Aircraft Undercarriage widths

PETERTHEEATER;110394 wrote:

All the aircraft at that time were tail-wheel types and were usually towed backwards so the lowest part of the lateral airframe was the tailplane and hedge gaps would have to be wide enough for that. On some types the span of the T/P was about that of the centreline of the engine nacelles (twin engine) on others a little more or less. Storage units such as ASUs and SLGs that were intended to take various types needed to have gaps capable of taking the widest intended T/P (or lowest lateral airframe component). So, perhaps the powers to be said ' just make all gaps 50 feet'

Propellers would need to be 'dressed' to give the highest tip to ground clearance before crossing. Of course, everything depends on the height of the hedgerow so I assume that they were maintained trimmed to a reasonable height.

I agree with you Peter. After speaking to airfield author Ivor Jones on the subject of hedge gaps he said that the MUs would have sent crews out to perform hedge clearance or get construction contractors to perform the work during the expansions of the aircraft dispersal over the course of the war.
In order to get from Llandow to St Athan aircraft would have had to clear several field hedges so clearance height and width would have been crucial.

although i reckon that small single engine aircraft like spits/hurricanes would be able to negotiate these hedges on engine power and with a skilled pilot

'Standard' taxiway width was 15m/45ft. The only aircraft I've encountered which exceeded this was the Stratocruiser derived Guppy although we never tried a C5 Galaxy on taxiways, we always taxyed and parked them on runways. The Antonov 124 and 225 would both fit on a 15m taxiway as would a Tristar and 747.