Rocket Cars were quite a sight in the 1920’s. They were in a way inevitable since man has tried to push the limits with just about every transportation method developed. Steamboats are one good example. During the 1800’s, steamboat racing was a sport. Spectators would line river banks to view the event and cheer on the captain of their choice. This type of racing went on for many decades and unfortunately, sometimes, the race would end in disaster when an over taxed boiler would explode. The federal government only intervened when racing went on with fully loaded vessels and explosions would cost innocent lives.
The rocket car was man’s attempt to set speed records on dry land. Instead of using an internal combustion engine, the rocket car naturally used rocket power. Historians generally agree that a man named Max Valier was the earliest rocket car pioneer in conjunction with Fritz von Opel of Opel automotive fame. Valier was first working with solid fuel rockets and then tested liquid fuel rockets. The first recorded rocket car was the Opel Rak-1 which got up to 47 MPH in 1928.Two months later the Opel Rak-2 reached 147 MPH using a series of rockets. That was an incredible speed in the 1920’s. Opel went on to test a few rocket trains which met with disaster, one by jumping the tracks and another with a rocket engine explosion. Testing of rocket engines during the 1920’s was not for the faint of heart.
Max Valier actually had a successful testing of the Valier-Heylandt Rak-7 in April 1930. Unfortunately, Valiers career was cn{te sxr-Heylansuccessful testing of the Valier-HeA,er-HepurplIn-2