lcorinth.

 

[EXPjawa]

BT80 Bertha & her Baby Bertha sidekick:


Baby Bertha made her launch pad debut yesterday, though Bigger Bertha did not due to rail availability. An A8-3 kept Baby in the camera eye:

 

[EXPjawa]

Just finished my BT80 upscale Astron Ranger. Crappy phone pictures for now, more to come later:

 

[TopRamen]

Just finished my BT80 upscale Astron Ranger. Crappy phone pictures for now, more to come later:
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That came out very nice.

 

[EXPjawa]

BT80 Bertha was flown yesterday at the URRG launch. I launched it on an EconoJet F42-8T single use. This was also the first launch off of my new pad. Due to unfortunate continuity issues, I didn't catch the actual lift off on camera, and only got before and after shots. It drifted closer to a tree than I was comfortable, but recovered fine - no damage. Good flight.

 

[qquake2k]

That's a nice looking Bertha!

 

[EXPjawa]

That's a nice looking Bertha!

Thank you, sir!

 

[EXPjawa]

The Extra Big Bertha broke a fin landing at LDRS, however the Extra Big Ranger made a successful first flight, with 3X C11-5 motors.

I chased the nose section way out into the muck, where it had landed in a puddle. No damage, just dirty. My boots, OTOH, might be written off... I think the nose section could probably use a slightly smaller chute in the future.

 

[nosecone]

 

[nosecone]

 

[nosecone]

 

[Back_at_it]

This was going to be a quick resto job of an old Bertha that was left for dead. Ended up taking a year start to finish. Rocket was done and flown in a couple of weeks but it took me until now to decide on decals. Finally applied the vinyl yesterday.

When I got it the motor mount had been torn out the rear and it had a couple of broken fins. I removed the remaining fins, sanded them and the body tube down, cleaned out the inside of the tube and started reconstruction. I was able to reuse 3 of the 4 fins, the body tube and the nose cone. The main body tube received a full length coupler that stops about 3/4" from the top. A 24mm motor mount was built using heavy wall tubing and plywood rings. Added a 300# Kevlar leader attached to the top of the upper ring and about 10ft of 1/4" elastic was attached. The base of the Bertha nose cone was chopped off and a bulk head was epoxied in with a screw eye.

The rocket was then painted with Krylon Hot Pepper Red and Black. It flew without decals three times on a C11-3, D12-5 and E20-7. Due to the extra weight the C11 makes this a nice small park flier while the D's still put it up around 700ft. We stuck an altimeter in it for the E20 flight and saw 1442 reading but that was at ejection not apogee.

Finally got a chance to paint the last color and do the decals. Painted one fin Krylon Dove Gray and cut my own decals.

First Pic is from the online ad.

Second is mid-way through the resto.

Last two are the finished product.

 

[Space Ranger]

Great job! The color scheme and decal design is excellent. I would like to do a similar color scheme on a Super Big Bertha, but I dont have the experience in doing my own decals, may need see.

 

[Back_at_it]

Great job! The color scheme and decal design is excellent. I would like to do a similar color scheme on a Super Big Bertha, but I dont have the experience in doing my own decals, may need see.

Space Ranger,

II saved the file for these on my Cricut. If you want I could cut you some vinyl to fit the SBB.

 

[Back_at_it]

Built this one a about a year ago but never got around to doing the vinyl until last night. While I prefer vinyl to anything else, I still am not a fan of doing wraps around the tubes. This one has flown naked a couple of times and really works well on 3 of the A3-4T motors.

Starting with a Baby Bertha, I built a 3 motor cluster mount by chopping up the stock paper rings. The base of the nose cone was also cut down and a bulk head inserted with a screw eye. This was done to add a little extra nose weight but I really wanted a bit more room for the laundry.

A 500# Kevlar Leader was added along with 8ft of of 1/8" elastic shock cord. Everything was assembled with TBII and finished with Krylon paints. Due to the limited space inside, I did not add a baffle but I'm considering it now after flying it a couple of times.

Here we see the pile of parts including my hacked together cluster mount.



No in progress pics of this one but here is the finished product.





Finally a pic with its big brother.

 

[Rocket86]

Not Estes, but my 4" Bigger Bertha (AMW) in primer for flight test, and in paint on the salt flats.

 

[Back_at_it]

Back with another Baby Bertha. Built this one specifically to fly out west. Just finished the SIM and it looks like we're looking t 1990 ft on an E30-7.

Love these little rockets. So much you can do with them.

Did a condensed build thread on this one if you're interested. https://www.rocketryforum.com/threads/baby-bertha-d-build.168587/

 

[kuririn]

Scratch Micromaxx Ranger.
3 motor cluster, removable.
Heh.

 

[bjphoenix]

Here is my Ranger, built at least 54 years ago. Back then we only had B motors so it was launched on the B.8 and also the B3 motors. To keep from breaking fins on landing I made a bridle out of fishing line that attached at the root of 2 fins then went up the side of the rocket and down into the booster section. I had it rigged to come down with one parachute for the booster and another parachute for the sustainer. The fins survived better that way but got broken years later in storage. I had built a launch pad specifically for it using a 1/4" x 6' rod that I bought at the hardware store.