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The Ente () was the world's first full-sized rocket-powered aircraft. Its name was derived from the forward canards used to control the aircraft. The Ente was powered a pair of rear-mounted rockets that ran on compressed black powder; Lippisch's innovative tail-less designs were particularly permissive for installation of the rockets. Developed within the space of three months, von Opel purchased the completed aircraft shortly before the start of flight testing. On 11 June 1928, the Ente, piloted by Fritz Stamer, performed its maiden flight at the Wasserkuppe. That same day, it was heavily damaged during its second flight when one of the rockets exploded and caused a fire. One year later, it was effectively succeeded by the Opel RAK.1.
Development
During the late 1920s, German tycoon Fritz von Opel performed a variety of demonstrations involving rocket-powered vehicles to generate publicity for the German vehicle manufacturer Opel. For this endeavour, von Opel had obtained the assistance of the pyrotechnics manufacturer Friedrich Sander as well as the rocketry advocate Max Valier. Valier was less enthused on the application of rockets to ground vehicles as he was in using them to power aircraft. Following the enactment of a (temporary) ban on rocket-powered cars on safety grounds, this avenue was promptly explored.
In March 1928, Sander and Valier visited the Wasserkuppe, a mountain which had become the focus point for Germany's gliding community, to investigate the potential integration of rockets onto a lightweight aircraft. During their visit, they came across the innovative tail-less gliders produced by the aeronautical engineer Alexander Lippisch and personally met with Lippisch, although Valier did not disclose his identity or full intent initially.
A pair of rockets were installed in the rear of the aircraft; an electrical ignition system was fitted which could be activated by the pilot via a switch in the cockpit.
thumb|Replica of the Ente on display, 2013
On 11 June 1928, the first attempted test flight of the Ente was aborted on the ground after the rockets failed to ignite. Stamer observed of this flight that the aircraft was barely controllable during the rocket-powered ascent.
Despite the abrupt end of the Ente, von Opel was not dissuaded from the concept. He promptly chose to commission a second glider, albeit one with a somewhat traditional configuration, to continue rocket propulsion experiments. This aircraft, the Opel RAK.1, was effectively the successor to the Ente, and performed a highly-publicised demonstration flight before the media and members of the general public, piloted by von Opel himself, during September 1929.
Specifications
thumb|RRG Raketen-Ente in Deutsches Segelflugmuseum