The Bertha Family

[GusGrissom]

Hello Everybody,

I have just purchased all of the Estes Berthas, the baby, the big, and the super. As I like displaying my rockets as well as launching them, I would like a paint scheme that looks fun when they are displayed next to each other.

Does anyone have any fun, but simple suggestions. I was thinking all one color, maybe neon red or orange. I also have three cans of metallic spray paint, bronze, gold and silver. I was also thinking of something along the lines of my New York football Giants, all done in a red body and a blue nose cone.

Has anyone else purchased all 3 Berthas and done something along a similar fun theme?

Thank you all.

 

[DigBaddy]

I say do whatever the heck you like! A common theme between them all is a good idea.

 

[SolarYellow]

Can't have the family without Grandpa Ranger.

 

[GusGrissom]

The Ranger? Can you turn back time to 1971? And if you can, I'll take a Saturn V and a Little Joe II.

 

[SolarYellow]

It's an easy kitbash from a Bertha kit.

 

[Tractionengines]

Boosted Bertha, too...

 

[86mustang408w]

I painted mine like my first SBB as a kid. Yellow and Black. I have 2 Baby Berthas but ones Blue for 18mm, and ones Red for E 24mm. The Super Big Bertha I just made a scratch built tail section for in 29mm, and repaired Big Bertha after it was stepped on and crushed. I have one more Baby to build I'll paint Yellow/Black. Stickershock23 has some Astron Ranger themes that are cool. But for me Yellow/One Black fin, SBB will get painted soon, again.

 

[SolarYellow]

Astron Ranger is simple enough, I like it as a masking/painting project.

 

[GusGrissom]

I painted mine like my first SBB as a kid. Yellow and Black. I have 2 Baby Berthas but ones Blue for 18mm, and ones Red for E 24mm. The Super Big Bertha I just made a scratch bullt tail section for in 29mm, and repaired Big Bertha after it was stepped on and crushed. I have one more Baby to build I'll paint Yellow/Black. Stickershock23 has some Astron Ranger themes that are cool. But for me Yellow/One Black fin, SBB will get painted soon, again.

Wow. Impressive collection.

 

[techrat]

"They're creepy and they're kooky, mysterious and spooky, they're altogether hookie, the Bertha Family.
They're on the launch pads, decorated do-dads, which really look jazzed,
The Bertha Family.
Neat.
Sweet.
Petite
So, flying off the rod-da, the 'chute is just the start-a
recovery can be hardder,
The BERTHA FAMILY (whoosh whoosh)

 

[asm109]

Another vote for the Ranger. Plus the ranger is a 3 18 mm cluster.

https://www.rocketryforum.com/threads/estes-astron-ranger-k-6-or-1206-gallery.19260/

 

[86mustang408w]

Wow. Impressive collection.

Thank you. The Big Bertha is about a 10 year old build too that I stepped on some years back in storage and crushed it completely at the baffle, as well as SBB but I bought it off here that has crash damage. I just cleaned and fixed both up. Its definitely(SBB) from the 90s, and it only came with a D motor hook. I should have used an E hook 10 years ago when I built it but didn't. So recently started a booster section that came out too nice not to just use. So I just made fins and cut out and made the tail section for that in 29mm. I had no clue Estes made a PS II SBB. But I have one more Baby Bertha to build and might make it 29mm...

 

[BEC]

Of course, actually the K-23 Big Bertha is a single-engine descendant of the three-motor-cluster K-6 Ranger, not the other way around….so the Ranger is really the progenitor of all the Bertha variations that have come since, that being since the early 1960s.

@GusGrissom there is (well was) also the 13mm-motored Mini Bertha, which was essentially a BT-20-basked downscale of the original Big Bertha. It’s easy to clone save for finding the correct BNC-20L nose cone. I thing eRockets may still have that one, though.

 

[GusGrissom]

"They're creepy and they're kooky, mysterious and spooky, they're altogether hookie, the Bertha Family.
They're on the launch pads, decorated do-dads, which really look jazzed,
The Bertha Family.
Neat.
Sweet.
Petite
So, flying off the rod-da, the 'chute is just the start-a
recovery can be hardder,
The BERTHA FAMILY (whoosh whoosh)

Very well done. You've got me leaning towards a black and white paint scheme for the family.

 

[Kabulrocks]

Don’t forget the Mini-Bertha! It was one of my best fliers as a kid, until it landed on the gym roof at a school launch.

 

[SolarYellow]

Mini-Bertha details:
https://www.spacemodeling.org/jimz/est0803.htm

 

[Ez2cDave]

 

[Kabulrocks]

This is a nice family portrait: https://stickershock23.com/product/semroc-ranger/

 

[Wally Ferrer]

This is a nice family portrait: https://stickershock23.com/product/semroc-ranger/

Those are mine, thanks!

 

[GusGrissom]

Thank you. The Big Bertha is about a 10 year old build too that I stepped on some years back in storage and crushed it completely at the baffle, as well as SBB but I bought it off here that has crash damage. I just cleaned and fixed both up. Its definitely(SBB) from the 90s, and it only came with a D motor hook. I should have used an E hook 10 years ago when I built it but didn't. So recently started a booster section that came out too nice not to just use. So I just made fins and cut out and made the tail section for that in 29mm. I had no clue Estes made a PS II SBB. But I have one more Baby Bertha to build and might make it 29mm...

This is a nice family portrait: https://stickershock23.com/product/semroc-ranger/

Very nice theme you got going there. This is the kind of idea I had in mind. All 3 rockets with the same paint scheme.

 

[86mustang408w]

Very nice theme you got going there. This is the kind of idea I had in mind. All 3 rockets with the same paint scheme.

Thank you, not sure If mentioned it, but my first Super Big Bertha as a kid at age 8 or 9, atpunf 1991 or so. Was a Yellow/Black SBB. I'm working on 29mm Baby Bertha now...lol

 

[PDawg]

The Bertha rockets are probably my least favorite rockets ever made, but I have a Baby Bertha and a Broadsword (renamed BT-80 Big Bertha) and they are among the best flying rockets I've ever launched.

 

[86mustang408w]

The Bertha rockets are probably my least favorite rockets ever made, but I have a Baby Bertha and a Broadsword (renamed BT-80 Big Bertha) and they are among the best flying rockets I've ever launched.

I myself just have an attachment to Super Big Bertha. As a 9 year old, thats a huge rocket to hold in your hands....So its kind of why I love them. But as you said they are not my most favorite looking rocket, but most of mine have all have serious damage, and they keep going. I love flying them too, some of the best flights come from these.

 

[PhlAsh]

Hello Everybody,

I have just purchased all of the Estes Berthas, the baby, the big, and the super. As I like displaying my rockets as well as launching them, I would like a paint scheme that looks fun when they are displayed next to each other.

Does anyone have any fun, but simple suggestions. I was thinking all one color, maybe neon red or orange. I also have three cans of metallic spray paint, bronze, gold and silver. I was also thinking of something along the lines of my New York football Giants, all done in a red body and a blue nose cone.

Has anyone else purchased all 3 Berthas and done something along a similar fun theme?

Thank you all.

 

[techrat]

The first rocket I built as a BAR was a standard "Big Bertha", as I was familiar with that model since the 1975 Estes Catalog, which is the first catalog I'd ever been able to get my hands on. I flew that at least 6 times before I lost it, but it never failed to fly properly and recover without a bit of damage. I referred to it as "old faithful". So, when the time came for me to build a bigger, better rocket, Super Big Bertha was a natural choice, and again, Bertha has flown many times without damage.

She may not be the slickest looking rocket ever made, but she's tough, reliable, and won't fail you.

 

[GusGrissom]

Wow, very cool.

 

[GusGrissom]

Mini-Bertha details:
https://www.spacemodeling.org/jimz/est0803.htm

Yeah thanks, you guys just keep dangling the carrots.

 

[DaHabes]

Of course, actually the K-23 Big Bertha is a single-engine descendant of the three-motor-cluster K-6 Ranger, not the other way around….so the Ranger is really the progenitor of all the Bertha variations that have come since, that being since the early 1960s.

@GusGrissom there is (well was) also the 13mm-motored Mini Bertha, which was essentially a BT-20-basked downscale of the original Big Bertha. It’s easy to clone save for finding the correct BNC-20L nose cone. I thing eRockets may still have that one, though.

I also did a downscale to fly on MicroMaxx - I call it the Nano Bertha...

 

[GusGrissom]

Yay, the Baby has arrived before her due date. Big and Super are on their way. Still haven't decided on a paint theme for the whole family, but thanks for all the responses. Will post pics of the happy family when all are completed.

 

[GusGrissom]

So all the Berthas are finally done. I decided to go minimalist and hi viz. "What's next Ridley?"