Estes Astron Farside

[kkooch]

So.......my second rocket I built way back when. And I am building another for nostalgia reasons! BMS parts. Love BMS!

Looking at this now, it just looks like a short stubby model with large fins when fully stacked. My "stability" eyeball says this will weather cock in even the lightest of winds. I know this is an issue with this model. I am thinking I will extend the upper section for flying perhaps. Maybe a CommancheFarside endeavor.

Anybody fly an Astron Farside in moderate winds, even with fin canting and not have issues with weather cocking?

Thank you,

Kevin Kuczek

 

[Tramper Al]

Don't just lengthen it, but also consider using a larger diameter payload tube that can carry a little weight. That would look cool anyway. Call it the Farside-X or something like that.

 

[Rex R]

go with a 24mm motor mount in your 1st stage. C6's just don't have enough 'omph' to get a full stack moving.
Rex

 

[MarcoPolo]

My dad and I flew a Farside-X in the early 70's. On about the third flight, it went up, and the third stage just kept going, never to be seen again! WAY cool bird. I want to build one to honor Dad's craftsmanship. He's 87 now and remembers our rocket days, some days. Thanks for taking me back in time!!

 

[Micromeister]

I loved the Farside and Farside-X which had an oversize Payload section. I flew the heck out of my Farside in the early 70's. I even added a 4th stage just for fun. Which sent the sustainer far out of sight and lost forever.
Never had much of a problem with weathercocking in "Normal" flying conditions 5-15mph surface winds. I do believe the upper stage always flew into the wind a bit as we could usually see the smoke trail bending in the direction the upper winds were blowing.
According to my flight logs; I had to replece the second stage booster 3 times and lost the sustainer on the 16th flight after adding the forth stage.
Sorry but these OLD black & white polaroid photos are all I have from back then. The Farside is a really fun model as long as you don't mind taking long walks for recovery.

 

[NAR29996]

B14's were the motors to use in the booster stages, IIRC.