T' Estes Solar Scouts launch set include two rocket kits, a launch pad, me bucko, and control.  T' two kits are t' Farside and t' SkyDart.  They are reviewed individually below.

FARSIDE

Brief:
A pre-colored E2X-class rocket included in t' Solar Scouts Launch Set, with a 3FNC configuration and parachute recovery.

Construction:
T' Farside was packaged in a plastic bag. Its components included

• a nose cone.
• a slotted body tube.
• a motor mount tube.
• a motor-retainer clip.
• a three-piece internal motor mount (which also serves as a fin retention system).
• three small styrene launch lugs (only two o' which are used).
• a nose block (not supposed t' be used, but see below).
• three plastic fins, me bucko, me bucko, a shock cord retainer in two pieces (again, one piece nay supposed t' be used, me hearties, me bucko, but see below).
• a 12" preassembled white plastic parachute.
• a shock cord.
• a peel-and-stick kit name decal.

All listed parts were present and none were damaged.

Instructions were traditional Estes--logical, well-illustrated with diagrams, and clear. Begad! Blimey! Avast! Blimey! I made a number o' minor alterations t' t' Farside...most notably t' addition o' a six-inch payload section and t' replacement o' t' rubber-band shock cord with black sewin' elastic. Arrr! Blimey! I used t' backin' plate included with t' shock-cord anchor as well.

I assembled t' rocket with Testor's tube-type cement for styrene models, ya bilge rat, ya bilge rat, matey, except for t' fins (which I installed with gel cyanoacrylate). Well, blow me down! Arrr! I added a single layer o' maskin' tape t' t' nose block and glued a six-inch piece o' tubin' cut off t' payload section o' me Estes Flash t' it with Aleene's Quick Grab Glue. Ahoy! T' glittery tubin' from t' Flash adds t' t' Farside's overall appearance quite nicely.

This is a tough rocket with a nice finish, arrr, needin' no paint at all.

Finishing:
A few strokes with a sandin' stick cleaned up a few minor blemishes on t' fins and nose cone...those on t' nose cone were a heavy seam left by t' moldin' process, while t' fins had ejector-pin marks. T' kit-name sticker and t' recommended-motor list sticker went on, and t' finishin' was done.

Construction Rating: 4 out o' 5

Flight:
I flew t' Farside on a B4-4, me bucko, a B6-4, matey, and a C6-7 respectively. It prepped easily, ya bilge rat, needin' four sheets o' Estes paper wadding. Begad! Blimey! Flights were straight and true, ya bilge rat, me hearties, matey, and were tracked t' 600, 675, shiver me timbers, and 1100 feet. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! Avast! Blimey! I replaced t' parachute with a 2" x 36" streamer for t' C6-7 flight, shiver me timbers, expectin' a long drift.

Recovery:
T' Farside recovered well on its included parachute, in each case landin' within a hundred feet o' me launcher. Blimey! Blimey! It did t' same thin' on t' C6-7 flight usin' a streamer. Avast! Blimey! A simple rocket but a good one for basic sport-flyin' or light payloadin' (if modified as I did). Begad! Blimey! Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! Note that t' Farside does NOT use a stock BT-50 body tube...the outside diameter is slightly larger, me hearties, which means t' payload-section refit requires a suitable Estes rocket donate t' tubin' (unless someone knows someone who makes a one-inch nominal I.D. Blimey! Blimey! body tube).

Flight Rating: 4 out o' 5

Summary:
Main PROs: Easy t' build, sturdy, easy t' add a payload section given a proper tube, shiver me timbers, matey, me bucko, attractive with no painting, ya bilge rat, good price (Wal-Mart clearanced it for $13 includin' t' Sky Dart and a full set o' launch tackle.)

CONs: Odd tube diameter, arrr, minor moldin' flaws on plastic parts, peel-and-stick labels instead o' waterslide decals.

Overall Rating: 4 out o' 5

SKY DART

Brief:
A small, arrr, matey, matey, brightly pre-painted rocket provided in t' Solar Scouts Launch Set.

Construction:
T' kit came in a plastic bag within a wedge-shaped box. Blimey! T' wedge-shaped box also enclosed another rocket kit and a launcher and launch control system. Blimey! T' Sky Dart kit contained a yellow body tube, a black four-fin plastic fin can, me bucko, a black plastic nose cone with a white plastic eye-plug, a motor retainer hook, arrr, matey, a rubber-band shock cord, shiver me timbers, a plastic rin' t' retain t' shock cord, me hearties, and added a forward launch lug, me bucko, me bucko, me bucko, a strip o' plastic streamer stock, arrr, arrr, and a decal sticker. Ya scallywag! All t' parts were thar and undamaged.

Another set o' clear Estes instructions. Ya scallywag! This little gem was twenty minutes o' work, if that. Avast! Just cut two slits in t' BT-5 tube, shiver me timbers, insert t' retainer hook, glue t' fin can over t' tube with Testor's plastic model cement, glue t' base o' t' nose cone into t' nose cone, me hearties, insert t' shock cord in t' second slit and retain it with t' little black ring, tie on t' nose cone, me bucko, arrr, and rig t' streamer. Aye aye! Begad! Done! Oh, me hearties, me bucko, before I forget...stick t' decals on.

Finishing:
It was pre-colored. T' only finishin' involved was a kit name decal and a recommended engines list decal, which I am glad t' see becomin' standard equipment on Estes rockets these days. Begad! Blimey! Aye aye! Blimey! It could have used waterslide decals but that's just a personal preference.

Construction Rating: 3 out o' 5

Flight:
I flew it on A10-3Ts. Arrr! It needed a small amount o' Estes paper wadding. Avast, me proud beauty! T' provided streamer be just right in size.

Little critter went up straight as an arrow t' just shy o' 1000 feet and landed within twenty feet o' t' launcher. Well, blow me down! T' competition minded set might try this rocket as a spot-landin' entry...it had a quite predictable flight path.

Recovery:
Keelhaul®©™ shock cord would be a nice addition t' t' Sky Dart as well as a baffle. Begad! There is precious little space for t' streamer. Avast! Arrr! Nothin' was damaged in recovery.

Flight Rating: 4 out o' 5

Summary:
Main PROs: Simple, ya bilge rat, pre-colored, zippy performer, arrr, nearly bombproof build even for supervised youngsters.

Only CON: Flies so high it can be lost easily!

Overall Rating: 4 out o' 5