Authors: Ben Ruhe
Date Submitted: February 28, 2006
Article Type: Journal

As unofficial historian of kite doings over the years at Lindenberg, Werner Schmidt has carefully researched the feat most closely associated with the observatory—-a high altitude kite train record set Aug. 1, l919. The world mark claimed was 9,750 meters or 31,989 feet. Details of what he learned are as follows:

Before and after that date, the station routinely achieved heights with its trains of 6,000 meters. There were dozens of 7,000-meter flights and the occasional 8,000-meter flight was achieved.

On the day in question, weather conditions were excellent, with a high pressure area covering most of Europe. The observatory flew eight Hargrave-type Boxkites of the S-type. S-type means Schirm-Drachen or umbrella kite. This kite had a bamboo framing. The cells were opened by an inner framing with an umbrella-like mechanism to tighten the fabric. The connectors were of metal.

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