Fritz Fend

Fritz Fend (April 14, 1920 – November 22 2000): was an aeronautical engineer. He worked for Messerschmitt and designed the famous Kabinenroller (cabinscooter) KR175 / KR200.

Fend was a technical officer with the Luftwaffe during World War II.

The Rosenheim works

After the war, Fend had a workshop in Rosenheim, Germany. In 1948, he devised an invalid carriage in the form of a tricycle. The front wheel of the tricycle was powered by pushing the handlebars back and forth. Originally designed with bicycle wheels, it was redesigned with scooter wheels in order to make the carriage lower. Fend later made a version that was powered by a Auto cc-cu in|38 Victoria two-stroke engine.Wagner, p.164]

Fend Flitzer

Fend then designed and built the Fend Flitzer, an invalid carriage designed from the start to be powered by an engine. He reversed the layout of his original tricycle, giving the Flitzer two front wheels and one rear wheel. As with usual convention, the front wheels were steered while the rear wheel was powered. About 250 Flitzers were built between 1948 and the end of production in 1951.

Utility vehicles

In addition to the invalid carriages, Fend designed and built the Fend Lastenroller, a three-wheeled forecar moped with a cargo platform or trunk between the front wheels.

Messerschmitt

Many Flitzer buyers were not invalids but healthy people seeking basic personal transportation. This led Fend to design the Fend 150, a larger, two-passenger car based on the concepts of the Flitzer. With mass production in mind, Fend approached Willy Messerschmitt with a proposal for Messerschmitt AG to build a more developed version of the Fend 150.Fritz Fend's Marvelous Micro-cars]

Messerschmitt, needing products to build to keep his factories working, accepted the Fend 150, which was still being developed, and the Lastenroller, which was put into production.

KR175

The development of the Fend 150 led to the production of the Messerschmitt KR175, which began in February 1953. Development continued after production began, resulting in 70 modifications of the design by June 1953.Microcar Museum: 1954 Messerschmitt KR175] However, the KR175's excellent road manners and relative lack of width made it a good city commuter.Wagner, p.167]

KR200

In 1955, Messerschmitt replaced the KR175 with the KR200. Apart from a larger engine, the KR200 had improved suspension (introducing shock absorbers to the design), improved engine mounting, larger tires, improved controls, and a means by which to reverse the car. Reverse was accomplished not by including a reverse gear in the transmission but by reversing the rotation of the engine itself. Wagner, p.168]

KR200 production expanded to three models in 1957 with the introduction of the "Kabrio" convertible and the KR201 Roadster.Wagner, p.169]

Production of the KR200 was heavily reduced in 1962 and ceased in 1964

FMR

In 1956, Messerschmitt was allowed to manufacture aircraft again and lost interest in Fend's microcars. Messerschmitt sold the Regenburg works to Fend, who, with brake and hub supplier Valentin Knott, formed Fahrzeug- und Maschinenbau GmbH, Regensburg (FMR) to continue production of the KR200 and his other vehicles. FMR was allowed to continue using the Messerschmitt name and logo on the KR200. The Fend Lastenroller was developed into the FMR Mokuli,, versions of which were manufactured by FMR until 1972.Achim Lüdecke - Hobby und Beruf - Mokuli - Der Typ 250]

Tg500

Fend developed the four-wheeled, twin-cylinder FMR Tg500 from the platform that had begun with the KR175. The front suspension, monocoque, and bodywork ahead of the rear sub-frame was derived from the KR200, but the rear sub-frame bore a suspension and drivetrain with twice the number of wheels and an engine with twice the number of cylinders and more than twice the displacement. The Tg500 was aimed primarily at sporting enthusiasts and was built from 1958 to 1961.Wagner, p.169-171] About 320 were made.Microcar Museum: 1959 FMR Tg500]

After FMR

Fritz Fend left FMR after they stopped building the KR200.Wagner, p.171] Fend continued his career as a technical designer and an inventor. He invented an alarm that went on if the key was removed from a car ignition while the lights were still on, a feature that became popular after his patent ran out.

Fend's last project

In the 1990s, Fend began working on the F2000, a modern low-weight low-drag vehicle reminiscent of the Kabinenroller. A 4-wheeler prototype vehicle was built, but Fend's sudden death in 2000 ended this project.

Notes

References

*cite journal
quotes = no
last = Wagner
first = Carl
authorlink =
coauthors =
date = Second Quarter 1973
year = 1973
month =
title = "Ist das nicht ein Kabinenroller?" "Ja! das ist ein Kabinenroller!" Carl Wagner takes off on Messerschmitt
journal = Automobile Quarterly
volume = 11
issue = 2
pages = 162–171
publisher = Automobile Quarterly Inc.
location = 40 East 49th Street, New York, NY 10017 USA
issn =
pmid =
pmc =
doi =
bibcode =
oclc =
id = Library of Congress Catalog Card Number 62-4005
url =
language = US English
format =
accessdate =
laysummary =
laysource =
laydate =
quote =
*cite web
url= http://www.promotex.ca/articles/cawthon/2004/2004-03-01_article.html
title= Fritz Fend's Marvelous Micro-cars
accessdate= 2008-08-23
accessdaymonth=
accessmonthday= 23 August
accessyear= 2008
author=
last= Cawthon
first= Bill
authorlink=
coauthors=
date= 2008-03-01
year=
month=
format= HTML
work= http://www.promotex.ca/index.php
publisher= Cadabra Corp.
pages=
language=
doi=
archiveurl=
archivedate=
quote=
*cite web
url= http://www.microcarmuseum.com/tour/messerschmitt-kr175-white.html
title= Bruce Weiner Microcar Museum: 1954 Messerschmitt 175
accessdate= 2008-08-23
accessdaymonth=
accessmonthday= 23 August
accessyear= 2008
author=
last=
first=
authorlink=
coauthors=
date=
year= 2007
month=
format= HTML
work=
publisher= The Bruce Weiner Microcar Museum Inc.
pages=
language=
doi=
archiveurl=
archivedate=
quote=
*cite web
url= http://www.microcarmuseum.com/tour/messerschmitt-tiger-red2.html
title= The Bruce Weiner Microcar Museum - 1959 F. M. R. Tg-500
accessdate= 2008-08-23
accessdaymonth=
accessmonthday=
accessyear=
author=
last=
first=
authorlink=
coauthors=
date=
year= 2007
month=
format=
work=
publisher= The Bruce Weiner Microcar Museum Inc
pages=
language=
doi=
archiveurl=
archivedate=
quote=
*cite web
url= http://www.mokuli.de/mokuli/250.htm
title= Achim Lüdecke - Hobby und Beruf - Mokuli - Vom Lastenroller zu 3 starken Typen - Der Typ 250
accessdate= 2008-08-31
accessdaymonth=
accessmonthday=
accessyear=
author=
last= Bernstein
first= Michael
authorlink=
coauthors=
date= 2003-02-16
year=
month=
format=
work= http://www.mokuli.de/mokuli/index.htm
publisher=
pages=
language= German
doi=
archiveurl=
archivedate=
quote=

External links

* [http://www.mopedmuseum.se/bilar/fritz_runa.htm PyttiPanna Moped Museum] - Obituary notice de icon
* [http://www.mokuli.de/mokuli/index.htm Achim Lüdecke - Hobby und Beruf] (in German)