Warbird Runway Requirements

[Guptar]

Trying to settle an argument about runway required for warbirds.

P51, Spitfire, P-47..........B25 Mitchel. Theres a nice one up for sale in the US, only 2.5 million.

I say about 1200m long x 20m wide.

Am I close?

[Ixixly]

https://i.stack.imgur.com/89BFH.jpg

TB-25K POH there for Take Off Distance, if you can get her to 26,000lbs at Sea-Level with nil wind it'll chew up about 750m to 50ft object only about 550m of that is roll!

[atakacs]

Anything specific to the Pacific about those requirements (I guess not) ?

[Checkboard]

Warbird, with a war load? i.e. Max fuel, drop tanks, bombs, full magazines?

or Warbird at a show, no weapons and minimum fuel.

Applies to jets as well - those vertical climbs after take off at shows aren't possible with a war load on in service...

[CAVOK92]

Tyabb is a good example of the minimum length/width to operate warbirds out off.

[The Baron]

The WW2 Bomber airfields that the Americans built across the Top End were all about 1800m by 60m. I have been in and out of plenty. Used by full war load B17 and B24. That would be your max length. The smaller fields for fighters like Coomalie and Gould look to be around the 1000m mark.

[Centaurus]

Keep in mind in those days the Pilots Notes (RAF and RAAF) for aircraft (Dakota, Lincoln and their ilk) did not have takeoff or landing performance charts. You just went and where the runway was short you just lifted off at the far end and hoped the aircraft would fly. While max structural takeoff weights were published there was no climb limited weights v OAT. You simply took your chances and hoped you wouldn't lose a donk. If you did lose an engine that became your problem.

[Horatio Leafblower]

Scone is 1400m long and hosts Spits, Mustangs, P-40 etc and has hosted B-25, Neptune, DC-3 etc.

Paul Bennett operates the Spit, P51, P40, TBM-3 from Cessnock which is 1097m.

[TBM-Legend]

My B-25 operated out of YSBK quite comfortably. Only issue you had to be mindful of was that at our weights. [full fuel, 4 POB, no weapons/armor plate/payload] was she'd fly off at 90kts but the Single Engine Safety Speed was 128kts......