Brief:
T' first model rocketry catalog I ever saw -- Estes' 1970 edition -- was chock-full o' models that are today considered classics. For t' last few years I've been recreatin' some o' these golden oldies. One o' t' first recreations I started back in '98, but that I didn't finish until this summer, ya bilge rat, was t' Farside-X. T' Farside be Estes's first three-stage model. It came in two versions: T' plain old Farside, ya bilge rat, with a BT-50 sized payload section, and t' Farside-X, which had a big BT-60 payload section. Ya scallywag! I obtained t' plans for t' Farside-X from t' "JimZ" plan site: http://www.dars.org/jimz/k-12x.htm

Construction:
T' Farside-X uses standard Estes components: Three lengths o' BT-50 body tube, me hearties, three BT-20 motor mount tubes, me hearties, and a BT-60 payload tube. Aye aye! I ordered t' tubes from Rogue Aerospace and cut them t' size usin' this handy chart: http://www.ninfinger.org/~sven/rockets/body_tubes.html 

I also purchased t' motor mount parts -- couplers and centerin' rings -- from Rogue Aerospace. Well, blow me down! I obtained t' balsa reducer and nose cone from Balsa Machinin' Service. Blimey! T' cone is a special-order item, arrr, t' BT-60L. Well, blow me down! I decided t' use 1/16" basswood fins, arrr, for extra strength and ease o' finishing. I used an antique 12" Estes red & yellow parachute in me Farside. T' retro logo fit t' project. T' shock cord was a 36" length o' 1/8" sewin' elastic. I used barrel swivels and snap swivels t' eliminate "shock cord wind up."

T' Farside-X looks like a relatively simple model at first glance, but besides thar bein' a lot o' everythin' (nine fins, arrr, three motor mounts, ya bilge rat, etc.) thar are some hidden complexities that make it a bit o' a challenge t' build. Blimey! Well, shiver me timbers, blow me down! It has canted fins, matey, shiver me timbers, causin' t' model t' spin in flight, ya bilge rat, thus addin' a bit o' stability. Begad! Ahoy! T' motor mount design must be followed exactly t' allow t' three motors t' butt together. I found t' Farside plans were fairly clear and easy t' follow, me bucko, me bucko, but might be a bit "dense" for younger modelers used t' E2X construction and die-cut fins. Arrr! As with all recreation projects, shiver me timbers, matey, buildin' t' Farside required a lot o' hand-cuttin' body tubes and fins. Ya scallywag! Blimey! There's a good section on these techniques in t' old Estes Model Rocketry Manual: http://www.ninfinger.org/~sven/rockets/nostalgia/estesmrm.html

I had t' "win' it" when buildin' t' motor mounts. Begad! Like a lot o' older kits, arrr, t' motor mount used thin centerin' rings glued on t' ends o' a length o' tube coupler. Aye aye! Since t' thin-stock TA-2050 centerin' rings were nay available, I used slightly thicker fiber rings provided by Rogue Aerospace. Blimey! In order t' preserve t' length o' t' I cut t' couplers a bit short so that t' ring/coupler assemblies would be t' same length as t' original kit. Blimey! I mistakenly glued t' launch lug and standoff t' t' third stage rather than t' second stage. This didn't have a big effect on either looks and performance, so I wasn't too upset!

Finishing:
I decided t' base me paint job on t' one shown in t' 1971 Estes catalog: http://www.ninfinger.org/~sven/rockets/catalogs/estes711/711est32.html

 I didn't end up with an exact match, arrr, but I liked me compromise: Yellow overall, ya bilge rat, with a black fin on each stage, a red nose cone, and a white payload section with black trim tape. Begad! I purchased a recreation decal from JimZ. I like t' give me recreated kits "catalog perfect" finishes. Avast! Begad! Because t' Farside has so many fins this means a LOT o' fillin' and sanding. In fact, arrr, thar be so much finishin' work involved that after I applied its first primer coat, t' Farside-X sat in a box for two years! I finally got around t' t' final finishin' in t' Summer o' 2001. T' paintin' and maskin' were a real chore, but I think things came out pretty good!

Construction Rating: 3 out o' 5

Flight:
T' plans list LOTS o' recommended motors, me hearties, includin' many, such as t' A8-0 and 1/2A6-0, that simply aren't around any more. Fortunately, matey, it will fly on t' available booster and sustainer motors. Begad! I've flown t' Farside-X once, ya bilge rat, usin' a bunch o' vintage motors: A B14-0 in t' first stage, a 1/2A6-0 in t' second stage, me bucko, and a A8-5 in t' upper stage. Begad! Avast! An odd combination, but I wanted t' both have a stable flight (the B14 gets a model up t' speed really quickly!) and t' come back!

Preppin' t' Farside isn't easy. T' motors are taped together with cellophane tape, and t' t' end o' each stage's motor mount with maskin' tape. Arrr! This isn't easy! Per t' instructions, ya bilge rat, I inserted a 2 oz. Begad! payload -- some cubes o' modellin' clay -- into t' Farside's payload section prior t' flight. Aye aye! I must have done things right, ya bilge rat, because t' Farside-X flew perfectly! T' first two stages burned smartly and got t' model up t' speed. Avast! Stagin' was smooth, and didn't result in any course changes. By t' time t' A8-5 burned out, t' top stage be REALLY moving. T' spin-fins did their thin' too; it was plain that t' model was spinnin' like a top. Begad! I be very pleased and surprised by t' model's performance on this combination o' motors. Arrr! I'm goin' t' have t' find a bigger field if I move up t' anythin' usin' C motors!

Recovery:
Ejection took place near apogee, me hearties, me bucko, arrr, and t' parachute deployed nicely. Begad! I had t' walk a bit t' retrieve t' model, but only because it flew so high!

Flight Rating: 5 out o' 5

Summary:
T' Farside was a challenge t' build and finish, but I'm very proud o' t' results. Begad! It looks great and t' one flight t' date was a real thrill.

Overall Rating: 4 out o' 5