pTrevTrevs

Thanks, it was actually on Monday, but everyone is usually out of town for the 4th of July weekend so we celebrate a week before or after.

I can probably do the week after that. I would do it this week, but I released my Cobra this week and I want it to have a chance to get featured because I'm a greedy attention hog, and I'll be celebrating my birthday this Friday and thus won't have time to write SCF.

Ah... I... Uh, forgot that they changed nukes to only use liquid fuel. Good, that ought to fix it.

Took some time today after releasing the Cobra to work on Constellation. I tried launching an NTR on an Ares V, only to find out that it's too heavy fully fueled. I don't know of anything I can do to make either the NTR or the rocket lighter, I need the DeltaV on both. The one solution I came up with is to launch the NTR with half the fuel on board, then launch a fuel tanker to pump in the other half in orbit. This seemed like a good idea at first, but then I realized that the pack needs three NTR stages, which means three fuel tankers. Three extra launches. This is going to be a pain to dock to the NTR too.

Yeah, but I was always taught to call it the Loach. I'm pretty sure the Cayuse was around earlier than the Kiowa though, and was much better suited for its intended role, so if I can find a way to get the cockpit right I'll do that. The Kiowa is probably more iconic as a recon helicopter, but the fact that it's being phased out of service while the Loach is still used (even if it's for carrying task forces instead of recon) pretty much leaves nothing more to be said.

I would have said the Kiowa is too mainstream, it's the one everybody knows. The Cayuse is a superior aircraft in almost every regard, the only thing keeping me from deciding on it is the difficulty involved in building the elliptical cabin.

I forget, but I think it was around 70. Sure, go ahead and borrow it! I may consider making an observation chopper to make a hunter/killer team, but I'm not sure whether I should build an OH-6 Cayuse or OH-58 Kiowa.

Given how difficult it was to come up with a shape I like, and given how many new features I tried with this craft, including the strut canopy and BD Armory TOW missiles/FLIR set, this craft took a lot less time to finish than I expected. The Cobra's design was derived from the UH-1 Iroquois (Huey), and used the same engine, transmission, and tail section as the Huey. While the UH-1 made air cavalry practical, it was poorly armed and was vulnerable to ground fire from Vietcong or NVA forces, especially when it landed to unload its troops or supplies. While many UH-1s were converted to gunships, and Air Force/Nay jets could provide close air support, a new helicopter was needed that could escort the Hueys and sanitize LZs to make it safe to land. The Cobra filled this role perfectly, and was used extensively during the Vietnam War. After the war the Cobra became the main attack helicopter for the United States, and served in this role from 1967 until being replaced by the AH-64 Apache in 1999. Twin engine variants of the Cobra still serve with the USMC and other NATO countries. the US Forest Service also flies unarmed Cobras for fighting forest fires. Aaaand most of you probably won't read all that history, so here's a picture to keep you here Although the AH-1G featured a smooth, curved canopy, later model Cobras were fitted with a flat paneled canopy which reduced sun glare and reflection inside the cockpit. This Cobra replica is based on the AH-1F, although I am not entirely sure whether F models served in Vietnam, so if anyone could provide me with reliable information about it, that would be great. It's a pretty easy aircraft to fly so long as you understand the basics of rotary-wing aircraft and vertical flight. As you can see I landed it on the VAB helipad with ease. I recommend coming in on a flat approach at a slightly higher altitude than your landing point and slowly decrease your speed as you near the pad, killing all horizontal velocity right before you cross over the center of the pad (by that point you should be hovering just above the pad). Then lower the throttle enough to let the helicopter descend, but be careful not to gain any lateral motion. The helicopter is equipped with TOW missiles, guided by an FLIR set in the nose, unguided Hydra rockets, and a 30mm cannon. The TOWs are perfect for taking out targets at long range, while the Hydras and 30mm can mop up after them. Unfortunately all the systems on the chopper require a lot of control panels and menus to operate effectively. This is the setup I use, with the FLIR and main rotor menus on the right between the Weapon Manager and the staging diagram. the FLIR tracking camera is on the bottom right and Flight Engineer (if you have it) is in the top right. To use the TOW missiles, enable the FLIR, aim the nose of the helicopter at your desired target, then fine tune it with the camera. You can lock the camera and zoom in to make it easier to move. Once the camera is over your target, lock the camera if you haven't already done so, and you should see range information and coordinates on the camera. Select the TOW missile in the Weapon Manager, arm the trigger, and hold it down until the missile fires. It should automatically guide itself to the target and detonate. Hydras and 30mm are pretty straightforward, so I shouldn't have to explain them. I definitely recommend pinning the rotor's menu somewhere so you can keep track of the thrust level. Unlike real helicopters, the KAX rotor takes a while to rev up and down, so it can be a challenge to fly using only the throttle as judgement. Although I personally like Utility helicopters more than Attack helicopters (what can I say? My father flies the UH-60M), I must confess that I really enjoy flying this. It's fast, responsive, versatile, and best of all, deadly. Vietcong/Taliban beware, Cobra venom kills! DOWNLOAD REQUIRED MODS KAX BD Armory

Somehow I'm reminded of both The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and the song Proud Mary. Looks pretty good. If Vessel Mover has been updated you can use that to move it to a river or somewhere more interesting.

the Cobra flies pretty well after a few modifications. I made the tail longer, adjusted the seat locations, and relocated the FLIR to the nose (not shown in photos). I also flipped the TOW tubes around, since I noticed they were backwards, but I did that after I took these pictures. I'm still trying to find out whether Cobras with flat paneled canopies were used in Vietnam. I could also use a tank or other vehicle to use as a target for the TOWs, and I'm too lazy to build my own. I already have my Korean War aircraft pack, Constellation, and now this to contend with, I need to wrap one of them up so I can finish the others. EDIT: I figured out how to work the TOWs and the FLIR! Now I just need to make a scout helicopter to make a Hunter/Killer team. What do you guys think, OH-6 Cayuse or OH-58 Kiowa? Please, at least look up the OH-6 before you all say Kiowa.

Imagine a German heavy bomber that didn't have a tendency to catch on fire, worked well, and was available in large numbers.

I just realized that it probably didn't work because I was firing at space center buildings instead of other ships. What can I say? The VAB is cooler to destroy than a tank or howitzer battery.

The Cobra has an FLIR ball on it but it doesn't seem to do anything. BD'a radar still sort of confuses me, even after watching the tutorial video on the thread.

It sure is! I'm trying to recreate the F model because the flat paneled canopy is easier to make than the curved one of the G model, but I'm not sure whether AH-1Fs were use in the Vietnam war. I saw an F model that was said to have served in Vietnam the other day at my military base's 4th of July festival, but I'm still not sure, as I can find any pictures or articles about the F in Vietnam. I'm still trying to figure out how TOW missiles work.

Here's a little taste of some Military-Issue .50 Caliber Freedom (Model 1776) for you all, inspired by @Redshift OTF's Huey (the inspiration it has caused isn't likely to wear off anytime soon). Happy Independence Day, or... Treason Day, as I hear it's called in Britain. USA! USA! USA!

The elevator shaft makes it look pretty good, but the base probably has a little too much flare. Add struts and place a heavy ore/fuel tank at the bottom to help keep orb from flipping entirely.

This is what, the third time in a row you've done this? Man, that is some commitment. Also, for an accurate Huey gunship, remove two rocket pics and replace the 30mm guns with the 20mm miniguns. Bonus points if you shorten the fuselage to make it look like a UH-1C.

Hey, that's pretty good, even if it does use a load of mods!

You know, after considering it for a while, I'm not sure I'm the best person to do this. There are people who are way more qualified and have been on the forums longer that deserve this privilege more. I think I'll rescind my offer for now.

If you want something that looks like a Saturn V launch tower (who wouldn't, it's one of the most iconic launch towers in the world), the two big things that this one is missing are the flared base and the elevator shaft. Right now the tower looks very empty, but adding a shaft down the middle should remedy that. I think it could also use more floors, but it's not as big a problem. Oh wait, is this intended to look like the Mobile Service Structure instead?

I made a variant of the H-5 for Medevac purposes, with two stretchers which hold one Kerbal each. Because of the extra weight the engine is now slightly underpowered, but landing it accurately is still one of the most challenging things I've done in KSP, perhaps harder than even my first Mun landing. This picture actually shows the chopper after it bounced off the pad. It's very hard to get the landing speed just right because of how the rotors have basically the same warm up/cool down delay as jet engines. I can confirm from flying simulators and seeing countless choppers landing and taking that real helicopters certainly do not do this, the change is thrust happens very quickly and smoothly. I'm starting to think that the challenge in flying this comes mainly from the keyboard and the UI's unsuitability for vertical flight. With airplanes and rockets changing direction is usually quite easy and you rarely deviate far from the prograde vector (or other desired vector). I've found that flying this (while controlling from the pilot's seat like a real helicopter), the vector will often slide far out of sight in the navball. It can be very difficult to judge whether or not the helicopter is drifting, rising/falling, moving forwards/backwards, etc. like this. I can definitely tell something is up when I don't see the vector, but I have no way of seeing where is is on the navball, so I don't know how much I need to compensate or which direction to even tilt the rotor in. Now, if you will excuse me I have an equally long worded complaint to post on the KAX thread about their helicopter engines.

Now that it's stickied, does that mean we can make the "unofficial" official?

So what are you using for making carrier landings? I used parachutes for my Panther, but it is possible to max out the brakes and try landing that way. Anothet thing, I noticed you have catergories for heavy bombers and AC-130 type gunships. I'm pretty sure those all fall under the Air Force's jurisdiction in real life, although I'm referring to the US Military's organization, it may be different for other nations.

I think with 1.1.3 out I'll work on it some more. Remember, I'm working on this not just for the forums, it's for myself too, because as you surely know by now, IMve never sent Kerbals beyond Minmus. I have everything built, which is to me the hardest part. Modifying and improving the designs is (marginally) easier.

Yep, the Korean War aircraft I'm doing now are really fun, especially the carrier rated ones and helicopters.