Be sure to check out,

http://www.excelsiorrocketry.com/

I have all the versions of the Big Bertha decals available.

Except the current black one. Not a lot of people like that one.

__________________
"I'm a sandman. I've never killed anyone. I terminate runners when their time is up." Logan from "Logan's Run"

http://sandmandecals.com/

Sandman,

I thought Estes did not print a 1965 catalog?
I like the BB decals on that version.
The Ranger is still my favorite color scheme though.

My Mini-Ranger
I call it Marcus after the B5 Ranger charactor.
It it 3/4 the size of a Estes Ranger

Attached Thumbnails

   

I do plan to build all the berthas. The current scheme is the longest running, I will not build the all black scheme, I have never really liked it. It sure is due for a refresh, Hopefully they can re-issue it as a classic with the 85-92 scheme, or at least something more colorful. Ya listening Estes?

I agree. I think it would be cool if they held a contest where customers submit an entirely new scheme. Gets people involved and feeling a "part" of Estes. Customers vote on website. Winner gets 150 bucks worth of Estes product?

The only scheme worth a hoot was the factory 71-84 scheme.
ALL the others are either cartoonish or hideous.

__________________
When in doubt, WHACK the GAS and DITCH the brake !!!

Yes, there is such a thing as NORMAL, if you have to ask what is "NORMAL" , you probably aren't !
Failure may not be an OPTION, but it is ALWAYS a POSSIBILITY.
ALL systems are GO for MAYHEM, CHAOS, and HAVOC !

I agree it needs a refresh, but it has some flexibility. I painted mine yellow, which works well with the black decals. The only caveat is that the decals are not die cut, so maintaining the cutting line was important. A jagged edge of black on black is easily hidden, but not on yellow


Nevertheless, a new scheme is in order.

Doug

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YORF member #11

Nice work !

You can tell what era that one Bertha came from... I totally dislike that 70's font used on that one.

In my opinion that sort of stuff cheapens the art of rocketry, along with garbage like the Death Star rocket (*shudder*). At least some of the other variations make an attempt to present some basic visual look.

I don't care for a rocket that has a gimmick like the "Leprechaun" with a bunch of four-leaf clover decals - at the VERY least someone could have used a tube fin design here! Four tubes? Painted green, you know? That may be gimmicky as well, but at least it follows a growing model rocket design trend and it doesn't leave you with just another blah rocket with a different 'paint job'.

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-Brain
SKY AYE ROCKETRY
Follow Your Impulse!

Great idea! I am partial to the old yellow/black/white schemes. And the all black version is WAY overdue to get retied. No, make that killed off, and buried with little to no fanfare.

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Lee Reep
NAR 55948

Projects: Semroc Saturn 1B, Ken Foss Designs Mini Satellite Interceptor
In the Paint Shop: Nothing! Too cold!
Launch-Ready: Farside-X, Maxi Honest John, Super Scamp

What about something that uses checkerboard banding against a solid color? I seem to remember rockets in the 50s-60s that had some checkerboarding on em...kind of a retro thing i guess.....i admit i like solid clean lines and colors mostly.........thats just me! The Big Bertha to me is an old school, old style rocket with clean, simple lines...kinda like an old DC-3....a beautiful thing all of its own...mixing a high tech paint job with an old school machine just doesnt really work, in most cases to me! Just my 2 cents......