(Updated) Mikiliner 747-3, a stock airliner for KSP

[jmiki8]

UPDATED TO v3!

Is Flight Simulator X too difficult for you? Want to smash into the ground and feel the destruction? Do you have no patience to build a large® airliner for KSP?

Then

the Mikiliner 747-3 is made for you!

In SPH

Ascending

Approaching the runway

What is Mikiliner 747-3?

-The Mikiliner 747-3 is a quad-jet airliner, looking similar to the famous Boeing 747 (but not meant to be an exact replica), scaled down to have still too high low-ish part count, resulting in higher acceptable framerates.

How does this bird fly?

-The plane itself is well-controllable, but it usually needs the pilot's intervention to keep the desired direction. It can take off at ~60 m/s (and can tailstrike the ground at even lower speeds). It's not meant to be the most realistic aircraft to fly, rather to be fun to pilot it. It may need little thrust even at landing to maintain its controllability. It's taxiing characteristics are also acceptable: All landing gears are set to steer, so the plane can turn better on the ground, enabling it to use the KSC's taxiways. The plane weighs ~45 tons!

Can this plane actually transport kerbals?

-I haven't tried it yet, but on paper it should be able to transport 12 passengers + 1 pilot. I focused more on the look, that's why I added science modules instead of hitchhikers.

Part count: 113

Version history:

747-1: Unsuccessful prototype version

747-2: First release

747-3: Removed ugly rover wheels, set main landig gears to steer.

To be added to the next version, 747-4:

-Reverse thrust

Seems good? Then download it now!

https://www.dropbox.com/s/qwtiygiuxsxwgsv/Mikiliner%20747-3.craft

Have fun!

You may also want to see my Biplane design.

Edited January 4, 2014 by jmiki8
Craft update

[7499275]

Wow! I want to give this a try but I think the frame rate would cause me to crash it pretty quickly.

[Sgt. Cookie]

Looks good. I may want to download that.

Eyeballing it, I'd put the plane around 75-85 parts. That about right?

[astropapi1]

Un-written rule #1 of posting a ship for download: Give us a part count.

That's a very nice replica you've got there. Switching the science labs for hitchhikers would increase the passenger capability, but the windows on the labs look great.

[Katve]

Very beautiful plane ! Using science labs as passenger compartments is very cool idea.

[Jeb Cubed]

hmm, very interesting design but still looks good. have you tried replacing the labs with hitchikers for more kerbals? It might be to heavy though :/

[jmiki8]

Thanks for the constructive opinions! I added an estimate for part count (I believe it's around 80 parts).

Edited January 4, 2014 by jmiki8

[Rune]

Thanks for the constructive opinions! I added an estimate for part count (I believe it's around 80 parts).

Fun hint: From map view, you can get the actual part count and mass at any given time. Also, you can now turn on steering on the landing gear (make sure you only do so for the frontal one!), so should be able to remove the ugly rover wheels and taxi on jet power like it's meant to. For reverse, you could even clip one jet engine facing backwards in, say, the nose. Experiment with placements, you'd be surprised the places they can generate thrust from. As a general rule, they don't mind being inside things as long as their emission point is outside any parts they are not attached to (they don't seem to mind being fired inside a fuel tank they are clipped into, for example, but they won't thrust if you add another tank behind).

And notice how I'm giving you building tips? It's because this ship looks so good, I see potential here. Keep it up!

Rune. The more the merrier.

Edited January 5, 2014 by Rune
I can't spell for my life

[jmiki8]

Oh thanks! I updated the craft.

Anyways, with which patch did the landing gear get steering? Just being curious.

EDIT: I see, it was 0.23.

Edited January 4, 2014 by jmiki8

[longbyte1]

Very nice! I like the quad engines; it really sells it. If you could only replace the nosecone with a docking port... oh yes...

What I don't like, however, is that the wings are placed a bit too low, so you end up landing with half a plane.

Edited January 5, 2014 by longbyte1

[NASI Director]

Great minds think alike, as I had made something like this almost exactly the same a little while back.

At least yours is manned though.

[sal_vager]

Impressive plane jmiki8, and powerful to be able to lift al those mobile labs

Don't forget to tag your threads though!