First Big Bertha Launch

[Joel E.]

Just a quick post to say "thank you" for helping me get back into rocketry after 30 years. Several of you (rstaff3, jflis, and wscarvie, among others) have patiently answered my questions and offered many helpful suggestions. My five-year old son and I finished building our first two rockets recently and launched them last Sunday after Church. Jake absolutely loved it and tried to fly his rocket to death. His Baby Bertha went up eight times and our Big Bertha went up five. He has already begun to make plans for what our next build should be. Needless to say, he's hooked. Thanks again and happy holidays!

 

[Larry]

Joel,
Welcome to TRF. Nice looking pair of rockets, and good looking son. This hobby can become very addictive, but its great fun.
Your starting out very well by posting pictures
Larry

 

[TwoWalks]

Joel - I am still working on my first two rockets and hope to be able to post much the same in a few weeks. I know what you mean by the helpfullness of folks here on the forum.

Congratulations on a number of things. Getting your son involved and the time you will be able to spend together. Big Bertha is a beautiful rocket and baby bertha also. Must have been hard seeing baby Bertha on that snow?

Great story and wonderfull picture ... keep it up and many many more successful builds and launches.

Happy Holidays

 

[powderburner]

We are glad to have you with us. That is quite a beautiful shot you posted, and the rockets look good too. It's always great to see a kid with a big smile like that!

If you REALLY want to see people here on TRF barrage you with posts, just ask for recommendations on what to build next. Go ahead, I dare you.

 

[jflis]

Bwhaa haa ha... we gots us 'nother one hooked!

Welcome Joel, and welcome to your son too! You couldn't have picked a finer hobby nor a finer place to discuss it and share it.

as for next kits... if you liked the Big Bertha, check out the Rhino by FlisKits

good luck and keep us posted!
jim

 

[eugenefl]

Originally posted by jflis
Bwhaa haa ha... we gots us 'nother one hooked!
jim

LOL! No kidding!

Your son looks like a rocketry poster-child.

Feel free to ask questions. We're here to help. Even if a certain topic has been talked about before, there are quite a few new rocketeers onboard that would be more than happy to offer their perspectives.

Welcome back to the wonderful world of rocketry! Any plans from here? Do you plan on venturing out into the world of composite (Aerotech) motors? Shoot, if you want something the get the son excited about, fire off an F20! Nah, his wheels are already turning. The future looks brighter already.

 

[Cajunman06]

Heh heh......Great to see another one hooked. Even better to see a youngster hooked.

I am guessing from all those launches that all that white stuff on the ground is remnants of a type of wadding you're using? You know you're supposed to pick that stuff up!!!:

 

[NewEntity1]

Nice choice of first rockets...my own Big Bertha kit is on its way via UPS currently .

I wonder how hard it is to convert the Big Bertha to 24mm? Since I'm just getting back into rocketry myself, I don't have any spare kit parts lying around, so I'll probably build my own Bertha stock for now, and maybe make a modded version later, after I've built a couple more kits.

 

[Larry]

Joel,
The Rhino is a great rocket, and can be build with several different fin shapes. Then of couse you have to have the Deuce's Wild
Larry

 

[rbeckey]

The Bertha converts quite easily to 24mm and flies very well that way. You need a 24mm motor mount, (BT50 about 3 inches long) two 60/50 centering rings and a 50/20 centering ring for an engine block. You can use the motor hook supplied with the kit.
Fliskits has the parts for the mounts.
Nice looking ship and son, by the way. My boys are 6 and 8 and can't wait for the next rocket day. They both have rocket kits on their Christmas lists.

 

[jflis]

Originally posted by rbeckey

Fliskits has the parts for the mounts.

heck, FlisKits has the *mount*... EMK-24-60 (Engine Mount Kit for a 24mm motor in a BT60) $2.25

https://fliskits.com/products/components/engine_mounts.htm

 

[SwingWing]

Welcome! I see your from the Minneapolis area. Be sure to check out the local club MASA. https://www.mn-rocketry.net/masa/index.htm There are no scheduled launches until Late Jan
If you are looking for a sensory overload, go to the Little Canada Hub Hobby store. They have 3 full asiles of rocket stuff! Including the full Fliskits line! The Ritchfield store is no slouch either.
What part of town are you in? I am in the SW burbs.

 

[Leo]

Joel, those rockets look splendid!

My Big Bertha is going to look just like yours.

Have fun!

 

[Fore Check]

Uh oh.....

Another addict in the making.....

QUICK!! RUN FOR YOUR LIFE!!! GET OUT NOW!!!!!!!!!!

Before you know it, you will spend tons of time dreaming up clones and upscales and modifications to existing kits. You'll spend all your time and "fun" money on parts and stuff.....

Wait a minute - what am I saying - that's what I do - it can't be all bad........

WELCOME ABOARD!

Nice rockets!

Gotta get those 24mm D and E's burning. You'll start converting everything to 24mm soon enough...

 

[jflis]

Originally posted by SwingWing

If you are looking for a sensory overload, go to the Little Canada Hub Hobby store. They have 3 full asiles of rocket stuff! Including the full Fliskits line! The Ritchfield store is no slouch either.

Swing, be sure to tell the Ritchfield store about FlisKits. As I understand it, they've been hemin' an' hawin' about whether or not to carry FlisKits products... a couple of customer inquires can't hurt!

 

[n3tjm]

Wow! I really love that Big Bertha. It reminds me of the old Estes Ranger paint scheme .

I used to fly my Big Bertha with a D21-7T motors... last time I did that was in high school (related article) at a pep rally. That is a neck-snapping flight :-D

I have some D24-7T's (requires RMS 18/20 case) reserved for a FlisKits Rhino.... wait a second... I don't have a Rhino....

Welcome to the hobby

 

[SwingWing]

Jim, the Ritchfield store has the complete Fliskits line out now too! They musta had em for a while and not put em out cuz there is several numbered kits on their shelves! They did just remodel the rocket area

 

[Joel E.]

Swingwing,

I live in Maple Grove, MN. Jake and I use the Maple Grove Sr. High School soccer practice fields for launches. Thanks for the information, we may check out the club launch in January. Enjoy the holidays!

Joel E.

 

[NewEntity1]

rbeckey, jflis thanks for the info ...

I think I will go ahead a order that 24 mm mount from Flis. While I'm doing I will order a couple 3/16" launch lugs as well .

 

[jflis]

Originally posted by SwingWing
Jim, the Ritchfield store has the complete Fliskits line out now too! They musta had em for a while and not put em out cuz there is several numbered kits on their shelves! They did just remodel the rocket area

cool *S* the other store has been a retailer for a while and the Ritchfield store had expressed an interest to *them*, not directly to us and I knew they were *testing* a few kits there. Looks like their sharing their order which is very cool.

jim

 

[powderburner]

This is to Joel E.---
You may not want to wait to buy your next rocket, but before you buy 5 or 10 more, you may want to know this: Hobby Lobby puts their rockets on sale (for half price) for a week about once every two or three months. And it has been a month or so already since the last sale. Sometimes they include starter kits, and sometimes they limit the sale to Estes kits. If you can stand to wait, it could be worth it?

 

[rabidsheeep]

just a random note... if u want a really easy d cell rocket to have alittle more fun try big daddy... the hardest part for me was repairing the fin after my friend stepped on it... its got slotted fins too so its really easy and no worries over fin alignment...

 

[sandman]

The Fat Boy is another good "demo" rocket. reliable, flight after flight...until it gets caught on a power line

Then the flying stops!

sandman