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Topic starter
05/10/2023 3:36 pm
In 1928, Fritz von Opel unveiled his second generation Racketwagen, the RAK 2, at the Berlin Avus. As opposed to the RAK 1, this car, based on an Opel 80 chassis, was fully streamlined conforming to aerodynamic theory of the day (which was simply to give it the shape of a bullet) with wings canted downward to prevent it from going airborne. Although built during the Weimar Republic, it was given the red, white and black colors of the old empire. Grandson Fritz was head of Opel Marketing was a speed freak and was also using speed to promote the Opel brand. Encouraged by an Austrian rocket researcher and science writer Max Valier, he contacted Friedrich Sander, a black powder rocket manufacturer to design, mount and wired 24 rockets to power the car with the ignition controls for each rocket wired to pedal on the cockpit floor with 8 taps on the pedal igniting them all. Fritz drove the car over a mile reaching 148 mph and then hade to shut the engine down as the car was starting to lift off the ground.
05/10/2023 4:22 pm
Fascinating story about a car I never knew existed. I was surprised that the car lifted off the ground. The angle of the wings would suggest that it would have been planted. I supposed that's just evidence that aerodynamics is more than just looking at a surface and then determining its effectiveness.
Also fascinating is the endless depth and breadth of your collection. There seems to be no end to it. Wow!
05/10/2023 4:29 pm
It is an extraordinary thing that Germany's rocket propulsion investigations began in 1927 with the Verein für Raumschiffahrt, (Spaceflight Society). Starting with the Opel RAK 2 rocket propelled car, the next stage being RAK 3 the world's first rocket propelled aircraft. It might be interesting to note that Weimar military caps still retained the central stud of concentric black, white and red circles that German military caps of all eras have, up to the present day, I believe.
Marty Johnson and Christopher Moroni reacted
05/10/2023 4:53 pm
A really interesting car and model and what a great display piece !
05/10/2023 6:34 pm
What the hell? Rocket powered cars, lifting off the ground, in the 1920's? ...and where can I get a few sets of those wheels? 🤔 😏
Marty Johnson and Charles Rockett reacted
Topic starter
05/10/2023 7:10 pm
@chris Here's a real wild ride. Opel's Zopeltra rocker rail car, the RAK 3. It reached 157 mph before it blew up.
05/10/2023 7:39 pm
Too wild, Opel was not a speed freak; he was a speed nut! Terrific historical models Rich!
06/10/2023 5:49 am
Taken from Wikipedia page... The Opel RAK.1 (also known as the Opel RAK.3 [article by Walter J. Boyne in Air Force Magazine, September 1, 2004] ) was the world's first purpose-built rocket-powered aircraft. It was designed and built by Julius Hatry under commission from Fritz von Opel, who flew it on September 30, 1929 in front of a large crowd at Rebstock airport near Frankfurt am Main. The RAK.1 plane was part of a series of rocket-powered vehicles that were developed and demonstrated within the Opel RAK program, the world's first large-scale rocket program.
It seems that RAK 1,2 & 3 designations are used for the first three automobile tests, and the aircraft tests as well as the rail test.
