onishin

Yes, it might be a bit small to land something on easily. I have hopes for a small VTOL aircraft, and I've seen a few around, but have not had time to test. Tim_Barrett has a nice one called the Mosquito that I would like to try. You really need a joystick to control these things, and I don't have one connected at the moment! I will probably make the flight deck a bit longer on future models, but... Maybe we need Arrestor Cables... Here you go! Check the downloads list. http://kerbalspaceprogram.com/forum/showthread.php/5992-Aircraft-Carriers?highlight=TheMattyPrince You might even like TheMattyPrince's carriers better! Calnorc: Thanks! I must admit putting jet engines on the Kersarge upped her speed to 36.3 m/s (although they suck up fuel pretty quickly), but the twin turbo-jets really are spectacular at night!

INFORMATION: The USK Kersarge is the result of my over-reaching imagination to build something that might actually resemble an aircraft carrier… but this is what I got! This thing took several attempts to whip it into the sorry shape it is now, through no fault of the fine modelers who made the parts for KSP. Let's face it -- building a ship is NOT rocket science! I want to thank the guys who have made building things in KSP such a "snap". I am releasing the "Beta Minus" version (Kersarge0.1) for those who might want to play with it. I have removed a few extraneous mods such as cameras and floodlights for the deck and crane. This is just the base ship and you can modify her as you please. (If you do any modifications or make new parts for her, please let me know as I might like to steal... er, I mean "borrow" them for my own work!) Now for some pertinent information about the ship: ROBOTIC ARM: The mechanical arm is NOT included in this build. I've had so much trouble getting a design to work that I took it off before release. I'll keep trying, but maybe someone else can come up with a good working model. LAUNCHING: The USK Kersarge is relatively easy to launch. As Tosh states in his INFO for the Seaplane Pontoons, they tend to roll easily on a gentle slope. This holds true for the runway and the ground. 1. Starting out on the runway, engage the engines and get speed up to around 9 to 10 m/s. This is optimal for getting off the runway. The engines can be cut off if you're going too fast. 2. I usually go off the side of the runway rather than the end. Seems easier to gently roll off one side rather than the end. See what works best for you. 3. You can cut the engines on/off to maintain speed. I usually drive down to the coast at a leisurely 8-12 m/s (usually being passed by grandmothers with baby strollers). 4. As you get closer to the water, you will certainly begin to speed up because of the slope. Use the brakes (“B†key) to slow down. A tap is usually good enough. 5. Ease the ship into the water. I have entered at around 15 - 16 m/s and made it okay, but the shock is much greater at higher speeds. I'm not sure what top speed the Kersarge can survive hitting the water, so I try to go in as slow as I can (1 - 12 m/s). GUIDANCE: You can use the MechJeb “Instrument Landing System†to set a course (not speed unfortunately). Set the heading (0 to 360) and your altitude (0 since you’re at sea level). Then go have a cup of coffee. Read a book. (NOTE) Well, this USED to work!!! Now the ship wants to turn to the right when you set a course and continue in a circle. Now, I just use the rudders to turn the ship in the direction I want to go and turn on the onboard SAS (“T†key). I’m not sure if MechJeb is at fault or I am. FUTURE CONSTRUCTION: I've included a truss connection point on the island where items can be attached. I hope to build a simple, single item island to replace the parts in use, retexturing it with the vessel number "01" on the side. I would also like smaller, ship type propellers and a small fuel tank to match the diameter. I experimented with a "rotating" propeller for forward and reverse thrust, but the size of it and the fuel tank was too cumbersome. I also want to build a working elevator platform for the side of the ship. And stick cameras on the island for views of recovery and flight deck operations. Oh! And I might even put one or two aircraft on her if they will fit. PROBLEMS: Lag? Yep! She’s got 150+ individual parts. I’ve tried to reduce that number, but you want to add new things and well… She will lag badly until you get her in the water and off the coast. Then smooth sailing. Also, it seems to lag badly at night. Do your launches in the daytime. Please note that my system is rather old also. A 470 one gig card and an intel duo chip. Not even an I5! People with better systems probably will not have as big a problem. Let me know what your results are! Engines will sometimes not start: Seems that if you restart the mission, or end the mission, return to the SPH and Launch again the engines refuse to turn over. Not sure what’s going on here, but testing is being done. I had RCS pod units on the side, but they would break off if Time Dilation was used, so I took them off. You can add them back if you think you need them, but I found them more of a problem than useful. I need a “Full Reverse†for the engines! Let me know how she does, even if it's a dog.

Here's an interesting problem. I'm building an ocean-going ship using a MechJeb control unit. Under V.16 I used the "Instrument Landing System" to set a course for the vessel, with the altitude set at "0". This worked fine. Now under V.17 and MechJeb V.1.9.2 the ship no longer stays on the heading set, but turns to the right (starboard) and goes in circles. Haven't tried V.1.9.3 yet, but will download and give it a try tomorrow. Nothing that affects most players, but it does seem to point to something broken in MechJeb.

The Release of V.17 of KSP has caught me off-guard. I was about to release the file when...BAM! It's only today that I've been able to get on the forums and post. After I've tested the ship in the new version, I'll upload the craft file. Don't want to upload it if it will crash the game. Apologies for the delay. PS> The ship loads in V.17 okay! But there are a few minor bugs apparently brought about by this new version. In V.16, the ship could turn fairly easily in water, but in V.17 it's rather painful to steer. (It steers fine on land!) I'm going to add a couple of new rudders and see if that helps. Also, the ship's engines seem bugged. If you launch her more than once, they won't start. Not sure what is causing this. And the RCS units sometimes fail to decouple (this could be normal). A few more trials today and she'll be ready (I hope)!

The hull is made mostly of the "C7 Flight Deck" mod (by TheMattyPrince), along with some parts from "Damned Aerospace" and "Damned Robotics" and Tosh's "Seaplane10_Red" pontoons. I may have forgotten something.... Sorry, probably too late. I've just got home from work and by the time I got this together it would be past my bedtime. The Flight Deck mod worked out pretty well, tho. I still have testing to do on this thing anyway. I want to see if it can circumnavigate the globe, or whether it needs more fuel tanks. I sure am glad Mechjeb allows me to set a course!

The Kerbal Government Armed Forces Network Presents: Your Tax Money At Work! The KCV-01, USK Kersarge is a purpose-built vessel for rescue and recovery of Astroknuts. Designed by the Norkerb Knavy Ship Yards (over a lunch break), the Kersarge utilizes the latest parts found lying about the facility, and anything that wasn't nailed down they could "acquire" by midnight raids on government warehouses. Weighing in at 17 tons fueled, the Kersarge is the largest vessel yet built by the NKSY (and the ONLY vessel built by NKSY). Two turbine engines mounted in the rear can drive the Kersarge at an unprecedented top speed of 19-20 m/s, almost faster than a Kerbal can run (if Kerbals could run on water). The USK Kersarge's flight deck (that large upper flat space) can support (maybe) small aircraft of the VTOL, STOL and helicopter variety, although objects hurtling toward their vessel at high speed tend to make Kerbal sailors very uncomfortable. Control is maintained by a highly advanced Kerbal Guidance System (Mechjeb) and is fully capable of taking the ship anywhere on the globe (literally anywhere -- without rhyme or reason). Several hard points have been included, enabling different systems to be mounted for a particular mission, including Rail Gun battery , Mini-missle System, and the new LAZOR AA system. The Damned Robotics Crane is mounted for astroknut and capsule recovery, usually without breaking if the astroknuts don't struggle too much. The USK Kersarge will soon be undergoing tests to determine it's sea-worthiness, fuel consumption, and full range (or until it reaches the end of the world and falls off the edge). Future ships of the same class are planned for construction (if enough parts can be rounded up). Sister Ships Planned: USK Khornet - KCV-02 USK Krandolph - KCV-03 USK Inkerpid - KCV-04 USK Lake Kherplain - KCV-05 "GO KNAVY! IT'S NOT A JOB, IT'S AN ADVENTURE!" - Kerbal Navy Ad. "&%$#)!... IT'S A WET JOB." - Sailor Sam --------------------------------------------------------------- Not sure if anyone would want this. It's just another ship made out of stock parts and some popular mods. Not even ready for release yet. But it came about this way: "Mr. President, we have a problem." "Oh? We're killing too many of our astronauts?" "No, they're not a problem." "The one's stuck in orbit?" "No, not them either." "Then that doesn't leave too many, so it couldn't be a BIG problem." "Jeb's getting tired of having to walk or swim back to the KSC. He INSISTS we build something to come out and pick him up!" "So? Jeb's just one Kerbal. What could he do..." "KAAAA_BBBOOOOMMMMM!!" So it was that the President ordered the Norkerb Knavy Ship Yards to build something... anything... to go out and pick Jeb up after a flight. After much thought, and some lunch, the engineers at the NKSY came up with... this. Jebidiah Kerman stands on the deck of the USK Kersarge. Mission accomplished! MODS USED FOR THE USK KERSARGE: C7 Flight Deck – TheMattyPrince: "We got plates! Lots of 'em!" Damned Aerospace – DYJ & r4mOn: "Airplane parts for the hull? Well, I guess it's better than being scattered on the hull!" Damned Robotics – DYJ & r4mOn: "Oh! Mechanical stuff! Let's take it!" Seaplane10_Red – Tosh (Tony Chernigvsky): "Look! It floats!" 1.9.2 MechJeb/AR202 – r4mOn & The_Duck: “Where the heck ‘r we?†Download HERE: http://www./download.php?zd9asm4rzd429kb

I've been trying to build small carrier ships to send out and station around the globe to pick up the spacecraft and astronauts, but the stock parts are so limiting. A recovery ship with a crane would be nice. Maybe a helicopter landing pad. Good to see someone else working on the navy!