Fritz von Opel
Encyclopedia
Fritz Adam Hermann Opel, since 1918 von Opel (4 May 1899, Rüsselsheim
, Grand Duchy of Hesse
- 8 April 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".
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 stunt
s 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
.
On 15 March 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-fuel rockets.
Later that same year, he purchased a sailplane named the "Ente" (duck in German) from Alexander Lippisch
and attached rocket motors to it, creating the world's first rocket plane on 11 June. The aircraft exploded on its second test flight, before von Opel had a chance to pilot it himself, so he commissioned in a new aircraft, also called the RAK.1
from Julius Hatry
, and flew it at Frankfurt-am-Main on 30 September 1929. In the meantime, another mishap had claimed the RAK.3, a rocket-powered railway car powered by 30 solid-fuel rockets and which reached a speed of 254 km/h (157 mph).
Von Opel left the Opel company and Germany after 1929 and died in Samedan
, Switzerland
in 1971.
On 25 April 1940 Fritz von Opel was removed from the Italian liner Conte di Savoia by British authorities at Gibraltar. After being detained at Gibraltar for 16 days, he was allowed to proceed to the USA.
He married Emita Herrán Olozaga (1913-1967) in 1947. Fritz von Opel is the father of Formula One
driver Rikky von Opel
(Frederick von Opel).
Rüsselsheim
Rüsselsheim is the largest town in the Groß-Gerau district in the Rhein-Main region of Germany. It is one of seven special status towns in Hesse and is located on the Main, only a few kilometres from its mouth in Mainz. The suburbs of Bauschheim and Königstädten are included in Rüsselsheim...
, Grand Duchy of Hesse
Grand Duchy of Hesse
The Grand Duchy of Hesse and by Rhine , or, between 1806 and 1816, Grand Duchy of Hesse —as it was also known after 1816—was a member state of the German Confederation from 1806, when the Landgraviate of Hesse-Darmstadt was elevated to a Grand Duchy, until 1918, when all the German...
- 8 April 1971), was the only child of Wilhelm von Opel
Wilhelm von Opel
Wilhelm von Opel was one of the founding figures of the German automobile manufacturer Opel. He introduced the assembly line to the German automobily industry....
, and a grandson of Adam Opel
Adam Opel
Adam Opel was the founder of the German automobile company Adam Opel AG.- Biography :Adam Opel was born on May 9, 1837, to Wilhelm, a locksmith, and his wife in Rüsselsheim. Adam studied with his father until the age of 20, when he received his travel pass...
, founder of the Opel
Opel
Adam Opel AG, generally shortened to Opel, is a German automobile company founded by Adam Opel in 1862. Opel has been building automobiles since 1899, and became an Aktiengesellschaft in 1929...
Company. He is remembered mostly for his spectacular demonstrations of rocket
Rocket
A rocket is a missile, spacecraft, aircraft or other vehicle which obtains thrust from a rocket engine. In all rockets, the exhaust is formed entirely from propellants carried within the rocket before use. Rocket engines work by action and reaction...
propulsion that earned him the nickname
Nickname
A nickname is "a usually familiar or humorous but sometimes pointed or cruel name given to a person or place, as a supposedly appropriate replacement for or addition to the proper name.", or a name similar in origin and pronunciation from the original name....
"Rocket Fritz".
Von Opel was born in Rüsselsheim
Rüsselsheim
Rüsselsheim is the largest town in the Groß-Gerau district in the Rhein-Main region of Germany. It is one of seven special status towns in Hesse and is located on the Main, only a few kilometres from its mouth in Mainz. The suburbs of Bauschheim and Königstädten are included in Rüsselsheim...
and educated at the technical university of Darmstadt
Darmstadt
Darmstadt is a city in the Bundesland of Hesse in Germany, located in the southern part of the Rhine Main Area.The sandy soils in the Darmstadt area, ill-suited for agriculture in times before industrial fertilisation, prevented any larger settlement from developing, until the city became the seat...
. 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 stunt
Publicity stunt
A publicity stunt is a planned event designed to attract the public's attention to the event's organizers or their cause. Publicity stunts can be professionally organized or set up by amateurs...
s for the company and sought advice from Max Valier
Max Valier
Max Valier was an Austrian rocketry pioneer. He helped found the German Verein für Raumschiffahrt that would bring together many of the minds that would later make spaceflight a reality in the 20th century.-Biography:Valier was born in Bozen , South Tyrol and in 1913 enrolled to study Physics at...
of the newly formed Verein für Raumschiffahrt
Verein für Raumschiffahrt
The Verein für Raumschiffahrt was a German amateur rocket association prior to World War II that included members outside of Germany...
(VfR - "Spaceflight Society") and Friedrich Sander
Friedrich Sander
Friedrich Wilhelm Sander was a German pyrotechnics engineer and manufacturer remembered for his contributions to rocket-powered flight....
, a pyrotechnics
Pyrotechnics
Pyrotechnics is the science of using materials capable of undergoing self-contained and self-sustained exothermic chemical reactions for the production of heat, light, gas, smoke and/or sound...
manufacturer from Bremerhaven
Bremerhaven
Bremerhaven is a city at the seaport of the free city-state of Bremen, a state of the Federal Republic of Germany. It forms an enclave in the state of Lower Saxony and is located at the mouth of the River Weser on its eastern bank, opposite the town of Nordenham...
.
On 15 March 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-fuel rockets.
Later that same year, he purchased a sailplane named the "Ente" (duck in German) from Alexander Lippisch
Alexander Lippisch
Alexander Martin Lippisch was a German pioneer of aerodynamics. He made important contributions to the understanding of flying wings, delta wings and the ground effect. His most famous design is the Messerschmitt Me 163 rocket-powered interceptor.Lippisch was born in Munich, Kingdom of Bavaria...
and attached rocket motors to it, creating the world's first rocket plane on 11 June. The aircraft exploded on its second test flight, before von Opel had a chance to pilot it himself, so he commissioned in a new aircraft, also called the RAK.1
Opel RAK.1
The Opel RAK.1 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.During the late 1920s, von Opel had...
from Julius Hatry
Julius Hatry
Julius Hatry was a German aircraft designer and builder. He is remembered for his contributions to sailplane development in the early twentieth century and for building the world's first purpose-built rocket plane, the Opel RAK.1.Hatry was born in Mannheim and developed an early interest in...
, and flew it at Frankfurt-am-Main on 30 September 1929. In the meantime, another mishap had claimed the RAK.3, a rocket-powered railway car powered by 30 solid-fuel rockets and which reached a speed of 254 km/h (157 mph).
Von Opel left the Opel company and Germany after 1929 and died in Samedan
Samedan
Samedan is a town and municipality in the district of Maloja in the Swiss canton of Graubünden.-History:Samedan is first mentioned in 1139 as Samaden. In 1334 it was mentioned as Semeden, in 1367 as Semaden, in 1498 as Sumada and in 1527 as Sameden...
, Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
in 1971.
On 25 April 1940 Fritz von Opel was removed from the Italian liner Conte di Savoia by British authorities at Gibraltar. After being detained at Gibraltar for 16 days, he was allowed to proceed to the USA.
He married Emita Herrán Olozaga (1913-1967) in 1947. Fritz von Opel is the father of Formula One
Formula One
Formula One, also known as Formula 1 or F1 and referred to officially as the FIA Formula One World Championship, is the highest class of single seater auto racing sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile . The "formula" designation in the name refers to a set of rules with which...
driver Rikky von Opel
Rikky von Opel
Frederick "Rikky" von Opel is a former racing driver from Liechtenstein, the only driver from that nation to have competed in the Formula One World Championship. He won the Lombard North British Formula Three Championship in 1972. He participated in 14 Formula One World Championship Grands Prix...
(Frederick von Opel).