TKS/VA space craft nose section

[Canopus]

3 minutes ago, tater said:

On launch, the pointy bit in on top, correct?

Yes, with an escape tower ontop

[MaxwellsDemon]

There's some detail and illustrations at   http://www.astronautix.com/t/tks.html 

including this, which might be what you're after:

[kerbiloid]

8 hours ago, tater said:

On launch, the pointy bit in on top, correct?

Yes. On launch the pointy bit is the lower half of LES tower.

So, on launch it's a tower, in orbit it's indeed a tail.

Not just LES tower on top, but literally lower half of LES tower.
While LES engine (upper white half of the tower) is there, they ignite together in abort mode. So, the LES itself can be twice smaller, as deorbit engine works as LES, too..
After LES itself is jettisoned, the deorbit engine is considered as mini-LES until the ship reaches the orbit.

LES itself (white upper half of the tower) in turn consists of three sections. You can see this on photos and small old video of capsule abort test.
The lower third of LES is like a hollow cylinder with cross on top, between LES nozzles.
Antennas of the deorbit engine are placed in this hollow when retracted.
From KSP view this part can be treated as LES decoupler (separation attach node is on bottom).

Middle part (the longest part of LES) is the LES main engines itself, with 4 big nozzles under umbrella.
From KSP view, this part is a pure engine.

The third part (a white cylinder h~d on the very top with four small nozzles - LES RCS and separation engines.
From KSP view, this part is Engine+RCS using the same solid fuel.
(In abort mode it works as LES RCS, then moves the decoupled LES as a small thruster. 
In normal flight mode only the latter.
Of course, in KSP both engine and RCS should be disabled on launch and be enabled only on abort and/or LES separation).

All these three sections are attached with no decouplers between them, as a whole.
And this three-part assembly is attached to the deorbit engine (the cylindric part on VA top, with four nozzles, strip-colored).

***

KSP fairings are poorly useful with TKS, as its fairing is a little specific.
It has only a cylindric side fairing around the narrow FGB part (i.e. around the fuel tanks, engines, solar panels).
This cylindric fairing is cut into two halves (mostly cylindric, but conic on top).
The fairing is a little (several centimeteres) wider than the FGB widest part and is attached to the interstage cylinder from outer side where the 4 m main ring of wide FGB part (between two wide cones).

The side fairing doesn't cover VA. Like with Apollo. Its upper edge is an the bottom of VA, attached around the interstage between FGB and VA.

Unlike Apollo, VA has no a conic shroud between the capsule and the LES tower.
Nothing covers VA from top. Unlike Apollo it doesn't have large windows, handles, ladders, etc. So, VA capsule doesn't need a fairing.
(Btw hello, EVA stories. Nothing to grab with hand from outside, nothing to attach a tether.)

Though, if use KSP fairings, they can represent both the side fairing and the interstage between the rocket and FGB.
IRL this is not true, as TKS stands on the interstage right with its 4 m ring. But in KSP of course it should be attached to the rocket with docking node (unless you add an attach node especially for this).

***

Edited March 20, 2018 by kerbiloid