Have a look at this picture
http://www.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!/open.file/869815/M/ from another thread here. See the tail skid? Well on a normal takeoff, that can easily go within 30-50cms of the runway. I'd say in a rotation, the tail can easily go pretty close! A heavy 747 can put the fuselage to about 18 inches (45 cms) of the runway, so the tailplane will easily go within a chord.
Take a look at this too:
http://www.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!/open.file/869146/M/ That looks a little more than a chord, but skids can go a lot closer than that!