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. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! One o' t' first recreations I started back in '98, but that I didn't finish until this summer, me hearties, me hearties, matey, was t' Farside-X. Arrr! Blimey! T' Farside was Estes's first three-stage model. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! Aye aye! Blimey! It came in two versions: T' plain old Farside, with a BT-50 sized payload section, and t' Farside-X, arrr, which had a big BT-60 payload section. 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, three BT-20 motor mount tubes, and a BT-60 payload tube. Arrr! 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. Avast, matey, me proud beauty! I obtained t' balsa reducer and nose cone from Balsa Machinin' Service. Well, blow me down! Arrr! T' cone is a special-order item, ya bilge rat, t' BT-60L. Well, blow me down! Begad! I decided t' use 1/16" basswood fins, for extra strength and ease o' finishing. I used an antique 12" Estes red & yellow parachute in me Farside. Ahoy! Avast, arrr, me proud beauty! T' retro logo fit t' project. T' shock cord was a 36" length o' 1/8" sewin' elastic. Ahoy! 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, ya bilge rat, but besides thar bein' a lot o' everythin' (nine fins, arrr, three motor mounts, me bucko, etc.) thar are some hidden complexities that make it a bit o' a challenge t' build. It has canted fins, causin' t' model t' spin in flight, thus addin' a bit o' stability. T' motor mount design must be followed exactly t' allow t' three motors t' butt together. Blimey! I found t' Farside plans were fairly clear and easy t' follow, me hearties, but might be a bit "dense" for younger modelers used t' E2X construction and die-cut fins. Aye aye! Well, blow me down! As with all recreation projects, buildin' t' Farside required a lot o' hand-cuttin' body tubes and fins. Begad! 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. Like a lot o' older kits, arrr, me bucko, t' motor mount used thin centerin' rings glued on t' ends o' a length o' tube coupler. Since t' thin-stock TA-2050 centerin' rings were nay available, arrr, 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. Ahoy! I mistakenly glued t' launch lug and standoff t' t' third stage rather than t' second stage. Arrr! 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, ya bilge rat, me hearties, but I liked me compromise: Yellow overall, with a black fin on each stage, arrr, a red nose cone, matey, and a white payload section with black trim tape. Ahoy! Arrr! I purchased a recreation decal from JimZ. Aye aye! I like t' give me recreated kits "catalog perfect" finishes. Ahoy! Because t' Farside has so many fins this means a LOT o' fillin' and sanding. Avast! Begad! In fact, ya bilge rat, thar was 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. Aye aye! 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, ya bilge rat, includin' many, ya bilge rat, such as t' A8-0 and 1/2A6-0, that simply aren't around any more. Arrr! Fortunately, me hearties, shiver me timbers, it will fly on t' available booster and sustainer motors. Begad! Blimey! I've flown t' Farside-X once, shiver me timbers, usin' a bunch o' vintage motors: A B14-0 in t' first stage, a 1/2A6-0 in t' second stage, ya bilge rat, and a A8-5 in t' upper stage. Begad! 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. Aye aye! Blimey! T' motors are taped together with cellophane tape, and t' t' end o' each stage's motor mount with maskin' tape. This isn't easy! Per t' instructions, ya bilge rat, I inserted a 2 oz. Well, blow me down! Arrr! payload -- some cubes o' modellin' clay -- into t' Farside's payload section prior t' flight. Blimey! I must have done things right, because t' Farside-X flew perfectly! T' first two stages burned smartly and got t' model up t' speed. Ahoy! Stagin' be smooth, and didn't result in any course changes. Ya scallywag! By t' time t' A8-5 burned out, me hearties, ya bilge rat, t' top stage was REALLY moving. T' spin-fins did their thin' too; it was plain that t' model be spinnin' like a top. Avast, me proud beauty! I was very pleased and surprised by t' model's performance on this combination o' motors. Well, blow me down! 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, and t' parachute deployed nicely. Aye aye! 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. Aye aye! It looks great and t' one flight t' date was a real thrill.

Overall Rating: 4 out o' 5