Rudy in the Rocket Glider

Rudy still lives in southern Connecticut and is now
in his 90's. I believe he's recently stopped flying
due to his eyesight.

A great, unassuming man with many fantastic flying
stories.

9B


At 21:24 07 September 2003, Jim Culp wrote:
Rudy Opitz gave good talks on his experiences in the
rocket
launching glider Me163. Here is one account. We
would be in luck to hear this at the SSA Convention
in Atlanta.



http://
http://www.flightjournal.com/fj/arti...63/me163_1.asp

Who knows if Rudy Opitz is still alive and well?
I hope so. The article says he is 86 yrs young now.


Last saw him and spoke with him at Huntsville SSA Convention.


I think he was
SSA State Governor in Connecticut for a long time.

May still be.
Wow, I want somethin of what he been drinkin'.

You know, as I understand it, he came to US as one
of the US's plumb picked German aeronautical rocket
researchers and test engineers, I think. Chosen by
the US like was Dr. Werner Von Braun. The Russkies
plucked a bunch of aero/rocket/ and atomic researchers
or engineers and the US did too and the race for technological,
atomic, aeronautic dominance was on from the end of
WWII.

Rudy Opitz, he did research and flight testing at Wright
Patterson AFB, some of it on Horten and other flying
wings.

He flew one of the Horten flying wings in a US soaring
contest one year.

Hope you enjoy the article.

Dancing on clouds,

Keep it up!

Jim Culp USA
GatorCity, Florida
Std Libelle