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After purchasing and building an Estes Alpha
as my first BAR kit, I returned to the store that same day and purchased
this kit and had it assembled in a short time. One of Estes' most popular kits,
I was always fond of the Big Bertha. Until recently, this one had been
a regular flyer at most of my outings. It has survived a core
sample (nosecone popped, but chute didn't come out), a severe crackback
from the nosecone and a damaging (zipper) recovery from a tree.
In each case, the body tube had to be cut and a new section spliced in. After
its first wreck (core sample), the motor mount was upgraded to 24mm. This was fairly
easy because the original 18mm mount was dislodged by the wreck.
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| Its final flight came in July of 2001 when it took yet another core
sample due to a stuck chute most likely caused by a weak ejection charge.
Although it was repaired yet again - it has four couplers, all in the forward half,
holding it together - so many repairs have been made that it doesn't quite point in
a straight line anymore.
After its last repair, it was retired without a final flight. It resides
on display in my rocket cabinet. |
