Shuttle inherently difficult to fly?

[Jestersage]

I am not sure how I stumble upon it, but I ended up trying to make a Orbiter derived Station, which is covered by Patent 5350138. My ended up making 3 configuration converted from Dyanwing, 4 version that I build from scratch (since dynawing's cockpit is a bit... off), and 3 version that used fairing and made it resembles Shuttle Derived HLV.

While I managed to fly them all to a circularize orbit WITH the external tank (!!), I found that I am constantly trying to do roll and yaw operations. Not that I had rotated the SSME outward by 30 degree (which is one normal click with the rotate tools.)

So my question is of follow:

1. Are Shuttles, even with wings, difficult to fly?
2. Is it possible to build this shuttle-station without using wings?
3. In a subjective manner, when would you consider a craft to be flying well enough for release?

Example of one that I planned, made from Dynawing:
http://imgur.com/qhdItdE
(The extra CRG-25 is due to Removing the RCS fuel tank for more crew space)
 

Edited March 27, 2017 by Jestersage

[ForScience6686]

Yes they are difficult.  You usually end up with offset center off thrust and mass.  As well as, if you do have wings, offset control surfaces.  Altogether making it difficult to control on the way up.  A good design won't need much input from the pilot to avoid all the control over correction.  But not having wings defeats the purpose of the shuttle which was designed for a gliding reentry and landing.  So you may struggle to bring yours back down from orbit.  Anything can be done, you'll just have to engineer your way through the obstacles.

[Jestersage]

1 hour ago, ForScience6686 said:

So you may struggle to bring yours back down from orbit.  Anything can be done, you'll just have to engineer your way through the obstacles.

Would Buran-Type shuttle be easier to fly?

The station is not designed for returning from Orbit; the RL plan is so they can make the Columbia useful and have some US space station up, before the entire Freedom was scrapped for ISS.

In KSP, an Orbiter derived station is only good for a dual-hull, no-docking space station... which is countered by the fact shuttles are hard to fly.

Edited March 27, 2017 by Jestersage

[ForScience6686]

I don't think so.  You still have offset thrust and mass to deal with.  Although the shuttle was used in RL, it was not necessarily the best method to use.  Yes it worked, but they have much more sophisticated equipment.  My early career shuttles are the best I've managed to make, haven't gotten a good mk3 version yet though:

https://kerbalx.com/ForScience6686/STS-3

I try not to fight it on the way up and make a course correction once out of the atmosphere.