Maverick_aus

@timmers_uk Good job! I enjoyed your posts. And I'm so glad to see Bill was in the cabin all along. After this shot http://imgur.com/SJMfAsI (sorry, mobile phone), I thought Jeb had gotten sick of him and left alone! I'm exactly half way around, myself, having all sorts of adventures along the way. (Link in my sig if interested). One thing you could think about doing, if you're not totally sick of the challenge yet, which lots of us do during and/or at the end, is a map (eg kerbalmaps) with the route marked on. I was trying to visualise from your storytelling and your in game M map but would be good to see the detail. Ps: oh and bad luck about Historian not showing your commentary!

Very good! I like the flag. Also, did you check out Fengist's boat mod I mentioned above?

I'm sorry to hear about dramas mate. I hope you enjoy the building phase and able to get under way when you're ready.

Got around to posting my F-111 analogue. Includes working fuel dump and burner, swing-wings, bomb bay doors, and RAAF roundel. Details at WIP thread over here: Album here: http://imgur.com/a/hEf7P

F-111 Aardvark Analogue Here's a little labour of love I've worked on. I can't seem myself coming back it to, so let's say it's finished. I'm not calling it a replica, as it's not close enough for my liking. I made it in part to demonstrate a small mod, well config really which is fuel dump and burner. (There's still a little work to go, but if I get interest from people I could finish it off as a mod and release it.) Ever seen this? I have, at an air show. It's quite spectacular. It's the great General Dynamics F-111 'Aadvark'. It's now retired, but served as a highly capable strategic and tactical bomber in various guises, after being developed with carrier defense and strike in mind. It's known for its large internal fuel carriage and subsequent long range, variable-geometry wings (popularising the concept prior to the development of the F-14, Tornado or Soviet swing-wings), enabling better flight characteristics at various airspeeds, and low-altitude high-speed terrain following ability. So in memorial to the great F-111, in homage to the spectacular dump and burn it could perform and in honour of the pilots, ground crew and maintainers of these aircraft in the RAAF...I present my Pig. Features: -Dry/wet masses, and thrust close in proportion to real aircraft. -Working variable-geometry wings based on the lengthened-wing C version. Wing sweep very similar angles to real aircraft. -Working bomb bay doors. -Working fuel dumper (my simple mod/cfg simply takes the puff model and more or less adds the SRB animation whilst drinking fuel) -Mods: Firespitter, B9, SXT, IR, tweakscale, KJR, MavAusAero (my own WIP mod). -Side-by-side cockpit -Parts: 82 -My KSP play is mainly peaceful, so conceptually it's been converted into the 'CR-111' for cargo and aerial survey duties. Full album (To add it to the spacecraft exchange, I'll have to finish off the mod/repack of parts. This is still a bit of work. So if there's enough interest, maybe I'll prioritise that.)

Wrote up the next part of my Elcano challenge mission log - this time going for something more narrativ-y and charactery... The story is building...I have something big planned around the corner.

Latest update of my Elcano is live. I'm trying something a little different, and getting more into a narrative approach with some character stuff. Constructive feedback welcome, but be nice, it's my first-ish try.

Summary After an exciting morning of rescue and faring-well their mates, Jeb and Berthy head off. Making some progress before nightfall, the adventurers camp at flag E25 - Landlubber Cove. This is named both in somewhat exasperated recollection of having to spend so much time land-bound recently, and ironically in that they are now sea-worthy again. Day 14 - Sullen, Sadness; Glade and Gladness Making way the next morning, the crew pass a bay of space, beauty and protection. They note this location especially. Perhaps the mission reviewers will pass this location, along with several others to the planning board. It may become the site of a harbour or outpost for support of future expeditions and even colonisation. E26 - Safe Bay As Berthy is sipping the last of her beverage, thoughtfully brought all the way from home by her comrades, the cockpit printer squawks to life and the comms light blinks. As Jeb is at the helm, Berthy tears off the paper message, and reads aloud: .... TO: DT.R1 FR: KSC, MISCON, ELCANO DIR URG: PRIORITY UT: Y1-D103-1:50 1. WRT CRAFT FLIPPING: TO AVOID KRAKEN: R&D ENG RCMND GEAR-UP PERMNT 2. WATER TRAVEL ONLY 3. WILL ADVISE MORE AT LAND CROSS 4. GODSPEED J&B KSC SENDS ..... "Ahh, those geniuses! They've figured it out!" says Berthy. Jeb smirks, muttering: "Yeah, we have a lot to thank your fellow engineers for! If those 'geniuses' had've realised in the first place that mounting the wheel housing inside the pontoons would tempt the Fates, we wouldn't've been stranded out here so long!". Berthy, understanding his pain, winks at him: "It's ok. At least we're safe, and on our way, now." Thinking over the message she shares: "Well, if the ominous forces of the deeps are tempted by the the smell of undercarriage getting jammed....we'll just leave them up. Makes sense." Jeb: "Hmmph." Jeb is shaken. These recent close shaves with the Kraken bring back the horror of that fateful first day. All too clearly he can see the sunlight peering in through the open hatch, as Bill begins to climb out. He can smell that first salty waft entering the cabin, after hours sealed up tight. And...as Bill clambers from the hatch towards the ladder, he hears, oh hears so clearly, the metallic thump...thump...thump..thum---BANG...and Bill was no more. "I'm sorry Berthy, it's.." "It's ok, Jeb." As the hours roll by, Jeb pilots the craft, whilst Berthy watches the shore passing. Thinking over the recent dramas, Jeb's outburst, the communique, she is reminded of her friends and mates back at home. She whispers a silent thank you to them for their work in helping them on their way. The flatter shoreline has evolved into something more hilly. As she watches the undulations, she's reminded of the familiar, green peaks of home. E-27 - Homesick Hills A squirm of the stomach. A tear. She misses home. She misses the safety, the ease of life with everything and everyone there that she needs. Compared to being on the seas..oh. She longs for her work at home. The safe freedom, the specificity, the satisfaction of testing. She loves her engineering job. Well, vocation. She doesn't do engineering. She is an engineer. "Some learn, work hard, study, and get there. But others...well, they're born, not made. They just are. Like you, Berthy." Bill Kerman's words come back to her, at the graduation after the final engineer's qualification trials. She'd blitzed it, a natural. Handing out the awards, Bill reserved that proud, relaxed gaze for her and a few other senior grads - born, not made. Jeb, noticing the silence, missing the usual chirpy chatterbox of his crewmate, and feeling the sullen melancholy of the past moments... "Right, that's it! There! Look!" Berthy looks up and sees it marked on the map. The End of the West - the final headland, on the Trident peninsula - the last point of the great continent they've spent so long with...reaching out for its geographic partner on the other side of the heads, but a world away. "Wow. We're here" says Jeb. "Oh, it's a beautiful, Jeb. We've made it so far!" View from the cabin, whilst rounding the tip of the Trident Headlands The adventurers have entered a unique region of Kerbin. Two oceans, and two continents meet here, resulting in a coalescence of mountains, peninsulas, archipelagos, islands, sounds and inland seas. Near the equator, it is a lovely and diverse country, with sunny coasts, hidden treasures and tropical delights around each corner. Moments later, following the shore northward, as the Dolomedes Triton gracefully slides through the trans-oceanic headwaters, powered by the bright, warm sun, Jeb spots it first... "Berthy! Trees!" E-30 - Glad Glade Only a handful of trees, but after the days travelling off-shore, past deserts and wilderness, this is the first life of this kind they've seen for what seems like an eternity. A fertile glade, green and healthful shines as a green beacon. Jeb knows this is just what his partner needs. He throttles down, and skillfully maneuvers the craft closer, parallel to shore at a convenient beach. Berthy dives into the water, running up the beach, almost tripping over, she comes amongst the trees. Tall, strong, old, wise masters of the End of the West. Seers over the headland. Watchers of all who have come from the north ocean to the south. Berthy among the trees Berthy feels her spirit rekindle. She breathes deeply of the fresh, rich air. To be amongst the trees again! When she wasn't testing or designing at the lab or in the hanger, Berthy loved to get away. She'd fly with a friend, or by herself, and land out in the forests around the KSC tableland, feeling alive, at peace. Like this. Several precious, eternal moment pass. Saying goodbye, and thankyou to the vivifying spirits of the trees, she slowly wanders back towards the DT, meandering, contended. "Oh thank you, Jeb. That's just what I needed. What a lovely place." she says entering the hatch. "My pleasure. According to the map, we could head east through here... towards a rumoured hidden sea of sorts. There's there two...see here...sharp, promontories jutting towards each other... and this sea here looks promising." Jeb is pointing to what would become known as the Secret Sea, a place of delight in gentle waves, and quiet safety in the protected shore. A haven, an outpost where Kerbal mariners and their families could rest and recuperate, repair and refuel, on their way travelling from one ocean to another. However in years unremembered, in Kerbal lore, it had another name: Jaws of the Kraken. What history lurked behind this mythic title, no one now knew. But, wisely, Jeb keeps all this to himself, and simply spoke with his partner of discovery, and delight in the new. Now heading back east, but on the northern edge of the Trident Headland, the two sail on in the fading light. Nearing a hidden inlet, Jeb and Berthy heave to, and prepare to rest before another day. They make their camp and rest in the small cove leading to what would become known as The Secret Heads - the hidden entrance to the Secret Sea.

Well, you've got a point. I really liked the idea of the support ship sailing behind in escort at least until I had proved the DT would need unflipping again. But as it happens, the support ship wouldn't have made it much further on its mission fuel load, so it's returning to KSC. I investigated and discussed the flipping here, and have so far discovered the lowering of the wheels seems to cause the flip. So leaving them retracted has enabled me to progress fine with zero flipping. At the the moment the DT is water-only. That will have to change ahead with the transition to land. But for now, we're making progress.

Day 13 - Unflipping Day! Highlights include: -crane-lifting the vehicle then... -Kerbal crane rides -chilled beverages -tacos -beach party Now, the circumnavigation can finally continue!

@LN400 You can do it. kOS my crappy programming skills can be hair-pulling, but automation with that thing is so worth it in the end, hey? (Great song reference too, BTW). Today, I completed posting the last part of the rescue of the Elcano exploration vehicle. The Dolomedes Triton is finally rescued by the Protector of the Waterways - the Waarn! Highlights include: -crane-lifting the vehicle then... -Kerbal crane rides -chilled beverages -tacos -beach party Now, the circumnavigation can finally continue!

Day 13 - Unflipping Day The group were up at dawn to begin the operations. The plan: 1. Miloly to dive under the DT and attach an anchor point on the roof. 2. He attaches the crane winch to the anchor point. 3. Valentina operates the crane, lifting the DT upwards. 4. Once out of the water, and dangling on its own weight, given the placement of the anchorpoint deck-ward of the CoM, the DT should flip the right way up. The engineering team busily prepare the vehicle and collect parts and tools. Jeb and Berthy stand with Valentina, eager to see their steed put right. Jeb: I'm so excited! Valentina: Yeah. It should work. Berthy: 'Should'? You've done this before right? Valentina: Er...yeah. Well, a couple of tests. Berthy: Ah ok. Tests. That's good. So they went well? Valetina: Ahhhh... Valentina: ...swimmingly. Jeb: Well, that good. Let's get on with it! Miloly surveys the roof, Bill Jr. supervises. Miloly: Ma'am, ready to proceed. Are you ready? Val: Roger, extending the boom now... Miloly-My-Name's-Not-Roger secures the winch cable... ...and ditching the cumbersome helmet, taking a big breath, he dives again and attaches the cable to the anchor point. Bill Jr: Looks good mate. Should hold, I reckon. Bill Jr.: Ah. The engineers assess the damage. Valentina, whilst engulfed in the flame, was protected from the worst. (The crew give her a taco, and er..bottled beverage, to settle her down and wipe the grin off her face). Turns out that, in spite of the anchor, the chain possibly had too much play, and the Waarn had drifted in too close to the DT, and upon physics loading [next session of gameplay], exceeded impact tolerance on the small nose cone on the end tip of the DT pontoon. No biggy. Engineering team content to carry on, and with Valentina ready to blow more stuff up proceed, they tried the lift... Yes! Weeee! The company of each vessel gathers to see the handiwork This calls for a celebration! Celebration [Soundtrack: Celebration song, Led Zeppelin] Miloly shares some cooled libations and snacks conveniently packed and carried, just for this very moment. Having finally descended the ladders, and catching up on the outcome, lookout Moxy quickly retrieves some entertainment! The teams celebrate their success to the sound of Joplin's 'The Entertainer'. A perfect Kerbal moment. Pretty soon... Yay! The water's fine! Cleanup After the fun, engineers Bill and Janina make a start on fixing the damaged pontoon. We don't want any nasty pitching for the rest of the DT's voyage do we? Bill surveys the damage... ...whilst Janina brings a spare nosecone from the deck storage container. Model teamwork! Nearly there... Done. After a very eventful few days, and successful rescue mission, the two vessels' companies radio final farewells... ...and sail their separate ways. The Waarn makes way homeward, an inaugural resuce mission well-done. And finally, the Dolomedes Triton is back under way, sailing around the world!

Day 10 (continued) - Night watch After the watch change, the fresh crew continue course on heading 255°. There are two teams, which change after two 3 hours They sail through the night... Day 11 Until... Land ho! After another watch change, and pushing straight through the next night, and another day... ... on the evening of the 12th mission day, the team finally sight something familiar in the spotlight. Valentina and crew welcome Jeb and Berthy aboard, the first Kerbals they've seen in some time. Jeb and Berthy don't really trust this new-fangled 'helmet's-off' policy. Over laughs, tears and hugs, the reunited Kerbals share stories of high seas sailing, Kraken attacks, lost comrades, and delightful discoveries. Soon, everyone settles down for a good nights sleep. For at dawn's light, the recovery operation begins!

Ooh no! Frustrating I bet. But classic Kerbal moment, hey? lol

Posted a blue print of my Kerbal Sea Program vessel The Waarn.

Vessel Overview: The Waarn The latest vessel of Maverick_aus Shipwrights. (I'm loving this water-going vessel stuff so much, KSP is starting to mean Kerbal Sea Program...) Crew: 4 (navigation, helm, crowsnest, engineering) (space for double-complement) Range: +3000km Class: rescue, support and light exploration clipper Cruising speed: ~31 knots Land roving support Aerial scouting support Spare-part (and taco) storage Nav RADAR 'enables' realisitic terrain visualisation (Scansat zoom map at 60% (equiv. ~20km visual horizon). Crane for rescue and vehicle recovery operations Deployable and working anchor Pan-tilt spotlight Ballast system Dedicated engineering space Large electricity storage for extended crane operations Hot-bunks for 4x off-duty crew in the forecastle Crowsnest lookout seat Bridge-stop deck chairs for officer R&R. Thanks to @Fengist, @KospY, @sirkut, @ZodiusInfuser, @TiktaalikDreaming, @DMagic, @Lack, @linuxgurugamer, @Deimos Rast and more for making/maintaining incredible mods that make vessels and experiences like this possible for us all.

Indeed - IR Rework. Brilliant mod hey? One of those like KIS/KAS or USI's that add whole new dimensions to game play. Or Fengist's for that matter!

Finally wrote and posted the next chapter of the Elcano challenge...Help Sails On Its Way! Highlights include: -Secret rescue sailing ship is revealed! -A son pays respects at a fallen father's last location -The Waarn: Protector of the Waterways sails through Kraken-infested waters to un-flip the Dolomedes Triton Elcano discovery vehicle!

The Next Exciting Chapter in the Elcano Adventures begins today!

Previously... The last time we saw our daring duo... Day 8 Meanwhile, back at the secret R&D facility <redacted> :... secret plans are hatched... tests are undertaken...oops! Day 9 - Sundown And finally a new day dawns for the Elcano team. A brave double-complement crew embark for an urgent, flank-speed voyage to relieve the stranded adventurers. After setting off at dusk, they make way at a clipping 31.5 knots/h cruising speed through the night. They make as direct lines as possible for the stranded team. Even so, it will take several days and nights, non-stop at flank-speed to reach them. Day 10 - Reminiscences By dawn the Waarn has made it to Kape Kerman. A lone figure ponders the site of a beloved's death... The lone figure is none other than the son of Bill Kerman! Bill Jr. has been allowed to join the crew and will be undertaking full crew responsibilities. However today, they remember. At the right time, having paid respects to their passed comrade, friend, and father, Captain Valentina decides it is time to sail on. Returning to their stations, the crew fire up the boilers and set the engine speed for 100% output. Next Time... -how will the Waarn fare on its maiden voyage? -what joy and dangers await the crew on the long, fast journey? -will it protect or need protecting? -will the Kraken rear its ugly, toothed head for a snap at the Crow? Stay tuned to find out soon.

Good going! Man, I admire you for your persistence! That looks like it'd be mongrel to control with that field damage. And the narrative is fun and funny.

Thanks Chemp. My development prototype had surface-attached wheel bays. A, it avoided clipping, and B. It gave a bit more hull clearance over hills on land. However on water, I found this caused a MUCH lower cruising speed. So I conceded to clipping. Further I justified it as being a closer analogue if what real wheeled-pontoons accomplish - no drag penalty when stowing the wheels. Yes - I like your solution there, keeping them unclipped and above water. I suppose I could mount the wheel housing outboard of the pontoons and above the water...hmmm. Yeah. I checked F12 lots during testing, as well as checking the cruising speed with gear up or down. It makes a huge difference. Up, my craft cruises at 24 m/s with the current configuration. Down half or less. The other option I have, which I could try is to KAS the wheels off and then on again but surf attached. This could be accomplished in the field as the crew includes an engineer, and she has a wrench handy. However, this would, as I said, lower the cruising speed on what is predominantly a sea faring vessel. I may do this for the land bridge, if keeping the gear down causes issues. Although since your comment I have realised I could mount them outboard, and above...

Update: The Flippin' Craft I've been doing some tests with my Elcano vehicle, and have reproduced the flipping several times now. It was not, it appears, due to the wheels hitting the beach at 4x warp as I had feared, but occurs offshore, both at warp and normal speed but always right after dropping or raising (clipped) gear. Others have had issues with craft flipping, and floating (http://wiki.kerbalspaceprogram.com/wiki/Deep_Space_Kraken#Wheel_Kraken), or experiencing phantom forces with clipped wheels in 1.1.x (http://bugs.kerbalspaceprogram.com/issues/8920) The first time (as logged in the mission report), did not damage the craft. <no pics> The second time (no damage): http://imgur.com/a/KrVOR Third time (no damage), actually floated up, raised in the air and moved very slowly down over about 10 seconds: http://imgur.com/a/sXgmT Fourth time, I was fiddling with the gear like crazy trying to reproduce it. Gave up eventually, and seconds later at 4x warp, smash-BOOM! Obliterated! It was coasting along low 20s m/s, then phantom forces accelerated it to 146 m/s! http://imgur.com/a/FBWmD (From this state I could still view the map, so it wasn't the Universe Eating Kraken, just dead-KSP-vehicle-limbo.) These all occurred with the actual DT Elcano vehicle (which I had just recovered to the correct orientation- haven't yet written up the mission report), immediately after (later that day), and reproducible very easily. It's interesting that many, many times on this journey, the wheels have been lowered and it's been fine up til now. I'm wondering if the particular instance of this craft in this save is corrupted. Or perhaps it's simply more susceptible to the bug in particular conditions. The decision here is as follows: either carry on with this craft and leave the wheels up, until absolutely necessary (land bridge), or air-drop a third, fresh vehicle. If the latter, then I may slightly change the spec and de-clip the wheels. But I don' really want to have to do all that, after so much 'support work' recently and so little actual exploring. More testing should resolve this... [Ah testing...what CAN'T it do?]

Sounds good, thanks mate.

Thanks Claw, Yes, the orange route. (Sorry if that was not clear). Your judgment on the red route confirms what I suspected too - and why I decided against it. Thanks for the clarification, and sharing your thought behind the ruling.