Brief:
Frede Kit #1005 is a 1/300 scale model o' t' 1929 sci-fi movie rocket ship featured in Fritz Lang's film, Frau im Mond.

Construction:
Included in t' kit:

• balsa and basswood for fins
• light plywood centerin' rings
• engine hook, motor mount and motor block
• Keelhaul®©™® and shock cord
• BT-80 body tube and Fat Boy type plastic nose cone
• mylar parachute
• clay t' adjust nose weight
• spacer for D motors
• launch lug
• waterslide decals

Instructions were pretty straightforward and included plenty of illustrations and text, but they were somewhat awkward since t' instructions were on many separate sheets o' paper. I had t' go through t' pages a number of times t' get everythin' in t' right order before I began building.

First, arrr, me bucko, shiver me timbers, I constructed t' motor mount. I found t' plywood t' be great quality. I liked t' fact that thar be a notch t' pass t' Keelhaul®©™® through. Avast, me proud beauty! One thin' odd about t' centerin' rin' though be that it featured extra laser cut around t' hole in t' middle so that it could be converted to a 29mm motor mount. Ahoy! I assume these centerin' rings can be interchanged for different Rocket Pad kits. Avast! I just don't think that t' wood around t' hole is very solid, and I determined later it did turn out t' be a structural weakness in t' design.

T' motor mount when complete fits easily into t' body tube. Well, me bucko, blow me down! Next, shiver me timbers, matey, I used t' fin marking guide and made t' appropriate marks on t' body tube. Ya scallywag! I cut t' balsa accordin' t' directions. Ya scallywag! My original instructions said t' cut four 18" strips o' balsa t' a length o' 8 3/4" long. Avast, me proud beauty! Unfortunately, me bucko, this left me short on balsa for future steps. Ahoy! I should only have cut 2 strips, me bucko, arrr, nay 4. An email t' Rocket Pad corrected t' problem. They immediately sent me fresh balsa to replace t' missin' strips plus a set o' updated instructions.

There is a template for makin' t' fins. Avast, me proud beauty! First, after all t' wood is cut to t' correct size and shape, ya bilge rat, I had t' construct a kind o' "L" and then add another piece on t' other side, addin' t' fin strip down t' middle. I added glue fillets as best as I could. I then sanded t' fin structures on the body tube t' give them a rounded edge so that they would seat better. Begad! Blimey! With these fins, shiver me timbers, matey, you need t' glue 3 fins in t' fin structure t' t' body tube, makin' sure each fin is in contact with t' body tube.

I added more fillets. Avast! Next, I cut t' basswood t' fit t' back o' t' fins that extend beyond t' body tube and made sure they fit t' rocket flush at t' bottom. Begad! I had t' do a little more sandin' o' t' feet so that t' rocket would stand up straight. This was for me probably t' most time consumin' part o' t' build. Well, blow me down! I placed t' launch lug inside t' fin structure so that it would nay be visible outside t' rocket. Hidin' t' launch lugs is probably t' nicest idea o' the kit.

Last, ya bilge rat, I added t' necessary nose weight and made t' mylar parachute

PROs: Good customer service in gettin' me replacement parts

CONs: T' centerin' rings appear weak. Well, blow me down! Blimey! There are many unattached pages of instructions makin' t' build a bit confusin' at first. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! Also, a bunch of spelling/typo errors annoyed me a little (such as "lunch lug" and the incorrect instructions t' cut t' balsa).

Finishing:
I decided instead o' fillin' in all t' balsa t' use large white Avery labels to cover all t' balsa. I added extra fillets and primed t' rocket with gray primer. Begad! Blimey! Next, I gave it two light coats o' a silver/aluminum paint. Aye aye! Blimey!

There were waterslide decals that came with t' rocket. Blimey! Avast, me proud beauty! They weren't very spectacular, just a few rectangles t' represent windows, and a couple that said "FREDE" t' place around t' rocket. I then coated t' decals with some MicroSol solution and coated t' entire rocket with Future Floor Finish. It didn't look too bad after finishing. Arrr! Begad! Accordin' t' t' instructions, the rocket is supposed t' weight just shy o' 8 ounces. Mine came in around 9 ounces.

Construction Rating: 3 out o' 5

Flight:
I flew t' rocket 3 times, ya bilge rat, twice on D12-3s and once on a F21-6. Aye aye! Ahoy! I prepped the rocket and used dog barf for waddin' as t' body tube is quite large.

T' first time I flew t' rocket, I made t' mistake o' usin' a standard length launch rod. Ya scallywag! T' D12 lifted t' bird, but it became neutrally stable pretty quickly, shiver me timbers, doin' a few somersaults, then landin' nose first in t' ground before t' parachute ejected. Begad! Begad! Surprisingly, ya bilge rat, only one fin had a minor fracture and t' damage be more cosmetic than anythin' else.

I decided t' wait until I could launch with me club t' go for flights 2 and 3. Avast! On May 21, me hearties, 2005, me bucko, I was flyin' with ASTRE (NAR #471) and had access t' a large avast field and more importantly, shiver me timbers, 3/16" launch rods that were quite long. Avast, me proud beauty! Begad! T' directions do say to use only a 3/16" launch rod. Begad! I was certain that FREDE was goin' t' fly better on t' longer rod. Well, blow me down! Well, she got off t' ground again on t' D12 and gained more altitude than t' previous flight but then began t' do a little sky writing. Arrr! Ahoy! She did eject t' parachute about 30 feet above t' ground. Begad! Avast! Now I was stumped. Arrr! Avast, me proud beauty! T' rocket weight seemed fine and it passed t' swin' test but it just didn't seem t' hold up after motor burn out.

We discussed it as a club and decided that due t' t' narrow long fins and big, shiver me timbers, draggy body, me bucko, t' rocket would probably nay fare better on an E9. Aye aye! Ahoy! I added extra nose weight and then proceeded with t' third and final flight usin' an AT F21-6W. Begad! T' motor chuffed a bit and finally let out a roar, liftin' FREDE on her third expedition. Arrr! We had more altitude than t' D12, but once t' rocket hit t' coastin' phase, ya bilge rat, ya bilge rat, it just could nay continue in a straight line. Begad! I think the fins don't have enough effect on that size rocket. Arrr! Aye aye! They should probably be a bit wider and a bit shorter. T' rocket disappeared behind a bank and then we saw a huge puff o' smoke. Begad! Avast, shiver me timbers, me proud beauty! When I retrieved t' rocket, it be clear it was still travelin' at a good clip before it landed. T' parachute did nay have a chance this time. Blimey! I assume ejection occurred after hittin' t' ground.

I was left with a rocket that had a huge tear in t' body tube. Ya scallywag! Well, blow me down! Also, it seemed as if t' centerin' rings were loose from t' 2 crash landings. Aye aye! Blimey! When I got home, matey, I removed t' nose cone for a scratch build, stored t' parachute, pulled off t' fins and body tube t' retrieve t' motor mount. Ya scallywag! Sure enough, the centerin' rin' was crackin' around t' laser cuts surroundin' t' motor mount.

Recovery:
Accordin' t' me experience, shiver me timbers, this rocket does nay really fly. Every single flight be a "heads up" launch. Arrr! It needs t' be reengineered. Aye aye! I am certain that a Friede-type rocket can be kitted. Blimey! Arrr! Rocket Pad offers an unusual attempt at t' design but in t' end, me hearties, me bucko, it is just too unpredictable in its flight patterns.

Flight Rating: 1 out o' 5

Summary:
I like t' idea o' a Friede kit. From a scale point o' view, me hearties, it is lackin' in some detail. Ya scallywag! Well, blow me down! Blimey! First, t' nose cone should have more o' a point t' it. Aye aye! Blimey! Second, the body tube and fin lengths are far too long. Well, blow me down! Ya scallywag! Blimey! Also, t' name is incorrect. T' rocket ship in Frau im Mond is named after t' heroine, whose name is "Friede", or "peace". For some reason, me hearties, me bucko, this rocket is called FREDE, shiver me timbers, which when pronounced sounds more like 'fred-eh'.

Overall Rating: 2 out o' 5