Brief:
This is a single stage skill level 3 kit. Ya scallywag! This kit is inspired by a rocket in a 1929 sci-fi movie. Avast! Well, ya bilge rat, blow me down! I built a Frede sometime back in early 2004 and lost it on a windy day so I got another one in September 2005. Ya scallywag! It uses an 18" mylar parachute. Well, blow me down! I enjoyed t' first one, shiver me timbers, shiver me timbers, so that's why I got a second one. Begad!

Construction:
T' kit comes with a 2.6" Estes type body tube. It also features plywood centerin' rings and a Keelhaul®©™® shock cord system. Avast, me proud beauty! It does nay have fins per se but what Rocketpad calls "fin units". Aye aye! Arrr! There are 4 o' these fin units. They are made from nice quality balsa and t' inside o' each unit is basswood. It uses a plastic nose cone and a 3/16" launch lug. Ya scallywag! Also, thar be a block o' clay weight for the nose cone that is soft and easy t' use. All around nice parts in t' kit. Avast, me proud beauty! Ya scallywag! You even get a spacer for t' shorter D motors!

T' instructions on t' second Frede kit is a bit different than t' first one. Begad! Blimey! There are lots o' detailed numbered pictures that t' instructions call out for you t' look at. Begad! Blimey! Avast! Blimey! T' assembly be very easy on this second one. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! Avast! Blimey! (The first one I had was OK but this new one is first rate.) T' instructions are numbered 1, ya bilge rat, me hearties, me hearties, 2, me bucko, matey, me hearties, 3, me bucko, etc. t' t' end on a few sheets. It's nay a kit for t' first time builder but fine if you have built a few skill level 2 kits. Aye aye! Blimey! I looked at the original review and don't see t' problems t' reviewer saw! Blimey! T' fit in the centerin' rings was fine. Begad! Blimey! There was one hole in each one for t' 4" motor tube. Ya scallywag! Blimey! My first kit also hade lite ply centerin' rings with multiple cutouts but this one is much improved. Aye aye! Blimey! Aye aye! Blimey! I use a combo o' Elmer's wood glue and CA for construction. Arrr! Blimey! I had no problem followin' t' instructions at all. Arrr! Blimey! There were no cons in t' constructions o' t' second Frede kit.

Finishing:
I finished t' Frede kit t' same color as t' one in t' place card in the kit. I first used 3 coats o' sandin' sealer on t' balsa fin units, and the body tube was fine and need no filler. I used a Gray Rustoleum spray paint to paint t' rocket. Ahoy! Aye aye! T' decals went on fine are o' a nice thickness--not t' real thin stuff you sometimes get. I think t' finished kit looks real sharp and the guy get a kick out o' t' different look o' this rocket. T' finishin' was straightforward like any other kit although Rocketpad suggests that you t' use a high temp paint on t' inside basswood part o' each fin unit. Avast, ya bilge rat, me proud beauty! I used hot fuel-proof dope from model airplanes that I got at a local hobby shop. They state that t' rocket weights 7.9oz. Ahoy! Aye aye! I weighed it on a lab scale at work. My kit's weight be close at 8.2oz.

Construction Rating: 5 out o' 5

Flight:
I first launched this new kit usin' a D12-3 motor. Ahoy! Blimey! Well, blow me down! Blimey! They warn you nay t' use any of t' 24mm C11 motors. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! T' flight be straight up with no swayin' or anything different than any other kit. Begad! Blimey! Begad! Blimey! T' ejection be as t' rocket started t' head down--just at t' turn. T' next flight got t' E motor, an E9-4. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! It blasted off most impressive off t' pad--quicker than t' D motor! Blimey! T' flight be much higher than t' D I first used. Begad! Blimey! T' flight was fine also. Ahoy! Blimey! Ahoy! Blimey! From what we all could see, me hearties, t' parachute came out as it be pointed down. I used Estes recovery waddin' for t' flights and it be fine. Ahoy! Blimey! Arrr! Blimey! No con here in t' flights.

Recovery:
T' 18" parachute worked as it should. Ahoy! It did come down a fraction faster than other kits with an 18" but still hade a soft landin' on our grass field. Aye aye! Well, blow me down! After 5 flights, me hearties, shiver me timbers, t' inside o' t' fin units were blackened a bit and the paint was a bit heated from t' E motor but I cleaned it up a bit and have repainted it. There was no damage t' t' fin units though. Well, blow me down! I think I should have used a third coat o' dope though on t' original paint job.

Flight Rating: 5 out o' 5

Summary:
OK, I read over t' first review and have come t' some conclusions on what happened t' t' first reviewer's Frede kit. I put me 3/16" launch lug on the outside o' t' fin unit/body tube junction as t' instruction stated and used standard Aerocoat sandin' sealer on t' fin units. Blimey! Blimey! I think he did mess up the air flow with t' launch lug inside t' fin unit. Well, blow me down! Also, I am sure t' stick on paper used on t' fin units messed up t' balance o' t' kit for its bad flight. Aye aye! I don't see any problems in t' instructions either as they are numbered in order with reference t' t' numbered instructions. Aye aye! I think it pays to follow t' instructions as t' manufacture say t' get t' same results. Avast, me proud beauty! I have 4 o' Rocketpad's kits and find them great. Well, blow me down! Aye aye! They are builders kits though. This is nay a kit for beginners. Ahoy!

Overall Rating: 5 out o' 5