[1.0] YC-11 Heavy Cargo STOL (United Aces of Jeb)

[Ace_Of_Spades]

From the Untied Aces of Jebediah; engineering corps comes the YC-11, Heavy Cargo Series. A set of 6 C-130-type Cargo jets, each carrying a different payload.

Performance:

Cruise speed between 130-160m/s depending on fuel/payload. This is the main problem with the craft, especially since it can't really stand over 2x warp.

Has withstood 10g, 200m/s turns in testing.

Takeoff/Landing: Can easily take off within a few aircraft lengths, begins to rotate at 25m/s in air by 30m/s. Stalls at around 20m/s unladen. I may have forgotten to set brake torque on rear wheels to 30 for quick stopping.

Range: Have flown to the north pole in testing with light but draggy payload and standard fuel, could possibly have gone further.

Payload: Up to 18 tonnes without much loss of performance, but can lug a whole big orange tank (36 tonnes), but since that's more than the fully fueled weight of the craft STOL performance, range, cruise speed, maneuverability and climb rate all take a big hit. Reinforcement of the cargo bay may be needed if airdropping very heavy cargoes.

Durability: can remain very flyable with heavy damage but because of the fragile cargo bay can become damaged easily, particularly if cargo bugs out or punches through the floor - strut cargo heavily.

Capabilities:

The rear loading means it's really good for airdropping cargo. Put wheels on heavy cargo so it rolls out, and strut things heavily so they don't bug through the floor and stuff. 18 tonnes airdropped has been demonstrated (A big orange without oxidiser) but above that the floor will require reinforcement (with oxidiser the big orange breaks the floor on the way out).

L.A.P.E.S: The US air force needed a way to precisely deliver cargo when there was not space to land. In a particularly kerbal move, they strapped parachutes to the cargo (but not enough to slow it's fall), got really low (6 feet off the ground-ish I guess) and pushed it out the back. It turns out this works surprisingly well in KSP, just put wheels on the cargo and chutes at the back of it (just for braking it on the ground, not slowing it's fall), get a few meters off the ground, preferably 30-70m/s (watching your shadow helps, or even make a touch and go, and stage the decoupler and chutes. The cargo should roll out the back, hit the ground and roll to a stop with minimal exploding. At least one of the versions I've sent (they're just my research versions, not for release) has a demo payload to do this, and the screenshots should give a better idea of what I mean.

The plan for this craft is to sort out it's remaining problems (no ladder for rear kerbal access, which turned out to be surprisingly difficult to do, and a few other issues) and get some good useful variants ready: It can take 2.5m payloads so full ISRU equipment or a science lab should be possible).

Craft & Description Credit: BlueCanary

Series Download: https://www.dropbox.com/s/aw1v0d738kdfxr0/YC-11%20Heavy%20Stol%20Cargo.zip?dl=0

OUR FORUM PAGE:

http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/118553-United-Aces-of-Jebediah-Engineering-Corps-NOW-HIRING

Edited May 19, 2015 by Ace_Of_Spades

[SHiftER2O]

Why not just use mk3 cargo bays?

[Ace_Of_Spades]

Why not just use mk3 cargo bays?

Because the goal of the plane is to airdrop cargo out the back like the MP-2 SeaHorse.

[SHiftER2O]

Because the goal of the plane is to airdrop cargo out the back like the MP-2 SeaHorse.

Hmm, have to give this a try

[BlueCanary]

There are screenshots of it in use airdropping cargo to explain the system better somewhere but the general idea is, other than standard airdropping from high altitude, you can get real low (as low as you possibly can really, even doing a touch and go landing) and parachute cargo with wheels out of the back. It actually works surprisingly well, I managed to use it to put a 3 tonne rover on the VAB helipad really easily.

Also, having the cargo bay full of wings seems to get better STOL performance by giving more lift. It's not great for drag and part count though.

EDIT: Here are some screenshots of both standard and low altitude airdropping: http://imgur.com/a/ng7lu#0 If you try airdropping a big orange though take out the oxidiser or reinforce the floor first though, otherwise it's too heavy to release in the air without punching a hole in the floor.

Edited May 19, 2015 by BlueCanary