Estes Big Bertha Model Rocket - Quick Build & Launch on B & C Motors

We built and launched the Estes classic Big Bertha - I had this rocket when I was 10 years old but it did not last long :(
We used the B6-4 Motor for the first launch and the C6-5 for the second launch. The build took about one day but was worth the wait. We hope to strap a camera on to Big Bertha to get a cool launch video in the future.
You can find Big Bertha on Amazon.com selling for $19.99 and at 24" tall she is a beauty and super fun rocket to launch with the family!!
Please subscribe to our channel if you want to see more videos.

[@rufuspipemos]

I use to launch this in the mid-1970s with my dad. When I see this I think of him.

[@schwinn434]

I had this rocket when I was about 10 years old as well; thanks for bringing back this childhood memory.

[@jerryblack3483]

I built and launched many a Estes Rocket back in the 60s including Big Bertha and a Saturn Five. Many a grasshopper and tiny frogs became astronauts. Hahaha those were the days.

[@chriskoop4888]

Same here Jerry Black. I used to build my own back in the 60's and had a lot of fun.

[@randomamerican3287]

Chris Koop Do you recommend I buy an Estes rocket or build my own as my first rocket?

[@stratcat3216]

lol ditto

[@ckobo84]

If you are unable to retrieve your rocket🚀 the frog becomes a tree🌳 frog.

[@MartyInLa]

Cool! I remember having Estes catalogs when I was a kid and drooling over them, but my parents never bought me one. I had a couple of cousins who got a bunch of them, and I was jealous, never even got to see them launch one. I remember Big Bertha in the catalog, that must have been way back in the early 70's!

[@erickrosin97]

My dad bought big Bertha for my brother and I in 1989. My brother still has that cool ol rocket.

[@raytribble8075]

I build a Big Bertha forever ago when I was 10. At 55 or five years ago I bought another Big Bertha kit and put her together. The funny part is, I painted her the same as the one in this video. I was getting my grandson into model rockets like I was when I was a kid. We have build and flown all the way up to F engine class rockets now... but, Big Bertha started it all. Thank you for the video... what a great hobby!

[@redskinjim]

No rockets here in California but crank and fentanyl are ok

[@raytribble8075]

That is sad but I am sure true.

[@timcarm]

I built a Big Bertha from balsa 50 yrs ago! Great to see you are getting your kids involved! Thats what its all about!!!!

[@elmoreglidingclub3030]

Great fun, huh?! I had Big Bertha back in the 1960s. It was my favorite-especially on a C6-5. Great times! I remember in 8th grade math, when we were being introduced to quadratic equations, trying to figure out altitudes and flight times, only to be confounded by the delay charge and parachute drag. I guess our parents’ underlying hope for model rocketry (“Learn some math!”) was realized....

[@capnhardway]

I made a super big Bertha with a D engine first stage. That baby was up up and away, found the first stage, never the second, quite disappointing..

[@elmoreglidingclub3030]

@@capnhardway Sounds fun!

[@odom2142]

Nice

[@JB-jn9kb]

Schools around where I live won't let you shoot model rockets off, I have no place to shoot them, parks won't let me, literally, no place allows people to shoot rockets off and the model rocket clubs, not one near me for over 100 miles. I miss launching these!

[@randymanx2674]

cool video, rockets are great and help make the kids tired, lol. I saw the $19.99 price and was like holy cow, this thing sold for like $6 back in 1973. Thanks for sharing.

[@stratcat3216]

Very cool. fwiw you can almost double the height by shaping the fins and seal/sand (repeat multiple times) to a gloss finish. Loved your kid and dog going after the rocket :)

[@capnhardway]

I always do that, probably why I lose some lol

[@stratcat3216]

@@capnhardway haha same here :) but it's glorious lol

[@capnhardway]

@@stratcat3216 need more recent videos. I've been discouraged unable to infect anyone else with the excitement. Just found a launch area nearby I may have to give it another try. Going to try to find some old videos, post to get back in the mood. Thank you, keep posting! 😎

[@brentdoolin4791]

I had a Big Bertha (among several other rockets my brother and I owned) that came down wrong 50 years ago. The nose cone and fins where damaged but was salvaged and a paper towel dowel replaced the body. We always used C6-5's and had a crowd of neighborhood kids chasing down our rockets. Wind or no wind.

[@capnhardway]

I made a Super big Bertha of my own design with a D engine first stage and a C6 5 second stage.. after the second stage lit.. never seen again lol, scoured the field for Days.. very sad, now I'm putting the d first stage from that endeavor on the baby Bertha with a c 6 5, maybe I should get an A engine 😂

[@gblan]

I like the voice command retrieval system.

[@jacksonbrucea]

That was my first model rocket about 50 years ago. I had a lot of good times shooting Estes and Centuri rockets off with my older brothers.

[@josepholexa565]

I have the Quest Aerospace version of this called "Big Betty." Although it looks identical, the tube diameter is about 1mm smaller and it uses three fins instead of the four fins the Estes kit uses. I love flying it and it always gets flown at the club rocket launch.

[@philmccrevis4493]

Built the Big Bertha 50 years ago. Huge adventure, many amazing flights until we flew in too much wind. Lost 'er forever. LOL

[@takashitamagawa5881]

Indeed. I and my friend flew rockets together in 6th grade. I think Big Bertha was his favorite. It had a number of successful flights on B engines. Then the first time he tried a C6-5 it weathercocked and was lost. It was a breezy day, not one to fly an Estes rocket with a C6-5.

[@SO-kh4le]

Nice great for kid's

[@rocketsbyodin5499]

Fantastic! Great video!!!

[@GREGGXYZ]

When I bought the Big Bertha, the rocket had a balsa wood nose cone. How times have changed.

[@handywithshovels]

Great rocket. Super performer.

[@blaster-zy7xx]

Just a bit of a note for people who are starting out building rockets, glue doesn't stick to paint! So if you paint the parts then assemble, you HAVE to sand off the paint where the glue is applied. I recommend building, THEN painting.

[@josepholexa565]

That's what I do, I build then paint. In this case I would glue the fins on, then put in the fillets for the fins, then seal the balsa fins, sand them and then paint the whole rocket yellow, then mask off two fins and paint the last two fins black. That's my normal procedure, but everyone is probably going to build a little different.

[@ckobo84]

I didn't see the fins falling off? So your theory is DEBUNKED!

[@ckobo84]

He said the engine mount blew out of it, and he painted the engine mount. So your theory is verified 👍

[@blaster-zy7xx]

@@ckobo84 I've built many rockets, radio controlled airplanes and build models for a living. Elmer's glue (most common for paper and wood rockets) does not stick well to smooth, spray painted surfaces. That is just a beginners mistake. He may have known this and scraped off the paint when he put it together and didn't include that in the video.

[@ckobo84]

He said the "the ENGINE MOUNT BLEW OUT". Obviously painting it was a mistake and he didn't scraped it off.

[@josephpiazza97]

I love Big Berta on the C6-3 or C6-5.

[@nellayema2455]

I have one. I enjoy launching it. It does "weather vane", so it is best flown in no to very low wind conditions for max flight altitude.

[@brittlanders351]

Good times

[@shadowdeslaar]

I have the exact same Rake. Needless to say. That Rake is indestructible and will Rake anything from Leaves to Branches to Gravel to Trash

[@xjunkxyrdxdog89]

Can it rake water?

[@shadowdeslaar]

@@xjunkxyrdxdog89 yes. I put enchantments on it to Rake lakes

[@roypiper581]

I had this in 1972. =)

[@yslavov]

thanks for sharing this video. I was wondering what was the glue you guys used

[@ToysByTeamAwesome]

I use plastic cement for the wood fins and will use locktite super glue for plastic fins

[@ckobo84]

Plastic cement for wood fins? By that logic you should use wood glue for plastic parts👌

[@billypoe3703]

You should have painted the parachute. Maybe even painted the igniters?

[@KristyMcClellan]

He painted everything else, right? SMH LOL

[@ckobo84]

Had to paint the engine mount just in case Bertha had to go in for a gynecological exam 😂

[@misterfunnybones]

I don't know the rocket or the engine, but we blew one of these things off in the park in 1980 & it flew sideways & hit a kid in the head after blowing off the nosecone parachute; we were like "wtf, did that just happen?" It knocked him over & he was ok, but he probably still has a minor dent in his skull to this day.

[@ToysByTeamAwesome]

Whoa - the 80’s were great times for us kids - glad he was ok - thanks for watching!

[@mrmoncherz2574]

C motor is bigger? Been a few years

[@lilcr1s118]

I currently have one but need a video on how to assemble it. Anyone know where I can find one?

[@petersimonson9145]

My Bertha was put to the test. A C with the longest ignition charge. C 7 ? She opened so close to ground yet survived.

[@thefuppits]

They still make Big Bertha, and not already pre-made? Am surprised! Last time we went for some new rockets, there were only a couple preassembled rockets available, lame small ones, single stagers, not even parachute return. Yes, aware that BB is single stage, at least it's bigger and does the parachute. The more recent owners of Estes suck. Nothing like launching the Enterprise and Klingon Estes models in the 70's.

[@capnhardway]

Why so many years ago? Not doing anything now?

[@gcord21]

My brothers friend launched this Russian looking rocket with a D size engine, unfortunately it went over the freeway and we lost it. I can't believe my friend and I ran across the freeway to look for the rocket, haha.

[@redskinjim]

Mine had had a D motor

[@ToysByTeamAwesome]

Nice! I bet that flew nice and high!

[@mikenwr]

You didn’t show how to put it together

[@LivingThing2004]

Mike Montague it’s on the instructions... not only that but pretty self explanatory

[@omega_1149]

use an aerotech D21-7 motor

[@redskinjim]

mine was a D12-3

[@richardk.lipscomb7877]

LOL