Best way to do interstage engine shrouds on proc tanks?

[NFunky]

So I've been playing a lot with procedural parts recently, and while researching how to properly use the procedural Interstage Fairings, I found out that those parts are NOT supposed to be used for engine shrouds.  This explains a lot about the odd lack of an internal top node, and the placement of the decoupler.  The only way I've been able to do it is to surface attach the engine underneath the tank to leave the tank's bottom node free for the Interstage Fairing top node.  I don't think this technically shields the engine at all though, since it's not attached to an internal node of the fairing part.  Also, I've been having weird issues with the fairing base jumps to odd positions when I try to use the whole launch vehicle as a subsystem.  Usually, it jumps downward, leaving a big gap in the rocket, although this appears to be cosmetic only, the thing will still fly the same.

 

Is there a more appropriate mod/part that I should be using for interstage engine shrouds?  I'm using pretty large tank sizes, so even the 3.75 stock fairing is too small, and rescaling that part doesn't seem to rescale the fairing.  Suggestions?

 

Thanks

[Starman4308]

In addition to the "procedural fairing base", there should be a "procedural interstage fairing": that has a top node of arbitrary height above the center. You hook that up to a central node, either the bare tank bottom or an engine.

"Extra Height" specifies the height that the attached fairings should extend above that top node. If you have it attached to the tank's bottom node, usually you can leave this at 0; otherwise, you often have to add extra height equal to the height of the engine.

If you're not seeing it in a bit, I'll take a screenshot in the VAB: right now, I'm launching a rocket.

[AntINFINAIt]

Or you could use premade interstages 

[Starman4308]

Just now, AntINFINAIt said:

Or you could use premade interstages 

Those don't work cleanly with custom tank widths.

Though, to some extent, the "dial-a-width" feature is a tad unrealistic, as it's expensive to develop tooling for a given tank diameter.

[MaximumThrust]

I think this mod is a good option, you can use your regular decouplers, without adding more parts. Near Future Launch Vehicles have great engine mounts, with a bottom node and a faring/shroud. They work well with Tweak Scale (but you need to add the patches). The one in the right is adaptive, it's only one part that you can change the number of engine holders (including only 1, that is not showing in the picture):



Same deal with this one in the left, you have a lot of options.



Everything from Nertea looks so freaking good 

[NFunky]

Thank you! This mod looks great, but do you know where I might find a version compatible with KSP 1.2.2?  I'm using Realism Overhaul, and I don't think it's been updated for 1.4 yet.

[Gargamel]

4 minutes ago, NFunky said:

Thank you! This mod looks great, but do you know where I might find a version compatible with KSP 1.2.2?  I'm using Realism Overhaul, and I don't think it's been updated for 1.4 yet.

The space dock site's change log should show previous versions, the github for the mod should also list them. 

[NFunky]

Hmmm.  Looks like the oldest version on SpaceDock is for KSP 1.3.1 and I can't seem to find any older versions on GitHub.  I'll confess though, I'm kind of a novice as far as GitHub goes, so I could easily have missed it.  I hope this isn't such a recent mod that there isn't a 1.2.2 version.  Should I give the oldest 1.3.1 version a shot?

[Laie]

On 17.3.2018 at 9:30 PM, NFunky said:

The only way I've been able to do it is to surface attach the engine underneath the tank to leave the tank's bottom node free for the Interstage Fairing top node.  I don't think this technically shields the engine at all though, since it's not attached to an internal node of the fairing part. 

The other way is to attach it to the engine, then dial up "extra height" to fill the gap. You will quickly learn just how tall the different engine models are!

As for aerodynamics, I have my doubts either way. It's probably better/safer to only use proc fairings together with FAR.