Mars-Bound Hokie

May 16th, 1923 - 100 years ago today, the Engineering Division at Dayton's (now-defunct) McCook Field started a small aviation engineering study collection. Long story short, that collection was eventually moved to Wright-Patterson Air Force Base and grew to become the largest military aviation museum in the world. The museum I'm referring to is famously known as the National Museum of the United States Air Force in Dayton, Ohio. Birds-eye view of the museum that was taken recently (found on museum webpage) From left to right: Hangar 1 (adjacent to main entrance): Early Years (smaller section) and World War II (larger section) Hangar 2: Korean War and Southeast Asia War Hangar 3: Cold War and Other Aircraft Missile Silo Hangar 4: Space, Research and Development, Global Reach, and Presidential Gallery And to celebrate the museum's 100-year anniversary, it will open the Centennial Exhibit on Sunday, May 21st, 2023. You can bet your stabilizers that I'll be there bright and early that day. Will you? Sources: Email correspondence with museum personnel: https://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/Upcoming/Events/ - Museum webpage listing upcoming events. In case there's any confusion, the Centennial Exhibit opens on Sunday, May 21st. I first thought it was the 20th, since that was what earlier news articles stated (including one from the museum website itself) but a phone call with someone from the museum cleared that up. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Museum_of_the_United_States_Air_Force - Wikipedia page that also contains a detailed history of the museum before it became the multi-hangar site that it is today. UPDATE: this came out early this morning as I was asleep. Turns out, the museum really did start on May 16, 1923. Thanks for the heads-up, Mr. McLaughlin. https://www.ideastream.org/2023-05-16/national-museum-u-s-air-force-100th-anniversary P.S. If you feel up to the challenge, I have a (KSP1) Spacecraft Exchange thread devoted specifically to replicas of aircraft on display in the museum. Any and all help completing this would be nice, thank you.

After I uploaded Plane Prime V1 onto KerbalX (the first version of Kerbin's Prime Minister's official plane), I flew around with one of my old planes from 3.5 years ago: the Aerial Transportation Vehicle. I wondered how well that would serve as a Plane Prime. At the time I made the ATV (aerial transportation vehicle), I just built it as a low-capacity airliner. I didn't plan for anything serious with it, nor did I (realistically) believe I would ever fly it again. Picture of the plane in the SPH This was taken December 2019, before I added the modifications today May 2023 modifications include Autostrutting everything while removing the strut connectors (per @IMLL1's recommendation from years ago) A Kerbnet action group, which would come in real handy when flying in the dark So you can see if you're over water or unsuitable mountains An action group for the ramp, which I had neglected to activate when I first made this plane (UNAVAILABLE IN 2019) Nav and beacon lights, as well as some cargo in the passenger cabin This is the plane flying at my finalized cruising altitude and velocity (see chart below) Although I can fly way faster than 815 m/s, I would rather not scare my passengers by having their aircraft engulfed in flames the entire time And for military veterans and/or fire or plane crash survivors, looking out the window would definitely cause some panic attacks. Aerial Transportation Vehicle (CURRENT Plane Prime) Test Run Performance Stats Crew Capacity 4 crew + 16 passengers Power Plant 4 x J-X4 “Whiplash” Total Empty Cargo Capacity 20 (9 loaded + 11 empty) Landing Gear Configuration Tricycle Cruising Altitude 15.3 km (Can go higher) Clear Alt Test Mountains? YES Cruising Surface Velocity 815 m/s (Any faster and the plane catches fire) Expected Range 3,400 km Takeoff Velocity 110 m/s Landing ~319 km SHORT of the KSC. I flew almost 3,300 km before switching off the autopilot and looking for a place to land I had 500 units of fuel left, but I was over water* so I had to fly around until I found a suitable land mass I wouldn't have known if I was over water or land had I not switched Kerbnet and the auto-refresh on Rare footage of Prime Minister Bush Kerman Junior wearing his old flight uniform. Here, he is standing next to his wife, First Lady Lauren Kerman, in front of Plane Prime. Feel free to download my craft file and try it out for yourself. Also, if you're interested in some Kerbal aviation history, be sure to check out my Plane Prime V1 as well.

If it will help, I have a hangar full of early-to-mid-game craft on KerbalX. I don't know how well they'll work with Planet Jam 2, but they should be a good start. https://kerbalx.com/hangars/163740 I also have a fleet of several SSTOs ready for takeoff (that I have you to thank for helping me design, by the way).

With my old motors, the problem with that was the propeller blade length. My solution: use a smaller motor with smaller blades. And I won't have to sacrifice thrust, either. The latest Mk. I prototype was reduced to 15% power (60 kN) per rotor, while the EM-32S standard rotor has a thrust of 70 kN at 100%. Which is why I not only did gradual turns in my test run, but I switched the front nose cone with Type Bs. I also added rear horizontal stabilizers to the Mk. II along with horizontals, although I don't plan on flying this thing on its own. When it's on Laythe, it's not going for a speed record or turn-heavy action; just an exploration cruise around the water. Here's the latest variant. I added retractable solar panels to decrease recharge time for when this thing is stranded. As I said before, after the water test was complete, I added solar panels on the exterior. The center hull and floats were based on my Amphibian, which worked so well in the past for what it was designed for. When the front nose was digging into the water a bit, I replaced it with a Type B. The nav lights are there to make it easier to see in the dark, although it's probably smarter not to go swimming at night due to not only lowered visibility but the lack of solar power to reduce (if not cancel out) the rate at which power is drained. Though the boat is still a bit nose-heavy, it was nowhere near as bad as Mk. I's was. For best speed on the water, set blade angle to 15 degrees (AND NO MORE). To my surprise, I went faster on props than the Amphibian did on Panthers. You can still go at max speed at just 2/3 throttle. I made it to the abandoned airfield right as the sun was rising. After that test run was over, I decided to put gear on the front and rear tips so that the wheels can have a better grip on the terrain should it get too steep. That was when I increased the blade angle and pushed forward at maximum throttle. Air time. So, anyways, thank you for all your help. Now that the preliminary test runs are done, all I need to do is copy this into my sandbox save, slap it on a rocket to Laythe, send it there, see if it survives re-entry, do a test sail, and then I'm all set for my career save. If anybody has any questions/concerns/comments, please let me know. Again, thank you.

I'm designing an electric amphibious vehicle to send to Laythe whose design is based on my years-old Amphibian. The jet engines were replaced with Breaking Ground props, the passenger capacity was reduced to make room for scientific instruments and reaction wheels, the fuel tanks were (95%) emptied, and the pontoons were replaced with a lot of batteries. Image of the (second-to-latest) prototype. I named it "Saltrider" since the only way Laythe's waters can remain a liquid at below-freezing is if it has a high-enough salt concentration to make it have a significantly lower freezing point. The latest one had wing connectors (and control surfaces) in the back holding up the engines, although it did not make a difference in the outcome of the water test. I'm going electric so I don't get stranded in the middle of the ocean forever when I run out of power. It has retractable landing gear on the side as an anti-crash measure in case it tips over. Solar panels not included, as I need to conduct a successful water test before deciding the placement. Though the land tests looked promising - and I was probably going too fast (85 m/s at a 17-degree propeller blade angle) - the water test was not so much. It was nose-heavy when I got in, and when I tried turning right to I literally went belly-up. I brought back the engines to try and balance things out, but it didn't make a difference - structural pylons or wing connectors. Could you please tell me what's causing the boat to get all nose-heavy and how I can fix this? Here's the craft file if you want to mess with it - https://mega.nz/file/zaAGyIpD#62WNRZzcqXpyO-ipP2ISX5W25pZinpWrzQUbe17sUyI Thank you very much.

Unfortunately, no. I had to disable that action group (I typically use the R button for flaps on aircraft) when the Elevon 3s between the fuselage and the engines deployed in the OPPOSITE direction. How can I correct the flap deployment direction without it affecting which way those control surfaces go in regular (no flaps on) flight. Flaps typically point downward when deployed, they pointed upward. How do I do that on KSP at such a precise angle, or is it pure guesswork? Also, won't this affect the way my engines are pointed too?

I made a plane similar to the Beechcraft Model 18 - also known among military aircraft enthusiasts as the C-45 Expeditor. The Beachcraft on display in the SPH. This was meant as a recreational short-range aircraft and not to be used for any serious survey missions. The thermometer was mostly for show, as one would like to know the temperature of the landing spot while on vacation. Due to the tailwheel landing gear configuration, I had to tilt the aircraft upward a bit to reduce bouncing when it first gets on the runway. Its cargo bay is loaded with EVA repair kits and some science kits, although I do not recommend using this plane for any survey missions unless they're within 340 kilometers of the KSC. The lights are for personal use when you're on vacation or something, like on a beach. You'll be running on fumes at 330 km, so you might want a decent altitude before you start landing at a VERY low throttle. The thermometer and antenna were for show, as: If you're going to go on vacation and/or sightsee, wouldn't you want to know the temperature of where you're going? A lot of planes (especially older ones) have antennae sticking out of their fuselages. If you're interested in the in-universe story behind it, feel free to read the spoiler below: WARNING: contains spoilers for "A Mystery Beyond Science." After a painless takeoff - I didn’t even need to pitch up before liftoff at 80 m/s - I gained some altitude and turned west towards Alt Test Mountains. Sure, the craft was intended for low-altitude sightseeing, but KSP test pilots love to take their vehicles over Alt Test Mountains. So much so I had to include "Clear Alt Test Mountains" as a question in the performance stats. The Beachcraft clearing the mountains before activating the MJ aircraft autopilot. Although the test run flew at an altitude of 7.85 km, it was able to fly over 8 km for a bit. But in the process of attempting to lower the altitude to 8 km, the pilot screwed up and it got stuck at 7.85 km. Rather than try to fix it, Mission Control allowed the cruise to continue as it was. It had already proven to fly as high as the real-life Beechcraft and twice as fast. 95 units of fuel left, and the Beachcraft flew 331 km west from the KSC in 28 minutes. It had a good flight, but it was time to land. Lucky thing it didn’t overshoot the desert peninsula when the LAND IMMEDIATELY alarm went off, or Val would be in a lot of trouble. Descending at a very low throttle for an off-road landing test along the desert beaches. After a two-wheeled landing (that tailwheel didn’t want to touch the ground for a bit), the plane managed to come to a complete stop in one piece. Due to an unforeseen complication, the hatch was obstructed and Val couldn’t get out for a photo. The ladder was moved several times and the cockpit was replaced, but it was no good. Finally, the engines were moved from the center a bit - and just like that, Val was able to get in and out of the plane. Apparently, the blades were too close to the hatch for it to open. While I matched the real-life Beechcraft Model 18's altitude and go twice as fast, I could barely go 1/6th of its range. After the problem with the hatch was taken care of, the plane was taken for another test run. This time, it was flying south along the beaches near the KSC. Although its original owner, Wynter Kerman the Second, did fly here sometimes, most of her sightseeing flights were somewhere else on the planet. Furthermore, the Kerbal Space Program didn’t exist at the time. After it was retrofitted with a probe core many decades later, it was brought here for a test flight. Beachcraft Test Run Performance Stats Crew Capacity 1 pilot + 2 passengers Power Plant (2 x R121) x (6 x R-25) Total Empty Cargo Capacity 12 (6 loaded + 6 empty) Landing Gear Configuration Tailwheel Cruising Altitude 7.85 km (Can go higher) Clear Alt Test Mountains? YES Cruising Surface Velocity 205 m/s Expected Range 340 km Blade Angle 38 degrees (45 is optimal) Takeoff Velocity 80 m/s Craft file: https://kerbalx.com/Mars-Bound_Hokie/Beachcraft

If you want the context and/or have craft to contribute, here's the showcase thread in question:

As more proof that German science is ze finest in the vorld, allow me to demonstrate the Messerschmitt Me 163B Komet. And I didn't have any Blazing Angels flashbacks this time. The Me 163 on display in the SPH. Pilots are unable to get in and out of there due to the hatch being obstructed. Not that this plane was useful anyway. The Japanese counterpart, which the Germans helped kickstart, was intended to be a kamikaze weapon against incoming bombers. Not a good pitch for a brand-new fighter plane. Without the propeller on the nose, this aircraft could have been pure stock. Apparently, the real-life Komet’s tiny propeller operated as a ram air turbine that provided electrical power. Which is ironic because in KSP, the electric rotor it ends up eating power unless the rocket engine is operating. The original design had Rovemax Model M1 wheels, but each takeoff ended up with fishtailing followed by catastrophic failure one second later. So, I had to resort to retractable landing gear for the front wheels so I can have a stable takeoff. Takeoff at full throttle. The smaller rocket motors weren't enough to get this going, so I had to use to the Dart. Just like its real-life counterpart, I had a very short engine run time. Thanks to the Dart engine, this plane was capable of exceeding the real-life counterpart’s maximum speed and altitude by a wide margin. I even went supersonic for a while before easing on the throttle. However, I could not match the real-life Komet's maximum powered endurance (engine run time). As a result, a large majority of my test flight's time was spent gliding. So, yeah, I wouldn’t use this to chase incoming bombers unless they’re high and very close - which is probably what the Germans probably did IRL. Honestly, if enemy bombers are close enough to the point where you have to resort to Komets (rather than just unmanned ground-to-air missiles), then you have a terrible radar detection system. Even if you had a bunch of available Shūsuis and kamikaze pilots, it's best not to use them due to the Komet's reported combat inefficiencies - not to mention its record is riddled with testing and training deaths. The plane landed safely approximately 130 km from the KSC after 20 minutes of flight - most of which was spent gliding. The hatch was obstructed by the fuel tank, so Dilorf Kerman couldn’t get out for a photo. Tim C Kerman noted that she "... looks just like the chick on the old Heinkelian poster next to the Sturmvogel at the Super-Cool Aircraft Museum" (yes, it's actually called the Super-Cool Aircraft Museum). Although Dilorf looks far too young to have grandparents who were babies in the Heinkelian Empire's final days - let alone be an adult test pilot herself in its mid-to-late years - museum employees and KSC personnel alike agree that the resemblance between the two is uncanny. Tomorrow, which happens to be Easter Sunday, marks one year since my first time visiting the Air Force Museum. I then made six more visits in the year that followed, putting my total at seven. As of now, I plan to make Visit Eight on May 20th for the centennial celebration - and Visit Nine some time later for a company event (that I'm leading). Replicas Remaining: 234

Guten Tag, Damen und Herren. Einführung die Messerschmitt Me 262A Schwalbe. The Me 262 on display in the SPH. Although it is famous for being a jet-powered fighter called the Schwalbe, a fighter-bomber variant known as the Sturmvogel existed. Hence why I included it in the craft name. The tilted ladder was so pilots can easily crawl to the hatch when boarding, since preliminary tests showed that Jeb couldn't get on without it (after disembarking and getting on solid ground). Before beginning the flight test, I had some more Blazing Angels flashbacks. Suddenly, I felt like an 11-year-old flying a P-51 on the Wii during my school's (extended) winter break. Berlin was smoking from all the bombs the B-17s dropped, so it was hard to see in a lot of spots. When the propeller-powered Germans had retreated, I thought that we had finally won - but boy did we have another thing coming. Tom, Frank, and I were unable to catch up with the Nowotny Squadron, which was what the formation of Me 262s was called. Not only did they outnumber us - the bombers weren't any help and we were their only fighter escort - they were way faster than us in our Mustangs. To make matters worse, since Joe had died over Normandy (in-game) almost a year prior, we didn't have our in-flight mechanic handy for when we sustained serious damage. As if that wasn't bad enough, the jet squadron had planned their counterattack against us three in such a way that kept us separated until the last one or two left. The odds were stacked against us in terms of numbers, speed, time, home territory, and visibility. Eventually, after so many times getting shot down - and the occasional steeple-hitting in the thick smoke - I managed to pull off a victory. I didn't get an ace medal that time, but as far as I was concerned the mere fact that I beat those jets was good enough. I could try for the medal later, but I swore never to use the P-51 again for that. I can also thank my Dad for telling me to lead my target when they're moving across from me, which came in handy. It also helped when we were outside playing soccer in deep snow later that day. The Tempest was a significant improvement since the P-51's guns were basically peashooters. However, I forget if that was what got me an ace medal in the rematch or if it was the Gloster Meteor. Feels ironic that I built a replica of the very jet which caused my pre-teen self some grief in an air combat videogame. Sorry for the rambling, I'm sure you didn't come here to read childhood stories. Here are the performance test pictures as promised - and in English this time. The Me 262 flying low over the VAB shortly after takeoff. The launch pad was empty because no V-2s were ready for launch yet. Besides, even if they were, odds are they would have been shot down by some Gloster Meteors before hitting the target - assuming that it was even accurate enough to do so. It was quite the climb, but the plane managed to clear the mountain range west of the KSC. For all of you wondering if I finally decided on a name for that mountain range, yes I did. I call it the Altitude Test Mountain Range. Alt Test Mountains for short. The jet flying with the MJ aircraft autopilot on. CAUTION: be wary of what functions you activate at what times. I was flying at 6.04 km altitude at an airspeed of 270 m/s. Although I had managed to go faster than the real-life model, I could not reach its maximum altitude without serious speed drops - hence an increased risk of stalling before reaching said altitude, hence failure was inevitable. At least I managed to go above the Alt Test Mountains, and I had a smooth ride. If you look closely at the center of the yellow circle, you could make out a small speck. That speck is Minmus. I first thought it was some crud on my TV screen, but it moved as I changed the camera angle. When I turned on map view and hovered the cursor over an ore scanner orbiting Minmus, I decided that the speck was indeed Minmus. 75 units of fuel left, and I have flown 556.7 km away from the KSC. For reference, I had started with 225 units of fuel. No, it was not at full capacity. I had to take some fuel out to balance it. Not a bad run, but it was time for an off-road landing test. Jeb standing near the front landing gear after getting this jet down in one piece. Some of the other pilots wanted to test the replicas themselves, and the higher-ups agreed - as well as several of the KSP's counselors. They decided that Jeb would get a break next time a new plane was to be flown. Making progress, but like I said I can't do all of them all by myself. Replicas Remaining: 235 BLAZING ANGELS HOLDS A SPECIAL PLACE IN THE HEARTS OF MANY KERBALNAUTS DO NOT LET THIS CLASSIC DIE

Straight from the Thunderbirds, here comes the F-16A Fighting Falcon. The pure stock F-16 replica on display in the SPH. Like its real-life counterpart, it has a fly-by-wire control system. In fact, it is regarded as the first aircraft to use such a system. Just like with my Starfire replica, I didn't give it a letter variant designation so that it could be found easier on KerbalX. Since I don't have BDArmory anymore, this plane is unarmed. Anyone who downloads this is free to add weapons if they wish. Before taking off, the decoy flares were tested. I don't have BDArmory, so the fireworks were a good candidate. Although I don't know if they can actually function as decoy flares. At the very least, it looks good for a pure stock plane. After I got my wheels off at 50 m/s in regular engine mode, I turned north and fired some more flares. Flying full throttle at an altitude of approximately 9.5 km at 290 m/s Matching the real-life cruise speed, but terrible at reaching the maximum altitude and speed. I then set the MJ aircraft autopilot to stay at its altitude so I can see how far it can fly. Boy, was I surprised when I came back almost 40 minutes later. 40 minutes of flying later, I was almost out of fuel and flying at almost three times my starting cruise speed at full throttle - which was also past the real-life counterpart’s maximum speed. As soon as I took this screenshot, I was forced to cut the engine and make a landing on Kerbin’s polar ice cap. I was so lucky I didn't need to restart the engine during the landing sequence, because I had accidentally set the action group to "Shut down engine," during that test run - as in I couldn't turn it back on with that button. It's fixed now. Jeb taking a good look at the sun after landing the F-16. It had only 30 units of fuel left, so he was stuck there until surface recovery crews could pick him up. Image of the F-16A Fighting Falcon on display in the United States Air Force Museum. This particular aircraft was used by the Thunderbirds starting in 1982 until they converted to F-16Cs in 1992. After that, it was modified to operational condition and assigned to the Air Education and Training Command to train pilots at Luke Air Force Base in Arizona. Finally, in 1996, this plane was repainted in Thunderbirds Colors and put on display in the museum in October. Source: https://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/Visit/Museum-Exhibits/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/196735/general-dynamics-f-16a-fighting-falcon/ Any and all help to complete the list is greatly appreciated. Thank you. Replicas Remaining: 236

! EXTRA EXTRA, READ ALL ABOUT IT ! AIR FORCE MUSEUM TURNS 100 ON MAY 2023 Thanks for watching the sneak previews, and now on to the main event. I shall now demonstrate the Lockheed F-94C Starfire. The F-94 Starfire on display in the SPH. I didn't give it an "A," "C," or other letter variant designation so that it could be easier to find on KerbalX. I claimed "C" on this checklist, so whoever builds another F-94 variant would have to take "A" on this thread. WARNING: the hatches are obstructed, so don't plan on any EVAs while using this. Nothing screams "AMERICAAAAAAAA!" like big USAF symbols painted on your fighter jet. This plane had already surpassed double the real-life Starfire's top speed of 640 mph (286 m/s) with the afterburner on, so all that was left was to match its altitude. Although I met the minimum requirements for this thread (looks like the namesake and can fly), I decided to go for the altitude match. This fighter had exceeded the real-life Starfire’s top speed and altitude. In this picture, it is cruising at around a stable 16.5 km (it can go higher) at approximately 800 m/s. 200 units of fuel spent in afterburner mode, and the Starfire flew almost 500 km before landing. I had plenty of fuel to spare (500 units left), but completing the range test would take all evening. Thank you for watching this plane in action, and for taking the time to read my Centennial announcement. I can't wait to go there again (for the eighth time), and I hope you all have a chance to enjoy this landmark in aviation history (preservation) as well. Let's aim high, fellow kerbalnauts. Replicas Remaining: 237

JEBEDIAH KERMAN'S MISSION LOG: Y66D242 - 1H30M Remember that oversized drone that the guys at the SPH built for aerial recon on Laythe? Since it worked out so well (for the most part), it was redesigned to carry cargo and passengers - and go faster. I was then bestowed the honor of doing a westward test flight around Kerbin's equator. The E-40 Impulse flying above (one of) Kerbin's deserts. I then got a reminder to turn the nav lights on after this photo was taken. To my surprise, it was rather quiet flying this plane the autopilot was easy to set. All I had to do was set the altitude lock to 7 km and point the nose at a 270-degree heading, and I was all set. Since this was an electric plane, I didn't have to worry about a variable speed since the fuel wouldn't be draining. After all, you can't run out of fuel if you don't use fuel. The plane was also quiet, like you could take a nap without needing earplugs. In fact, I did that immediately after texting this pic to Bill. Looks like I'm running away from the death star in this plane. Approaching the KSC after less than a day of continuous flight. I finished the equatorial flight around Kerbin in 5 HOURS, 11 MINUTES, 30 SECONDS. Bill said that if I lowered the propeller blade angle and flew west, I could leave the plane airborne forever; I have no idea what he meant. After that, a friend of mine from school - I forgot which one, but it was the guy who dressed in a Ohio Glenn jacket and fedora all the time (and once got suspended for bringing a whip) - said that he found the Temple of Tut-Un Jeb-Ahn. According to legend, after the ancient king Tut-Un Jeb-Ahn died from sickness, some of his closest followers built a large religious temple in the empire's capital city to house his body. The king's heir, Tut-Un Jeb-Ahn-Dos, apparently saw an opportunity to strengthen his dynasty's influence by having the high priest announce that his dearly-departed father had become a member of their society's pantheon after his death. In other words, the dead king had become a god to be worshipped. Also according to legend, the gods did not take kindly to the new king's attempt to compare a mortal to them. While Jeb-Ahn-Dos was away seeking his bride, the gods had buried the city and its "blasphemous" inhabitants in a year-long sandstorm. When the king and his new wife returned, they could not find the city anywhere; just large mounds in the desert. The temple of Tut-Un Jeb-Han has been the subject of mythology, fairy tales, classroom discussions, and epic movies (including the first Ohio Glenn) for thousands of years. But until now, nobody ever found it. I then convinced Gus to let me fly to the temple dig site under the pretense that the E-40 needed to do an off-road landing test. He was a bit confused as to why I wanted to fly an hour west towards some incredibly specific coordinates in the desert, but he didn't seem to mind - as long as I brought a couple of Level One kerbalnauts with me for the ride. You can barely make out the resurfaced temple in this picture. Lenson Kerman (Level One - Engineer) was reading the plane specs and performance logs while Camlan Kerman (Level One - Scientist) was asleep. Another successful landing after a little less than an hour. I don't know why the plane has robot scanner arms installed in the back, but am I glad I'm not the one who needs to operate them - just the aircraft itself. Boy, does that temple look awesome - although I must say that whoever designed that crown must have been some edgy ten-year-old. Unbeknownst to us, Lenson has a sister who's a linguist that works at the dig site. That's how he knows so much about this legend. My picture taken in front of the statue of Tut-Un Jeb-Ahn. My dad's side of the family claims that they're direct descendants of him, but I'm personally not sure. I guess we could always ask for a DNA test after they find the body - assuming it wasn't cremated or turned to dust by time. I then uploaded a marker onto our navigation systems in case the KSP wants to send any more personnel or equipment to the dig site. What does all this talk about electric planes and ancient tombs have to do with Laythe missions, you ask? Now that we proved the E-40's capabilities on Kerbin, maybe we can send it to Laythe as a quiet luxury tourist transport across the surface. It may not be as fast or as reliable in terms of fuel as the jet-powered counterparts (especially the refueling-capable ones), but you have to admit the quiet electric motors are easy on the ears.

Thanks for asking, and yes. If you're going to use the Heisenberg mod for an airship (which I rarely see these days), you might as well use everything else it provides. Sure, planes and rockets and helicopters are awesome, but let's not forget that balloons took mankind to the skies centuries before the Wright Brothers did. It's on the OP now. Oh, and to everyone else, I would like to submit an updated entry for myself. You will find the full details of my E-40's performance in the original post of this showcase thread I made: Feel free to submit your electrifying entries on there as well.

AGAFORD KERMAN'S MISSION LOG: Y66D164 - 4H30M I cannot tell you how glad I am to be in a nice, (semi-)cozy spaceplane after being trapped in a smelly spacesuit for days. After I was done refueling the P-5 Olympian, I had to get out of the plane since the transfer window to Dres was opening soon. That meant I had to be stuck floating in Minmus orbit in nothing but my EVA suit until the Laythe speeder arrived. (Wo)man overboard! Once the Laythe speeder rendezvoused with me, I jetpacked my way to the cockpit and fumbled for the airlock lever in the darkness until I got in. First thing I did before I landed, I washed myself as best as I could with what I had. After that, I refueled the plane's Lf tanks, flew out of Minmus SOI, and now I'm at a parking orbit 50 Mm above Kerbin. You can see Kerbin, the Mun, and Minmus (L to R) in this picture. With 4,500 m/s of dV in my fuel tanks, according to the onboard Launch Window Planner, I have enough fuel to make it to Jool directly - but with almost 400 m/s of dV left over. After the KSP ran several simulations sending different craft - whether they be base parts or electric planes - they recommend I target Laythe directly as soon as I enter Jool's SOI. After that, I would fine-tune my approach to have a periapsis WITHIN the planet's atmosphere so that I could aerobrake. I would still have to make a braking burn when I enter Laythe's SOI so that I don't stay in a hyperbolic trajectory at best or explode from overheating at worst. Either way, too fast an approach would backfire on me. Once I can safely re-enter Laythe, I would have to find an island with a suitable ore concentration and fast. Cross my fingers I get lucky enough to fly near one. Regarding the Base vs Station debate, I'd rather go with a station than a base. With a base, you have to make a precise landing; if you're unlucky, the only safe spots that won't end up with you sliding will be far away. On top of that, it will cost a lot more time than it would to send a completed orbital station - which would probably cost less on its own than all four base parts put together. Not to mention that, even if the craft lands smack-dab next to the base, kerbals will have to transport the cargo one-by-one in either direction. I think we can send both, but only the first part of the base. It can serve as a warehouse for auxiliary equipment, which may not even be used since the orbital station has a lot of cargo slots as it is. In other news, I hear we're doing great with our electric drones so far. So great, in fact, that the engineers there are building a luxury three-man transport based off the drone's general design. Since the electric engines were reportedly quieter than the jet engines, I would pay a lot of money to cruise around the planet in one of those planes if I could also take a nap in the middle and/or listen to some soothing music. But I don't have to worry about that now, since most of my time in the Neptune VIII plane will be spent in empty space with the engine off. What do you all think? Base, or Station?

I'm excited to build interstellar starships and set up colonies on various planets like the ones you see on Star Trek.

I know, this entry is the same plane as the original post. This is just the E-40 Impulse being sent to Laythe, as I had originally planned. When people say that something "will go down in flames," this isn't what they're talking about. Right? Smooth landing, and recharging for the next flight. And since it's so far away from the sun, it needs all the electricity it can get. Thanks for the help. Good thing the plane can carry three people (pilot + 2 passengers) so I can leave the engineer + scientist combo at the landing spot for a while to gather science. Craft file: https://kerbalx.com/Mars-Bound_Hokie/E-40-Impulse-LAYTHE-VARIANT

I sent the E-40 Impulse to Laythe. When my nuclear-powered delivery rocket first entered Jool's SOI, I set Laythe as the target and flew directly there (as opposed to setting up a parking orbit around Jool and going to Laythe). Out of curiosity, I wonder how many kerbalnauts here go for the direct moon approach. I’m not sure this is what people mean when they use the expression going down in flames. Either way, as predicted, the plane survived re-entry - but now I had to get the plane under control before it crashed in the water. A couple of things I had to do between re-entry and when I finally regained controls: The blade angle was still at 0 degrees the entire trip (I didn’t change it when I mounted the plane itself to the rocket), so I had to press and hold H to adjust it before I could hope for those engines to be of any use. I was nosediving at quite a concerning rate, and my attempt to pitch up wasn’t doing anything. So, I hit the reverse thrust button in order to increase the rate that my vertical velocity rose (as in got closer to zero from a negative value). Of course, I switched the engine direction back to normal before my vertical velocity hit 0 - and even then, I needed a bit more time to regain control. In the end, I managed to fly in a somewhat more stable manner. After landing in one piece, I extended the solar panels to speed up solar power recharge.

Who said KSP1 is dead as soon as KSP2 comes out? I'm still going to play it. Besides, I'd rather wait a while and see if it's worth the hype before I spend money on it.

Sorry for the delayed response, but I suppose a dropship for moon exploration would be useful. I'd love to see the Sparrow. That being said, a separate launch for a station part would also be welcome. Maybe you can send both ships at once in a fleet.

As the title implies, show us what electric aircraft you got. Whether they be pure stock, stock + DLC, or modded. I'm very interested to see what you all have. The only rule is that the end-stage (as in the plane itself) must run on pure electricity - no using Lf, Ox, Lf+Ox, or monopropellant for propulsion. If your plane is designed specifically for Duna/Eve/Laythe use, then your delivery rockets can use whatever is necessary to get it to its target (like on my E-38 Earhart and E-39 Earhart Junior). As long as the plane itself doesn't use up any chemicals to move, you should be good. Having those (or ore or xenon) on board the plane is okay if it's for balancing purposes. Just don't use up any to move the plane. Besides, fuel cells aren't exactly a reliable power source when it comes to battery-powered plane propulsion. And xenon is too weak to move anything outside of a vacuum. Being able to carry passengers and cargo are awesome bonuses, but not required. I'll start this thread with my own entry. The E-40 Impulse on display in the SPH It has "PLANE ONLY" in the name since I have plans to take it to Laythe later. In the meantime, I would have to test its capabilities here on Kerbin Its cargo bay is loaded with science station equipment, EVA kits, and repair kits Although I personally don't really know how to operate the science stations. I just placed them close together and hit "Interact." Here's a funny little blooper: Jeb hitting the "Reverse Thrust" button by mistake. At least he remembered to turn the nav lights on (this time). As soon as Jeb was airborne, he turned west in order to maximize the plane's exposure to sunlight If he flew east, he would inevitably enter a dark zone and lose electric charge Nice shot of the E-40 flying over the desert. This was taken before I installed nav lights and rear robot arms in the current prototype. Jeb looking at Engine One from the cockpit, as well as the mountains to the south. Engines are numbered starting with the furthest left (looking forward from the cockpit). 100 km away from the KSC, and the mountains to the west of it are in sight. Under Engine 1, you can barely see the abandoned island airfield. 1 km ASL and ~8 km away from the runway. 5 HOURS, 11 MINUTES, 30 SECONDS Since I was flying faster than the planet's rotation about its axis, I launched mid-late afternoon so I wouldn't outrun the sunny spot and therefore lose a constant power source. E-40 Test Run Performance Stats Crew Capacity 1 pilot + 2 passengers Power Plant (2 x EM-64S) x (4 x R-25) Total Empty Cargo Capacity 12 (all loaded) Cruising Altitude 7 km Cruising Surface Velocity 200 m/s Minimum Throttle Required 2/3 Blade Angle 38 degrees (45 is optimal) Optimum Takeoff Time Westward Flight Mid-late afternoon Eastward Flight Early in the morning (NOT recommended for long flights) But I did not stop there: Craft file: https://kerbalx.com/Mars-Bound_Hokie/E-40-Impulse-PLANE-ONLY What do you think? Show us what you've got.

I got the answer to that right here: I have a rudimentary replica of the F-14, or rather a supersonic jet whose basic design is based of the F-14 - even down to the variable sweep wing. Rather than aesthetic, I focused more on performance. Though it did not achieve the cruising altitude and airspeed I hoped for, I was able to match those of its real-life counterpart (except the range, which MY craft surpassed). Tim C's Car cruising in supersonic mode over Kerbin in an eastward circumnavigation flight RECOMMENDED CRUISE STATS Mode: Supersonic Average Altitude: 17,000 m Real-life F-14 Service Ceiling: 16,000 m Velocity: 795 m/s (to start - expect to rise as fuel is spent) Real-life F-14 Maximum Speed: Mach 2.34 or 803 m/s Expected Range: 4,750 km (so yes, it can fly around Kerbin) Real-life F-14 Range: 3,000 km Craft file: https://kerbalx.com/Mars-Bound_Hokie/Tim-Cs-Car

I made an all-electric small passenger plane and flew it around Kerbin. The E-40 Impulse on display in the SPH It has "PLANE ONLY" in the name since I have plans to take it to Laythe later. In the meantime, I would have to test its capabilities here on Kerbin Its cargo bay is loaded with science station equipment, EVA kits, and repair kits Although I personally don't really know how to operate the science stations. I just placed them close together and hit "Interact" (more on that later) Jeb hit the "Reverse thrust" button during takeoff by mistake, explaining why the plane was going backwards He had to get the plane back into position and restart the test flight all over again As soon as Jeb was airborne, he turned west in order to maximize the plane's exposure to sunlight If he flew east, he would inevitably enter a dark zone and lose electric charge Nice shot of the E-40 flying over the desert This was taken before I installed nav lights and rear robot arms in the next prototype I really need to start an album devoted specifically to cool background pictures Jeb looking at Engine One from the cockpit, as well as the mountains to the south Engines are numbered starting with the furthest left (looking forward from the cockpit) Another great shot worthy of being some laptop's background picture 100 km away from the KSC, and the mountains to the west of it are in sight Under Engine 1, you can barely see the abandoned island airfield 1 km ASL and ~8 km away from the runway I'm so glad I disabled pitch and roll for the swept control surfaces (not the ones at the wingtips), since they were so counterproductive in previous test runs. So now all they're good for is roll and flaps. 5 HOURS, 11 MINUTES, 30 SECONDS Since I was flying faster than the planet's rotation about its axis, I launched mid-late afternoon so I wouldn't outrun the sunny spot and therefore lose a constant power source. Final test run complete E-40 Test Run Performance Stats Cruising Altitude 7 km Cruising Surface Velocity 200 m/s Minimum Throttle Required 2/3 Blade Angle 38 degrees (45 is optimal) Optimum Takeoff Time Westward Flight Mid-late afternoon Eastward Flight Early in the morning (NOT recommended for long flights) But I did not stop there: Craft file: https://kerbalx.com/Mars-Bound_Hokie/E-40-Impulse-PLANE-ONLY

I don't know if this question's already been asked. If it has, please direct me to the answer. Thank you. And if this is not the right place to ask this question, please take me to whatever is. That being said, would we be able to use our craft files from KSP - or, for that matter, craft we downloaded from KerbalX - in KSP2? Sure, none of my craft are designed to go interstellar , but I figured I can start gathering money and science points quickly by using my already-proven-successful spacecraft to explore Kerbin and then the rest of the Kerbol system immediately afterwards. I already have a solid starter plane in my hangar, for instance, so the mid-air and surface surveys should be a snap. Some planets can be easily reached by my SSTOs as well, so there's a huge money-saver right there. At the very least, I can take my first steps into space exploration (again) without having to endure the headaches and test runs associated with starting from scratch. God knows how much we all hate those. When I do go interstellar, I may end up taking some parts of the old design (e.g. relay antenna, ore survey satellite, mobile base, plane) and slap it on the new spacecraft. After all, if I already have a working end-item, then all I would really need is a way to get said end-item to the target. If nothing else, at least KerbalX would still have some use for both games after KSP2 comes out. It could also host the new interstellar bases, spacecraft, et cetera. I hope we can, or else we're all doomed to severe migraines in the first steps alone. Also, on a related note, would MechJeb be compatible with KSP2 - and would it work in the same way as it did in KSP (embedded in command module)?

I could say the same thing about Tim C's car when I replaced the hinges with the M-12 servos and configured them as you did. In fact, I'd say there was some more flapping in my prototype than yours when I underwent the same maneuvers. Overall, thanks to your help and letting me look inside the Blackwood, I was able to get a stable prototype working. Unfortunately, Tim C's jet did not achieve anywhere near the velocity I was hoping for (1400 m/s or higher). In fact, when compared to the Blackwood's test run, it seems pretty lame. If you take a look at the performance stats below, you'll see why. For a bit of context, I tested the Blackwood's range flying at full throttle along the equator. More specifically, I was testing to see if it could fly around the planet's circumference (plus whatever ground would be added due to the planet's rotation) and I wanted to log a good cruising altitude and velocity. The Blackwood had flown almost 1,200 km away from the KSC before I was running on fumes and had to land. I also had to keep the engines running in dry mode to avoid the power going out during gliding, since it only has 50 charge capacity. That's exactly why I have batteries in all my (serious) aircraft, so the craft doesn't lose power and die during gliding. And why I had a 1,000 charge minimum rule in my Around the World in 80 Minutes challenge from years ago. I did the same to Tim C's Car. Though it has nearly triple the range as the Blackwood, it ultimately fell ~380 km short of the KSC. At least in the first test flight of the new prototype, which was before I put 156 Lf units back in the rear tanks. The second run was successful, albeit I was running on fumes near the end and had to glide. (UPDATED) Jet Cruise Stats Blackwood Tim C's Car Average Airspeed (m/s) 810 (W) 795 Average Altitude (km) 17.5 (W) 17 Range (km) ~ 1,200 ~ 4,712 (W) Tim C's stats have been replaced with the results from the second test run, which had the extra fuel added The range for Tim C's car was calculated as follows: The 1.5 part will be explained later. I was looking forward to building a jet that could match, or even surpass, Bill's Car in terms of speed while being able to complete the circumnavigation. Sure, my wings still have a bit of flapping (at least when the wings are out), and it's even more obvious in sharp maneuvers, but it's nowhere near as bad as it was before. As long as the plane is stable, there shouldn't be a problem. Plus, it's pretty "kerbal" of us to design a supersonic jet whose wings can "flap." Anyway, here are some pictures of Tim C's (second) test flight. Though the first run wasn't too bad, I figured I can do better. Takeoff went well. No (excessive) wiggling, and it got airborne at a reasonable speed. After I got airborne both times, I switched the afterburner to supersonic mode and swept the wings to begin the circumnavigation flight. Pretty neat sunset shot, huh. Would make for a beautiful desktop background, actually. This was taken during the first test run. Though I said I would take the stats for the second one, I'll leave pictures I think look cool. After the aircraft autopilot finally got its act together, it flew at a steady flight path along the equator at the speed and altitude mentioned in the above table. Took longer to figure out where in the first test flight than the second run. Another cool snapshot that was taken at the first test run. I had to cut off the engines when I noticed that I had 95 Lf left. I may not have been able to make it to the KSC in this case, but at least I can do an off-road landing test. Just like in the Blackwood test flight, I had to go into glide mode. This plane was very easy to control. However, I didn't have to keep the engine running continuously to preserve electric charge. (FIRST TEST RUN) Tim C standing in front of his prototype in the desert. Picture taken 393.8 km away from the KSC (so close). All pictures following this line will be from the second test run. Tim C's jet flying nose-first into the night. 100 km away from the KSC at over 17 km altitude. You can barely make out the lights beneath the horizon. I was at 100 units LF left when this shot was taken, so I cut the engines and extended the wings so I can glide. Surprisingly, I was able to glide all the way there without much of a hitch I did have to turn the engines on (but in regular mode) when I saw that I was flying off-center to the runway and soon before touchdown. Almost there. Tim C giving a salute after a successful circumnavigation flight around Kerbin. Rare footage of adult Tim C Kerman with a standard KSP haircut. Overall performance stats for this flight. As seen in the upper right corner of the screenshot, Tim C was almost out of gas. Like low enough to get a stern talking-to from the FSDO at the very least. Unlike his dad's personal supersonic jet, he was NOT able to make it around the world in less than 80 minutes. Rather, it took him nearly 90. That's why I included 1.5 hours in the range calculation. (Circumference of the planet) + (distance the KSC moved in the 1.5-hour period) = ground distance traveled = range His "uncle's" jet also beat his time and cruising altitude, but at great risk of exploding and his flight also ended with a nearly-empty tank. Jeb's not actually Tim C's uncle; he's just close friends with Bill, so that's why Bill's and Val's kids call him "Uncle Jeb." His mom's jet's circumnavigation time is unknown. So, anyway, that's it for Tim C's Car's test run. I'm welcome to suggestions on how to improve performance, if you all have any. Overall, thank you for your help - especially you, @swjr-swis. Craft file: https://kerbalx.com/Mars-Bound_Hokie/Tim-Cs-Car