Brief:
Frede Kit #1005 is a 1/300 scale model o' t' 1929 sci-fi movie rocket ship featured in Fritz Lang's film, arrr, me bucko, 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, me hearties, 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, I constructed t' motor mount. I found t' plywood t' be great quality. Ya scallywag! I liked t' fact that thar be a notch t' pass t' Keelhaul®©™® through. Ya scallywag! One thin' odd about t' centerin' rin' though was that it featured extra laser cut around t' hole in t' middle so that it could be converted to a 29mm motor mount. Blimey! Arrr! I assume these centerin' rings can be interchanged for different Rocket Pad kits. Avast, me proud beauty! Aye aye! 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. Next, me bucko, arrr, I used t' fin marking guide and made t' appropriate marks on t' body tube. Avast, me bucko, me proud beauty! I cut t' balsa accordin' t' directions. My original instructions said t' cut four 18" strips o' balsa t' a length o' 8 3/4" long. Well, blow me down! Unfortunately, ya bilge rat, this left me short on balsa for future steps. Begad! I should only have cut 2 strips, nay 4. Aye aye! Begad! 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. Well, blow me down! Begad! First, ya bilge rat, after all t' wood is cut to t' correct size and shape, I had t' construct a kind o' "L" and then add another piece on t' other side, me bucko, me bucko, addin' t' fin strip down t' middle. I added glue fillets as best as I could. Blimey! Avast, arrr, me proud beauty! I then sanded t' fin structures on the body tube t' give them a rounded edge so that they would seat better. Ya scallywag! With these fins, 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. Arrr! Ya scallywag! 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. I had t' do a little more sandin' o' t' feet so that t' rocket would stand up straight. Avast, me hearties, me proud beauty! This was for me probably t' most time consumin' part o' t' build. Ya scallywag! I placed t' launch lug inside t' fin structure so that it would nay be visible outside t' rocket. Begad! Hidin' t' launch lugs is probably t' nicest idea o' the kit.

Last, me bucko, 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. Blimey! There are many unattached pages of instructions makin' t' build a bit confusin' at first. Begad! Blimey! Also, me bucko, 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. Avast, me proud beauty! I added extra fillets and primed t' rocket with gray primer. Arrr! Next, I gave it two light coats o' a silver/aluminum paint. Well, blow me down!

There were waterslide decals that came with t' rocket. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! Arrr! Blimey! They weren't very spectacular, shiver me timbers, just a few rectangles t' represent windows, ya bilge rat, and a couple that said "FREDE" t' place around t' rocket. Arrr! Blimey! Aye aye! Blimey! 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. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! Arrr! Blimey! Accordin' t' t' instructions, me hearties, 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, twice on D12-3s and once on a F21-6. Begad! I prepped the rocket and used dog barf for waddin' as t' body tube is quite large.

T' first time I flew t' rocket, me bucko, I made t' mistake o' usin' a standard length launch rod. Avast, me proud beauty! T' D12 lifted t' bird, matey, but it became neutrally stable pretty quickly, arrr, doin' a few somersaults, ya bilge rat, ya bilge rat, shiver me timbers, then landin' nose first in t' ground before t' parachute ejected. Begad! Well, blow me down! Surprisingly, matey, shiver me timbers, 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. Arrr! On May 21, 2005, matey, I was flyin' with ASTRE (NAR #471) and had access t' a large avast field and more importantly, matey, ya bilge rat, 3/16" launch rods that were quite long. T' directions do say to use only a 3/16" launch rod. Begad! I was certain that FREDE be goin' t' fly better on t' longer rod. Well, blow me down! Well, shiver me timbers, 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. Avast! She did eject t' parachute about 30 feet above t' ground. Begad! Now I was stumped. Aye aye! Avast! 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, ya bilge rat, draggy body, t' rocket would probably nay fare better on an E9. Begad! I added extra nose weight and then proceeded with t' third and final flight usin' an AT F21-6W. Well, blow me down! T' motor chuffed a bit and finally let out a roar, liftin' FREDE on her third expedition. Avast, me proud beauty! We had more altitude than t' D12, ya bilge rat, shiver me timbers, but once t' rocket hit t' coastin' phase, it just could nay continue in a straight line. Ahoy! I think the fins don't have enough effect on that size rocket. They should probably be a bit wider and a bit shorter. Begad! T' rocket disappeared behind a bank and then we saw a huge puff o' smoke. When I retrieved t' rocket, ya bilge rat, it was clear it was still travelin' at a good clip before it landed. Blimey! Begad! T' parachute did nay have a chance this time. I assume ejection occurred after hittin' t' ground.

I be left with a rocket that had a huge tear in t' body tube. Begad! Also, it seemed as if t' centerin' rings were loose from t' 2 crash landings. Begad! When I got home, I removed t' nose cone for a scratch build, arrr, ya bilge rat, stored t' parachute, pulled off t' fins and body tube t' retrieve t' motor mount. Begad! Sure enough, shiver me timbers, the centerin' rin' was crackin' around t' laser cuts surroundin' t' motor mount.

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

Flight Rating: 1 out o' 5

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

Overall Rating: 2 out o' 5