Going up and coming down

[leo]

While watching some of the WWI shows on thr History Channel and on several visits to Old Rheinbeck I noticed that take offs and landings were very short. How much runway did the WWI fighter need to become airborne and to land?

[Jim]

It would have depended on many factors - not just the design of the aircraft. Such factors are the speed of the wind into which you are taking off (assuming you can take off headed into the wind rather than with the wind coming from behind you); how heavily loaded the aircraft is (bullets, bombs, fuel, observer, water from a recent rain, etc.); how good shape is your engine (is it new and well tuned or old and our of tune); the air temperature and humidity (cold dry air in the winter is thicker and the propeller and wings bite it better than hot humid air at the peak of summer), how thick is the grass or how bumpy is the surface on the field which adds drag on your wheels and tail skid; does your field have an uphill grade or downhill grade to hinder or speed your takeoff; etc.