T' Estes Solar Scouts launch set include two rocket kits, a launch pad, 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, shiver me timbers, ya bilge rat, me hearties, 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, a shock cord retainer in two pieces (again, me hearties, one piece nay supposed t' be used, 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. 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. Ahoy! 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, except for t' fins (which I installed with gel cyanoacrylate). 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. Avast, me proud beauty! 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, matey, me hearties, while t' fins had ejector-pin marks. Begad! Well, blow me down! T' kit-name sticker and t' recommended-motor list sticker went on, shiver me timbers, ya bilge rat, and t' finishin' was done.

Construction Rating: 4 out o' 5

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

Recovery:
T' Farside recovered well on its included parachute, in each case landin' within a hundred feet o' me launcher. Begad! It did t' same thin' on t' C6-7 flight usin' a streamer. A simple rocket but a good one for basic sport-flyin' or light payloadin' (if modified as I did). Begad! Note that t' Farside does NOT use a stock BT-50 body tube...the outside diameter is slightly larger, 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. body tube).

Flight Rating: 4 out o' 5

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

CONs: Odd tube diameter, me hearties, 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, shiver me timbers, shiver me timbers, 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. Avast! Blimey! Arrr! Blimey! T' wedge-shaped box also enclosed another rocket kit and a launcher and launch control system. Ahoy! Blimey! T' Sky Dart kit contained a yellow body tube, ya bilge rat, a black four-fin plastic fin can, shiver me timbers, a black plastic nose cone with a white plastic eye-plug, arrr, ya bilge rat, a motor retainer hook, arrr, a rubber-band shock cord, a plastic rin' t' retain t' shock cord, shiver me timbers, and added a forward launch lug, ya bilge rat, matey, a strip o' plastic streamer stock, and a decal sticker. 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. Just cut two slits in t' BT-5 tube, me bucko, insert t' retainer hook, glue t' fin can over t' tube with Testor's plastic model cement, me bucko, matey, glue t' base o' t' nose cone into t' nose cone, ya bilge rat, insert t' shock cord in t' second slit and retain it with t' little black ring, tie on t' nose cone, me bucko, ya bilge rat, and rig t' streamer. Aye aye! Well, blow me down! Done! Oh, before I forget...stick t' decals on.

Finishing:
It was pre-colored. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! 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. 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. Ahoy! Ahoy! Blimey! It needed a small amount o' Estes paper wadding. Blimey! Blimey! 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. Ahoy! 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. Well, me hearties, blow me down! There is precious little space for t' streamer. Ahoy! Begad! Nothin' was damaged in recovery.

Flight Rating: 4 out o' 5

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

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

Overall Rating: 4 out o' 5