Opel-RAK

Opel-RAK
Rocket-powered Opel RAK.2, RAK-Motoclub motorbike and RAK.1 aircraft replica
Country of originGermany
Date1928; 96 years ago (1928)
DesignerFritz von Opel, Max Valier, Friedrich Sander, Kurt C. Volkhart, Julius Hatry
ManufacturerOpel
ApplicationFirst demonstration and popularization of rockets as practical means of propulsion for land vehicles, aviation and spaceflight
SuccessorGerman state-sponsored rocket programs, US state-sponsored rocket and space programs
StatusWorld's first rocket program
Rocket Vehicles
Rocket rail vehicle Opel RAK.3 in June 1928 world speed record event near Burgwedel in Northern Germany
Rocket installation. On the right Fritz von Opel, the left Friedrich Wilhelm Sander.

Opel-RAK were a series of rocket vehicles produced by German automobile manufacturer Fritz von Opel,[1][2][3] of the Opel car company, in association with others, including Max Valier, Julius Hatry, and Friedrich Wilhelm Sander.[4][5][6] Opel RAK is generally considered the world's first large-scale rocket program, significantly advancing rocket and aviation technology as well as instrumental in popularizing rockets as means of propulsion. In addition Opel RAK demonstrations were also highly successful as publicity stunts for the Opel car company.[7] The Lippisch Ente (meaning “duck” in German), the world's first rocket-powered glider[8] and piloted for its first flight on June 11, 1928,[9] by Fritz Stamer at Wasserkuppe,[10] was bought and operated by Opel in context of the Opel RAK program but is not formally designated an Opel RAK series number. Also a rocket-powered RAK-Motoclub motorbike, based on a conventional Opel Motoclub 500 SS and presented at the Berlin Motorshow 1928, did not receive a formal RAK number.

  • Opel RAK.1 - a rocket car that achieved 75 km/h (47 mph) in March 1928 and more than 100 km/h in April of the same year[11]
  • Opel RAK.2 - rocket car tested May 23, 1928; reached a speed of 238 km/h (145 mph) driven by 24 solid-fuel rockets[11]
  • Opel RAK.3 - rocket rail vehicle (quoted speed is variously 254 or 290 km/h.[12][13][14][15][7]) On the second run the vehicle jumped the track and was destroyed.
  • Opel RAK.4 - rocket rail vehicle, destroyed when a solid rocket exploded on the track, exploding all the other rockets. Railway authorities prohibited further runs.[15]
  • Opel RAK.1 - rocket plane flown September 30, [1]
RAK.3 rocket train during burn
  1. ^ https://www.airforcemag.com/article/0904rocket/ article by Walter J. Boyne in Air Force Magazine, September 1, 2004
  2. ^ Keith Lovegrove (2004). Railroad. Laurence King Publishing. pp. 59–. ISBN 978-1-85669-407-0.
  3. ^ "Car maker Opel's 1929 publicity stunt to fly world's first rocket-powered aircraft". www.key.aero. 2022-04-20. Retrieved 2024-02-12.
  4. ^ "Das RAK-Protokoll", a 25 minutes documentary on the Opel RAK program https://opel-tv-footage.com/v/The%20RAK%20Protocoll?p=4&c=86&l=1
  5. ^ "Der erste Jet der Welt war ein Segelflieger". blue News (in German). Retrieved 2024-02-10.
  6. ^ Magazine, Smithsonian; Winter, Frank H. "A Century Before Elon Musk, There Was Fritz von Opel". Smithsonian Magazine. Retrieved 2024-02-12.
  7. ^ a b Darling, David. "Opel-RAK". www.daviddarling.info.
  8. ^ "95 years ago: First Human Rocket-Powered Aircraft Flight - NASA". 2023-06-12. Retrieved 2024-02-10.
  9. ^ Amy Shira Teitel (22 October 2015). Breaking the Chains of Gravity: The Story of Spaceflight before NASA. Bloomsbury Publishing. pp. 12–. ISBN 978-1-4729-1119-3.
  10. ^ David Masters (1982). German Jet Genesis. Jane's. ISBN 9780710601865.
  11. ^ a b "OPEL ROCKET VEHICLES".
  12. ^ "Lux's type collection - High Speed Trains - record runs". www.boris-lux.de.
  13. ^ "Historie". August 14, 2007. Archived from the original on August 14, 2007.
  14. ^ "Valier". January 15, 2006. Archived from the original on January 15, 2006.
  15. ^ a b "Opel". www.astronautix.com. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016.