How tall is an orange tank?

[Dave Kerbin]

What are the dimensions of some common parts like the jumbo 64 orange tank?

There is a page with the radial sizes but it lists both a 'meter scale' and a 'real' size, I'm not sure which one is the in game measurement.

I also tried to do some measurements using the altitude meter and some math and came up with a height of 14m, I have no idea if that number is right or if I messed that up.

Edited September 13, 2013 by Dave Kerbin

[M4ck]

You can open the part's config file and check the distance between the top and bottom node. If the part is scaled somehow, you have to multiply/divide it as well. It looks like it's 7,5m tall(which seems strange), but I don't know exactly what the default rescale factor is... You would have to wait for someone else to check that.

[TMS]

It's exactly 1 orange tank in size.

Orange tanks are a standard unit of measurement on Kerbin.

[kujuman]

Re the link with meter scale and real sizes

Originally, the diameter of parts was 1 meter. Then when .16 came around they found that that scale was too small for the character controller to work 'right' on kerbals, so they did two things: Add 2 meter size parts (Rockomax) and add a default rescaleFactor of 1.25 so that 1meter parts became 1.25 meter parts. Unless otherwise specified in the config, rescaleFactor is set by default at 1.25 If you are modeling a new part, you can model to the "meter" scales and just let the game automatically rescale to be the "real" size. If you model to the "real" size, you need to add a rescaleFactor = 1 line to your part.cfg, otherwise the part will be scaled up again.

Also note the .cfg (usually for Squad parts it seems) a "scale =" line. This scale only affects nodes as far as I am aware.

[capi3101]

I don't know for sure. I was doing some experiments the other day where I was coming up with measurements around sixty meters, but it was proven that my methods weren't particularly accurate and I never did attempt to make a direct observation.

If you're willing to do some empirical testing, it's pretty easy to get a good guestimate, though.

1) Put an OKTO2 on the pad (nothing else). Note the altimeter reading.

2) Revert to VAB. Slap Jumbo-64 on bottom of OKTO2 and put that out on the pad. Note the altimeter reading.

3) Subtract the first altimeter reading from the second. The difference is the height of the Jumbo.

[Dave Kerbin]

I don't know for sure. I was doing some experiments the other day where I was coming up with measurements around sixty meters, but it was proven that my methods weren't particularly accurate and I never did attempt to make a direct observation.

If you're willing to do some empirical testing, it's pretty easy to get a good guestimate, though.

1) Put an OKTO2 on the pad (nothing else). Note the altimeter reading.

2) Revert to VAB. Slap Jumbo-64 on bottom of OKTO2 and put that out on the pad. Note the altimeter reading.

3) Subtract the first altimeter reading from the second. The difference is the height of the Jumbo.

Are you sure? I got the impression the craft position (and so altimeter reading) was the center of mass.

Based on that I assumed that adding a tank would add half its height to the altitude reading (the OKTO2 having neglible mass), since the reading would be at the center of the tank.

These where my altimeter readings for 1 to 4 tanks:

76m

83m

91m

98m

The last number was not always centered in the spinning readout, so I assume there are some decimal places that just can't be seen. The difference seems to be 7m so I assumed the height at 14m.

[Captain Sierra]

7 meters actually sounds about right.

[Kasuha]

Are you sure? I got the impression the craft position (and so altimeter reading) was the center of mass.

Take OKTO2 and stick a clamp-o-tron to it from below (with decoupling surface facing the unit). Put it on the ramp, undock, and check the altimeter.

Then put the tank below it, put it on the ramp again, undock and check the altimeter.

Ok tried it and no, the altimeter tells you the altitude of the uinit. After decoupling the value stayed the same.

Sadly the resolution is only 1 m

Edited September 13, 2013 by Kasuha

[UbioZur]

You can open the part's config file and check the distance between the top and bottom node. If the part is scaled somehow, you have to multiply/divide it as well. It looks like it's 7,5m tall(which seems strange), but I don't know exactly what the default rescale factor is... You would have to wait for someone else to check that.

7.5m as you stated is right.

for info default rescale factor (if not set in the .cfg) is 1.25, and default scale factor (if not set in the .cfg) is 1.

[capi3101]

7.5 meters would also consistent with Dave Kerbin's altimeter readings.

@Dave: No, I actually wasn't sure; I was making the assumption that the altimeter gave you the elevation of the active command pod. Based on your observations as well as Kasuha's, though, that appears to be a valid assumption.

[Haze-Zero]

You can measure it by taking a 1x1meter plate, and stacking plates until you reach the top