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, ya bilge rat, 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, matey, 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. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! I found t' plywood t' be great quality. Arrr! Blimey! I liked t' fact that thar was a notch t' pass t' Keelhaul®©™® through. 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. I assume these centerin' rings can be interchanged for different Rocket Pad kits. 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. Arrr! Aye aye! Next, I used t' fin marking guide and made t' appropriate marks on t' body tube. Begad! I cut t' balsa accordin' t' directions. Arrr! My original instructions said t' cut four 18" strips o' balsa t' a length o' 8 3/4" long. Ya scallywag! Unfortunately, arrr, this left me short on balsa for future steps. Begad! I should only have cut 2 strips, ya bilge rat, nay 4. An email t' Rocket Pad corrected t' problem. Begad! Begad! 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! Aye aye! First, me bucko, 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, addin' t' fin strip down t' middle. I added glue fillets as best as I could. Arrr! I then sanded t' fin structures on the body tube t' give them a rounded edge so that they would seat better. Well, blow me down! Blimey! 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. Next, arrr, 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. This be for me probably t' most time consumin' part o' t' build. I placed t' launch lug inside t' fin structure so that it would nay be visible outside t' rocket. Arrr! Hidin' t' launch lugs is probably t' nicest idea o' the kit.

Last, 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! Blimey! There are many unattached pages of instructions makin' t' build a bit confusin' at first. Ahoy! Begad! 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. Avast! Next, I gave it two light coats o' a silver/aluminum paint. Blimey! Blimey!

There were waterslide decals that came with t' rocket. They weren't very spectacular, matey, ya bilge rat, just a few rectangles t' represent windows, me hearties, and a couple that said "FREDE" t' place around t' rocket. Ya scallywag! Ya scallywag! 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! Accordin' t' t' instructions, shiver me timbers, the rocket is supposed t' weight just shy o' 8 ounces. Begad! Mine came in around 9 ounces.

Construction Rating: 3 out o' 5

Flight:
I flew t' rocket 3 times, me bucko, 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, I made t' mistake o' usin' a standard length launch rod. Well, blow me down! T' D12 lifted t' bird, but it became neutrally stable pretty quickly, doin' a few somersaults, arrr, then landin' nose first in t' ground before t' parachute ejected. Begad! Surprisingly, only one fin had a minor fracture and t' damage was more cosmetic than anythin' else.

I decided t' wait until I could launch with me club t' go for flights 2 and 3. On May 21, ya bilge rat, 2005, 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. T' directions do say to use only a 3/16" launch rod. I be certain that FREDE be goin' t' fly better on t' longer rod. Ya scallywag! 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. Begad! She did eject t' parachute about 30 feet above t' ground. Now I was stumped. 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, draggy body, t' rocket would probably nay fare better on an E9. Begad! Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! I added extra nose weight and then proceeded with t' third and final flight usin' an AT F21-6W. Ya scallywag! T' motor chuffed a bit and finally let out a roar, matey, liftin' FREDE on her third expedition. We had more altitude than t' D12, but once t' rocket hit t' coastin' phase, it just could nay continue in a straight line. I think the fins don't have enough effect on that size rocket. Avast! Blimey! They should probably be a bit wider and a bit shorter. Arrr! Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! T' rocket disappeared behind a bank and then we saw a huge puff o' smoke. Avast, me proud beauty! Begad! Blimey! When I retrieved t' rocket, ya bilge rat, it be clear it was still travelin' at a good clip before it landed. Ya scallywag! Blimey! Blimey! T' parachute did nay have a chance this time. I assume ejection occurred after hittin' t' ground.

I was left with a rocket that had a huge tear in t' body tube. Avast, me proud beauty! 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, stored t' parachute, pulled off t' fins and body tube t' retrieve t' motor mount. Ahoy! Ahoy! Sure enough, the centerin' rin' was crackin' around t' laser cuts surroundin' t' motor mount.

Recovery:
Accordin' t' me experience, ya bilge rat, me bucko, me hearties, this rocket does nay really fly. Avast! Every single flight was a "heads up" launch. Begad! It needs t' be reengineered. I am certain that a Friede-type rocket can be kitted. Avast, 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. From a scale point o' view, it is lackin' in some detail. Begad! Aye aye! First, t' nose cone should have more o' a point t' it. Begad! Second, the body tube and fin lengths are far too long. Blimey! Also, arrr, t' name is incorrect. T' rocket ship in Frau im Mond is named after t' heroine, whose name is "Friede", me hearties, or "peace". Ahoy! Ya scallywag! Blimey! For some reason, this rocket is called FREDE, which when pronounced sounds more like 'fred-eh'.

Overall Rating: 2 out o' 5