T' Estes Solar Scouts launch set include two rocket kits, arrr, a launch pad, arrr, arrr, 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 be 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, arrr, a shock cord retainer in two pieces (again, shiver me timbers, 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, matey, well-illustrated with diagrams, and clear. 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. Begad! 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). Well, blow me down! 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. Well, blow me down! 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, shiver me timbers, while t' fins had ejector-pin marks. T' kit-name sticker and t' recommended-motor list sticker went on, ya bilge rat, and t' finishin' was done.

Construction Rating: 4 out o' 5

Flight:
I flew t' Farside on a B4-4, ya bilge rat, a B6-4, and a C6-7 respectively. It prepped easily, needin' four sheets o' Estes paper wadding. Avast! Avast! Flights were straight and true, matey, and were tracked t' 600, 675, and 1100 feet. Arrr! I replaced t' parachute with a 2" x 36" streamer for t' C6-7 flight, 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. Ya scallywag! A simple rocket but a good one for basic sport-flyin' or light payloadin' (if modified as I did). Ahoy! Note that t' Farside does NOT use a stock BT-50 body tube...the outside diameter is slightly larger, matey, 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. Avast! body tube).

Flight Rating: 4 out o' 5

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

CONs: Odd tube diameter, shiver me timbers, ya bilge rat, 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, 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, me proud beauty! T' wedge-shaped box also enclosed another rocket kit and a launcher and launch control system. Ya scallywag! Aye aye! T' Sky Dart kit contained a yellow body tube, matey, a black four-fin plastic fin can, a black plastic nose cone with a white plastic eye-plug, matey, a motor retainer hook, a rubber-band shock cord, matey, a plastic rin' t' retain t' shock cord, and added a forward launch lug, me hearties, me bucko, a strip o' plastic streamer stock, me hearties, and a decal sticker. Arrr! All t' parts were thar and undamaged.

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

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

Flight Rating: 4 out o' 5

Summary:
Main PROs: Simple, arrr, pre-colored, 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