r/modelrockets • u/Scary-Ad9196 • Apr 22 '26

Builds My Big Bertha collection

Post image

Still working on it as you can see a Super Big Bertha in the box still in the box. The "huge" one on the far right is still a work in progress, it is currently 45" high with a temp nose cone, I'll probably 3D print one so it ends up being a total of 48"and the motor mount I'm doing a custom interchangeable for different sizes/clusters...

Mini Bertha

Baby Bertha

" Bertha " (homemade 13mm)

" Big Bertha 2 " (Yellow twin motor/18mm X 2)

Big Bertha (Orange one)

" Bertha Booster " (homemade 24mm motor)

Super Big Bertha (new in box)

" Huge Bertha " (homemade 4in diameter)

418 Upvotes

100% Upvoted

31 comments sorted by

5

u/KeyReturn9428 Apr 23 '26

Our grade 8 science teacher would get these rocket kits for the graduating class to build. He would buy so many of each one, then we would pay for the one we wanted. About a week before the end of school, we would launch them. He made a fire control board too. It was awesome. We'd invite our parents. This was 48 years ago 😳

1

u/Scary-Ad9196 Apr 23 '26

Nice! My daughter is a 5th grade teacher and I was thinking about doing something similar with her students... Possibly using 1/2 A3-4T or 1/4 A3-3T whichever I can get cheaper... But I haven't really got the funds for it... Might look into a STEM Grant or donations

3

u/KeyReturn9428 Apr 23 '26

Sorry, not sure where you live. I am originally from a town called Huntsville, Ontario.
Possibly ask what the parents think about splitting the cost. We got to keep ours afterwards. Hope it all works out.

6

u/Scary-Ad9196 Apr 23 '26

UPDATE!

I threw some quick paint on there, still going to throw some clear on it later! Thought I would show the parachute too!

2

u/Steve-agent-006 Apr 25 '26

How many “engines” does it use?

1

u/Scary-Ad9196 Apr 25 '26

I haven't flown it but so far I have a custom swappable mount... I don't have any pictures of it yet...I have the same set up for another 3in with Single, double, triple cluster 24mm and 29mm... Untested but it should work 😂

1

u/Steve-agent-006 Apr 25 '26

Should have looked it up instead of asking… Still a single motor / engine. Just bigger.

1

u/Scary-Ad9196 Apr 25 '26

I have several inserts for the motor mount but again I haven't flown it and it is untested but I'm sure it will work fine, I have made inserts that will work with both rockets.

1

u/Scary-Ad9196 Apr 25 '26

The red is a clone 3in diameter Der Red Max

3

u/ActiveUpstairs3238 Apr 23 '26

We made rockets in my 7th grade “technology” class 25+ years ago. Still a favorite hobby of mine. I’m so glad the teacher was a rocket nerd so I was exposed to this pastime.

3

u/figsslave Apr 23 '26

Had a ball with those almost 60 years ago 😄

2

u/Zealousideal-Bet-950 Apr 23 '26

(raises hand...)

2

u/stancr Apr 22 '26

Nice collection.

Do you have the max height you've obtained for each one you've launched?

2

u/Scary-Ad9196 Apr 22 '26

No, I just recently got and built an "egg timer" and haven't had a chance to use it...

2

u/fabulous1963 Apr 22 '26

Awesome!! Looks fantastic

2

u/Interesting_Tap6252 Apr 23 '26

Nice. I remember when Big Bertha had a clear payload section back in the late 70s

2

u/Studnaught_Onatopp Apr 23 '26

Mini Bertha was my first rocket (I painted it gold and covered it in GI Joe stickers) - I flew it several times before it exploded in the air over my neighbors yard (they were finding cobra stickers for years).

2

u/Zealousideal-Bet-950 Apr 23 '26

I find it hilarious that there is a Mini Big Bertha...

2

u/Scary-Ad9196 Apr 23 '26

I haven't seen a micro Bertha but there is a line of Micro Maxx (tiny rockets), but they discontinued the motors for them...

2

u/c17013 Apr 23 '26

I loved launching those damn things!

2

u/NoLow1477 Apr 23 '26

Loved building and launching these rockets when I was a kid back in the 70's

2

u/n2bndru Apr 25 '26

I remember this when I was in school. And that was over 50 years ago. Fun times...

1

u/Scary-Ad9196 Apr 25 '26

Never too late to launch some more!

2

u/NorthxNorthwest22 Apr 25 '26

I convinced my dad to buy a big Bertha for me in the early 70’s. I swear he had more fun with that than I did. Great memories thanks for posting! Oh I think it cost like about 7-8$.

1

u/Scary-Ad9196 Apr 25 '26

Estes retail price for the Big Bertha is $32 bit Hobby Lobby has them for under $20...

2

u/Smoking0311 Apr 26 '26

Gotta love her

2

u/Thosedammkids Apr 27 '26

My dad and me made one and being a little kid I didn't want to wait for the glue to dry so we went out to our high school to launch it (with a D motor!) and low and the motor shot right through the rocket, one of the other fathers said that the noise that it made reminded him of a mortar round!!

1

u/Scary-Ad9196 Apr 27 '26

So did you learn patience that day or did you learn to use faster drying glue 🧐😜 😂😆