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Faster than sound at low altitude

BoobyTrapGaming
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GoSlash27

GoSlash27

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Posted (edited)
Thank you.

But I should have tried harder before posting... now at 361 m/s. Maybe this contraption can go 1 or 2 m/s faster when flying closer to the 500m limit, but after I removed the larger reaction wheel, this thing is hard to fly more precise.

At these speeds, slight changes in pitch act on your vertical speed like a catapult...

Wow, 361??

That's blazing fast!

I'm gonna have a hard time trying to catch it...

*edit* Oh, wait (facepalm)

I see what you did there. I'll have to give it another go this evening.

Best,

-Slashy

Edited by GoSlash27
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n.b.z.

n.b.z.

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Posted
*edit* Oh, wait (facepalm)

I see what you did there. I'll have to give it another go this evening.

I'm actually not sure what you mean with "what I did there", so I will probably be out of ideas when you beat my 361. Looking forward to it.

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n.b.z.

n.b.z.

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I have been working on a stock version for about 5 hours now, but I just did not manage to acquire such speeds... my top speed so far was 280 m/s.

That means your vehicle is not yet useless enough, and probably contains too many parts that would make sense if you were doing something reasonable. :D

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Van Disaster

Van Disaster

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Funny how we're all thinking almost exactly alike... first time I've touched pure stock in an awful long time, didn't really look at everyone else's stuff until I came to post it, and it's practically identical :P

-- deleted --

So 357m/s pure stock at the moment, for me. My FAR endevours have got to the point the engines are dropping thrust, somewhere in the 1300s...

Edit: so a couple of tweaks and 361m/s for me too, although I appear to have just clipped over 500m alt ( didn't show up on the altimeter, mind you ).

16299761973_fa62ff99d4_b.jpg

16733580339_702469a508_b.jpg

and my current FAR craft

Edited by Van Disaster
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GoSlash27

GoSlash27

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SpeedyIV_zpsppbmdfmh.jpg

I was impatient to get home all day. I finally caught on that the reason he was so fast was the turbojets. I had assumed that the basic jet would make better thrust/ drag at "low" speeds, but never checked to see where the crossover happened. The answer is 230 m/sec; something you all had apparently figured out :D

So my first turbojet entry is 362m/sec.

*edit*

http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g13/GoSlash27/SpeedyIV2_zpstaeawego.jpg

363.

I don't think I'm going to be able to make anything that can beat this speed.

Best,

-Slashy

Edited by GoSlash27
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n.b.z.

n.b.z.

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Posted

That's cool, norup and Van Disaster.

It seems I'm out, as I officially don't understand how this stuff works. I had assumed that the solution for this problem is to feed the largest amount of engines from the smallest amount of fuel, so that the fuel would last barely long enough to accelerate to the vehicle's max speed.

I have not tried to get 1 or 2 more m/s out of my contraption, as I don't think I'll get to 365. Instead, I tried bolting a ridiculous 9 engines to the poor FL-T100, but the resulting craft is "terribly slow"... around 320 m/s, despite still reaching a point where it almost stops accelerating.

Also, my 361-m/s-vehicle has 5 engines (which is not visible in my shot unless you look at the staging corner). Norup built a very similar machine using one less, which beat mine. That's interesting.

I guess I'm now a bit tired of building contraptions mainly designed to rapidly catapult themselves into the ocean, so you guys have one less competitor now. However, don't assume victory right now... Slashy sounds like he isn't done yet... :cool:

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GoSlash27

GoSlash27

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n.b.z.,

Oh, you've got the problem wired.

I think the reason they're making headway is because of their control surfaces.

Their mere presence on the craft induces an infinigliding effect, even if they're locked.

I used absolutely no control surfaces on mine in order to avoid that.

Best,

-Slashy

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Van Disaster

Van Disaster

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Actually I've been trying to get rid of my control surfaces, I just haven't managed to keep the thing in a straight line yet. Anything with mass must go! norup's has fewer surfaces than mine & is faster, so I don't think it's extra thrust from that.

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Deutherius

Deutherius

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I finally managed to get a stock one going:

http://i.imgur.com/IKiqyP7.jpg?1

furthermore, not all of you mentioned if you used FAR or stock KSP. please update your posts.

Hint: lose the air intakes. They cause immense amounts of drag, slowing you down. At this altitude you don't need more than one, two if you want an easy symmetry.

Also, all screens with FAR usually have the FAR icon easily visible on the top right (not to mention going at speeds above 500 m/s).

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sisyphean

sisyphean

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Posted (edited)

so this is my first challenge attempt on the forums and my first air speed record attempt.

has been a while since i played stock ksp so im surprised i managed it. pretty sure i can beat this though:

the craft: http://imgur.com/VgtAScv,MRkt0PT

the score: http://imgur.com/VgtAScv,MRkt0PT#1

will try to improve with more engines or maybe upgrading to turbos but i think the basics edge the turbos on T/W at these altitudes

Edit: so this is my second attempt with the same airframe 332m/s

score: http://imgur.com/s2Q6WGr

i managed to get more speed by limiting the gimbaling so the control's wernt so jumpy but i think thats the limit of that design.

Edited by sisyphean
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n.b.z.

n.b.z.

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..........or maybe upgrading to turbos but i think the basics edge the turbos on T/W at these altitudes..........

I recommend trying the turbo. Slashy seemed to be able to improve his speed by switching to the turbo. I used them from the start out of habit.

Also, that's quite a big intake you have there.

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Van Disaster

Van Disaster

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Posted
furthermore, not all of you mentioned if you used FAR or stock KSP. please update your posts.

I leave the giant FAR flight data window open to show beyond doubt which section it should be in, I think most of us have at least the basic FAR window up.

Removing stock revamp didn't change performance for me, I'm pretty sure there's no physics changes in it. There are additional pieces, though, so be careful.

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GoSlash27

GoSlash27

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I recommend trying the turbo. Slashy seemed to be able to improve his speed by switching to the turbo. I used them from the start out of habit.

Also, that's quite a big intake you have there.

Aye. This is all about thrust to drag, which is essentially thrust to weight in stock KSP. The turbojet generates more thrust to weight than the basic jet at all speeds above 230m/sec. I was late to that party, but the turbojet is definitely the way to go.

I also concur with "less intakes". Adding intakes in this exercise brings nothing to the table but more drag.

Finally, my spot on the leaderboard should read 363 m/sec, not 362.

SpeedyIV2_zpstaeawego.jpg

Best,

-Slashy

Edited by GoSlash27
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