XLjedi

Description

"Slowly emerging from a secluded Krakonian Skunkworks hangar, the spooling lift fans of an FA-38 whine at an ever increasing pitch. The MAD Mind Collective 5th gen fighter effortly begins to levitate with a TWR double its weight.  Elite Krakonian pilots fortunate enough to qualify, do not achieve vertical flight in the Nemesis... They dominate it.  HAIL KRAKEN!!"

Design Notes

Flight testing went very well, the final version was achieved in the Mk4 iteration after deciding that I could trade off some flight stability for an increased fuel load.  I figure a 5th gen fighter is a pretty unstable airframe anyway, and will need to rely on the pilot assist fly-by-wire system to constantly keep it stable.  Vertical flight is very controlled with plenty of vertical thrust to keep it from pancaking on landing.  This was the first VTOL that was stable enough to land on both helo-pads at the KSC.    

Need to come up with a little VTOL mission now for the video flight demo.  ...maybe plant a flag on a mountain top?  Where's a good skull-island-dormant-volcano-evil-lair when you need one?