I have all versions here NOS. The antennas are the same electrically. The 3 piece was, as noted here, to ship in the under 8' oversize category.
I have an old unused 8' bottom section, that was DOA. There is a tiny LC network at the feedpoint, that is crimped onto the wire radiator. The silver mica cap was crimped and broken during the manufacturing process and then sealed into the antenna. I had to dissect and destroy it to figure out why it didn't work.
There is no way a Big Stick will handle much power, but it is durable.