Fritz von Opel

Fritz Adam Hermann Opel, since 1918 von Opel, (May 4, 1899 - April 8, 1971) was the only child of Wilhelm von Opel, and a grandson of Adam Opel, founder of the Opel Company. He is remembered mostly for his spectacular demonstrations of rocket propulsion that earned him the nickname "Rocket Fritz". Fritz von Opel The copyright status of this vintage image is undetermined; it may still be copyrighted. ... Fritz von Opel The copyright status of this vintage image is undetermined; it may still be copyrighted. ... May 4 is the 124th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (125th in leap years). ... 1899 (MDCCCXCIX) was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... April 8 is the 98th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (99th in leap years). ... 1971 (MCMLXXI) was a common year starting on Friday (the link is to a full 1971 calendar). ... Wilhelm von Opel (known as Wilhelm Opel before being granted nobility) was one of the founding figures of the German automobile manufacturer Opel. ... Founder of the German car-maker Opel. ... This article is about the European car manufacturer. ... A Redstone rocket, part of the Mercury program The traditional definition of a rocket is a vehicle, missile or aircraft which obtains thrust by the reaction to the ejection of fast moving fluid from within a rocket engine. ... // A nickname is a short, clever, cute, derogatory, or otherwise substitute name for a person or things real name (for example, Bob, Rob, Robby, Robbie, Robi, Bobby, Rab, Bert, Bertie, Butch, Bobbers, Bobert, Beto, Bobadito, and Robban (in Sweden), are all short for Robert). ...

Von Opel was born in Rüsselsheim and educated at the technical university of Darmstadt. After graduation, he was made director of testing for Opel and also put in charge of publicity. In the 1920s, he became interested in using rockets in publicity stunts for the company and sought advice from Max Valier of the newly-formed Verein für Raumschiffahrt (VfR - "Spaceflight Society") and Friedrich Sander, a pyrotechnics manufacturer from Bremerhaven. Rüsselsheim is the largest city in the Groß-Gerau district in the Rhein-Main region of Germany. ... Darmstadt is a city in the Bundesland (federal state) of Hessen in Germany. ... The media itself often stages stunts for movies and television shows. ... Valiers birthplace. ... Members of the VfR, circa 1930. ... Friedrich Wilhelm Sander (died 1938) was a German pyrotechnics engineer and manufacturer remembered for his contributions to rocket-powered flight. ... Pyrotechnics are used in the entertainment industry The band Rammsteins stage acts centers largely around pyrotechnics Pyrotechnics is a field of study often thought synonymous with the manufacture of fireworks, but more accurately it has a wider scope that includes items for military and industrial uses. ... Bremerhaven is a city in the federal state of Bremen, Germany. ...

On March 15, 1928, von Opel tested his first rocket-powered car, the RAK.1 and achieved a top speed of 75 km/h (47 mph) in it, proving the concept. Less than two months later, he reached a speed of 230 km/h (143 mph) in the RAK.2, driven by 24 solid-rockets. March 15 is the 74th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (75th in Leap years). ... 1928 (MCMXXVIII) was a leap year starting on Sunday (link will take you to calendar). ...

Later that same year, he purchased a sailplane named the Ente from Alexander Lippisch and attached rocket motors to it, creating the world's first rocket plane on June 11. The aircraft exploded on its second test-flight, before von Opel had a chance to pilot it himself, so he commissioned a new aircraft, also called the RAK.1 from Julius Hatry, and flew it at Frankfurt-am-Main on September 30, 1929. In the meantime, another mishap had claimed the RAK.3, a rocket powered railway car powered by 30 solid rockets and which reached a speed of 254 km/h (157 mph). Gliders are un-powered heavier-than-air aircraft. ... The Ente (German: duck) was the world’s first rocket-powered aircraft. ... Alexander Lippisch earned his PhD in 1943 at the University of Heidelberg. ... June 11 is the 162nd day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (163rd in leap years), with 203 days remaining. ... This article is about the Opel RAK.1 rocket plane. ... Julius Hatry (December 30, 1906 - November 7, 2000) was a German aircraft designer and builder. ... Frankfurt am Main [ˈfraŋkfʊrt] is the largest city in the German state of Hesse and the fifth largest city in Germany. ... September 30 is the 273rd day of the year (274th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1929 (MCMXXIX) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will take you to calendar). ...

Von Opel left the Opel company and Germany after 1929 and died in Samedan, Switzerland. 1929 (MCMXXIX) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will take you to calendar). ... Samedan is a municipality in the Upper Engadin valley, in the Canton of Grisons, Switzerland. ...