Darren9

I'm getting some "interesting" effects with powering the props, if you haven't noticed then I may have somehow broken something (all I've done is install mods). For me, at ground level with those panels and props I can do maybe 1/6th throttle, as I climb I can increase throttle, only above 8000m can I go full throttle. I suspected it was a side effect of how Firespitter reduces thrust for props at altitude, and lowering the thrust also lowers the charge needed for full throttle (electricity proportional to thrust not throttle setting). Does yours not work like that? I hope I don't have to re-install and add another 30 panels - that'll slow me down a bit. And yes, it only works flying flat at mid-day

Could you allow B9 and FireSpitter, oh and also P-Wing (in a separate "mod" class if necessary), and adding FAR on a small tight course isn't necessarily an advantage - you can stall and fall out of the sky a lot easier

I got up to 262m/s at 8000m with a twin engine flying command seat. It takes off and occasionally lands successfully on three of the bi-plane tail skids

Thanks, my first go with FAR and I thought I may be able to fool it with the solar panels 3/4 enclosed in fairings that shield drag (there's a line of small girders under the solar panels). It didn't work though and twice the power still only gets the same top speed. I'm going to have to follow you and go with less parts, mass and a small engine, maybe some sort of ultra-light flying command seat could beat 250m/s. As you said though takeoff/landing without SAS/reaction wheels is risky

A little Atari joystick on the armrest would finish it off perfectly.

I just installed FAR and, incredibly, my design got into the air, and made 239m/s in true level flight Has enough solar to go full throttle with 2 engines at 5000m, uses Firespitter, FAR, Skeppies mini-pack, procedural fairings/wings and an ID Strong strut.

I had a go with some ancient Kerbal technology upgraded with more recent weapons (Firespitter, Skeppies mini-pack and KAS). Tweaked the colour and control surfaces in the SPH, scored 8 hits with 8 weapons on 20 point targets in a single run and bailed out into a 5 point land zone. It could be, depending on correct interpretation of rules, 160 x2 (one run) +5 (abort zone) for 365. I get the same points for 8 precision hits as ditching half the weapons in the SPH and just making 4

I have a quad-engine that can go just over 260m/s, hydrofoils stay below the water and the engines attach without the debug/partclip menu.

I normally stage my missiles and bombs to fire in pairs, or quads even, helps with balance, if I fire two individual missiles at the same time and both hit the same building is that still two hits? Also what does successfully abort mean? I want to land on the runway after - is that a successful abortion?

^ You could take a peek at the Craft file leosperry if you like. Top metal plate is the root, then attached VTOL jet to that plate, then the four side plates to the top plate to make an open bottom cube with engine enclosed (the engine clips through the sides a bit but the game allows it), then the rest with attempt to keep the CoM in the middle of the cube. It was fun to make and a miracle that it worked, thanks for the challenge

I think I may have one for the hardest level on stock parts, I started in an low Laythe orbit (60Km), de-orbited (sparingly, just lowered Pe to 30Km) flew a short distance in the lower atmosphere to a lake and VTOL'd onto the water and attempted to move across it. Not very efficient but it can move at a few m/s (at 20m/s it has failed catastrophically), better to lift off and fly. It can land VTOL on land as well and drive in and out of water on the rover wheels. You only get maybe 10 mins of powered jet movement in the lower atmosphere, could be best to aim to land on land and drive to water as a solar powered rover, however the whole thing weighs only 10T, ship some extra fuel with it and do a couple of surface missions with re-fueling in between if you want to explore. I made it back to a 80Km reasonably circular orbit with just 20 fuel remaining, that was my first try though, a more efficient ascent may be possible. The "Mother Ship" would need to handle final approach/docking as it has only reaction wheels and no RCS or take a little orbital tug to service it. CoM is stationary and aligned with front docking port and VTOL engine at any fuel load, should be easy to transport to and from Laythe. Has small science, goo and the four other meters, pilot can dismount/re-board anywhere for a surface sample. I love the colours on Laythe

He kind of always does , only way to stop him is consult an expensive lawyer and have him draw up an extensive rule set without loop-hole that'll stand up in court.

I'm not sure, you can get VTOL with an extra 1T jet engine pointing down in correct spot, that allows to loose 1.5-2T of landing gears and use virtually weightless rover wheels to move between land/water, and not need to worry so much about high lift to get onto/out of the water at a reasonably low speed. Plus potentially less mass to drag back to orbit (and to and from Laythe). A VTOL may win VS a seaplane.

But, it doesn't carry all science nor de and re-orbit on Laythe with some fuel spare to explore the surface or dock to a "mother ship" in space. Having all that to complete the hardest challenge level may push you past 10 min of design time It has for me.

I updated the little nuclear-electric design with RAPIER and enough fuel to de-orbit and re-orbit, low atmoshere/VTOL is on electric rotating props/nuclear rectors, has full science, carries one Kerbal and reaction wheels/small amount of RCS for re-docking. Uses P-Wing, Firespitter, B9, Robotics, Near Future reactors and a couple of half size parts from Skeppies mini-pack.

Is this just for stock parts? I've already had a VTOL'ing land/water plane on Laythe (propellers rotate for forward flight). I may go back with a R.A.P.I.E.R. design that can make orbit if I could use robotics and floats (and maybe a few other of the balanced mods)

I may have to get FAR anyway to be competitive I just sent up a small 13 prop design that was lighter than yours with fewer parts and maxed around 280. There's further possible complications though, I made sure none of the blades clipped anything else but there was still overlap between them which would reduce the thrust. But below is possible without turning on part clipping, maybe some rules about prop spacing?

I don't use far, so doesn't that mean I go slower at the altitudes propellers work at (more drag)? Do I have to use it to enter?

Yep, it's quite a pain getting a Kerbal to a command seat only vehicle in the recent KSP's. Launch a one man pod from the SPH, EVA the Kerbal and walk (hold shift to run) him off the side of the runway (must go off the edge down the slope to the flat ground), go to command center and recover the pod (not the Kerbal). Launch the gRape'r from SPH (I saved it with landing gear retracted, for me it launches with the gear up and the seat is low enough to enter from the side, you may need to set the landing gear to raised in the SPH - I'm not sure), switch to the Kerbal, run back to the ship, hop on, put the gear down and go. I only launched/flew it twice, the first time it had no battery and an RTG won't directly power reaction wheels so I failed leaving the atmoshere. The second launch (with battery added) I made the necessary orbit for the challenge, the 10 to 20 units of fuel it should have left is enough to catch the atmosphere and effect a landing. It wasn't necessary to demonstrate a successful landing for the challenge, CoM is roughly in the center of the single fuel can IIRC so if it can take off it can land? (may require a lot more skill though )

Hi mate, it has a command seat. You'll need a Kerbal in EVA next to the runway before it's launched and walk him up to the craft and board it. I saved it with the front wheel retracted otherwise it rolls away and it's quite hard to chase it with the Kerbal who needs to board it. You should lower the landing gear before attempting take-off

I have a few more to add with a "Carrier" jump-jet on a ten package delivery to the dirt runway, it can VTOL with or without the 11 ton payload of gifts and as usual, most importantly, has a red nose (and Santa has his hat on). 10 gifts (+10 to an Easter Egg) (+2 at night) (+5 Reindeer Replacements) is 27 delivered and 153 in total.

Christmas is here! What better way to spend a cold winter night than to re-create Santa's Sleigh with Firespitter parts (thanks Snjo) in your favorite space game. Nine red nosed "reindeer" engines in classic sleigh layout "Rudoph" lead engine has a glowing nose to show the way Precision roof VTOL capabilities (requires skilled pilot!, or MechJeb) Room in the back for the sack of gifts (Warning - heavy gift sack may effect VTOL capabilities) Authentic Christmas look and feel (requires some imagination) Here's a screenshot and some top-secret footage of the early flight testing - Merry Bloomin' Christmass

I think I have the first delivery. The Dirt Runway had aviation fuel on Santa's present list so they got a 1.1 ton can of it and I've done the easy one for you. I'd just like to say, all the reindeer weren't the same, one of them was different and was victimized by the others - My sled has a slightly different engine in the lead position ahead of the of the four identical pairs, most importantly though they all have red noses! For your amazement The (almost) VTOL Santa Sled of Surprisingly Average Stability - I'm sure an actual skilled pilot could land it on a roof Pending official judgment I delivered 1 gift in a replica sleigh (1x2) In darkness (+2) With Reindeer Replacements (+5) To an Easter Egg (+10) to set the running total going with 17 gifts delivered so far It's a small start but we're on our way - Merry Christmas!

Some amusement to be had in this challenge, thanks I went up in the command seat for a change, I think it's all stock parts but I've not had a stock game for a while, and had to add a battery because the RTG wouldn't directly charge my reaction wheels - very disappointing. And had to change the name as well and put a g infront as well, Rapier, gRape'r - I didn't really see a problem. Craft Name: gRape'r Part Count: 15 ((150-15)*10= 1350) Time to LKO: 8:48 MET ((10-8.5)*5=7.5) Fuel Remain: 14.75 ((14.75/10) * 3 = 4.5) Total score: 1362 Craft File: .craft on Mediafire

It's a bug that only works with certain wheels, the more downforce the faster they go and the faster they go the more downforce created. I think TT put some code in his latest version to stop it happening, I've only managed 450m/s with those.