From Poland with Love: PZL-230F "Skorpion" Attack Fighter

[Goddess Bhavani]

Polish Air Force

PZL-230F Skorpion

High Performance, STOL Ground Attack Aircraft

Stock, 30 parts, download from KerbalX.

http://kerbalx.com/pandoraskitten/PZL-230F-Skorpion

Project Background:

I was in the mood to create a jet prototype for the space program, after previously messing with prop planes and waiting for a flotilla of probes to fan out across the solar system.

The Skorpion project called for a twin engine, short takeoff or landing (STOL) ground attack jet carrying up to 4 tons of NATO or Warsaw Pact ordnance at high subsonic speeds. The project was ultimately cancelled in 1994 but not before producing some beautiful airframes that are way ahead of their time. Specifications drafted by the Polish Defence Ministry called for a STOL jet with a top speed of Mach 0.85, making it something like a high speed version of an OV-10 Bronco, or a smaller but much faster counterpart to the famous A-10.

There is some talk that this aircraft could have been one of the most efficient ground attack jets of modern times but in 1994, defence spending was not the top priority for Poland. Nevertheless, this "plane that never flew" deserves remembrance for its radical approach to achieving its design objectives - the PZL-230F Skorpion wouldn't look out of place in a sci-fi movie and resembles a compact YF-23 or SR-71 from certain angles.

From observing the basic design, it would appear the designers wished to maximize center-body lift and provide a large lower surface area for payload carriage. The outer wings act as huge all-flying control surfaces but this is not reflected in our Kerbal replica due to parts limitation issues. This is compensated by using active canards that provide a huge control moment up front for superb low speed, low altitude maneuverability crucial for an attack fighter's performance.

Aircraft Role in KSP:

While a low altitude ISR platform could be of limited use in ensuring security around the Space Center's vast maritime and terrestrial sphere of responsibility, no real purpose for military aircraft exists today.

However, the PZL-230F's ability to haul large centerline payloads allows it to serve as a short range, low cost scientific survey aircraft. It is also constructed exclusively from Level 1 parts obtainable from the basic Research Center, and is perfectly comfortable operating in rough field conditions. Pilots can also gain experience operating high performance jet aircraft using the Skorpion; it's low level top speed in excess of 1,000 kph and ability to pull significantly more G's than the average pilot can accomodate, is not to be trifled with.

In summary, this design is worthy of consideration as a high performance training aircraft to develop pilot competencies. It can also be used to deploy dropsondes for scientific survey purposes.

Furthermore, the KSP replica has a larger wing area than the original design and with 160kN worth of static thrust from its twin engines, significantly more powerful than the real-world example, allowing a potentially far greater payload capacity.

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Stock, 30 parts, download from KerbalX.

http://kerbalx.com/pandoraskitten/PZL-230F-Skorpion

[EdusacconBR]

amazing fighter

the last photo looks like a mini ADF-01 Falken

[Goddess Bhavani]

Update- I tested the craft with its proposed external payload of 4,000kg, various exteral payloads were tested including the usual dummy bombs and missiles, plus an air-deployed sensor package for scientific survey contracts. Also, a short video showing the Skorpion doing stuff around the mountains near KSC.

With authentic Koland (Poland) Air Force markings, this flight of Skorpions will be ferried to the client's air base (additional global airports via KerbinSide mod) soon.

Trivia: This roundel is a KSP adaptation of the Poland Military roundel/checkerboard emblem, as packaged in the Serious Parody Flags Pack. From 1993 onwards the Polish Air Force uses a flipped roundel, as per the video thumbnail above.

Edited July 17, 2015 by pandoras kitten

[Goddess Bhavani]

Being pressed into service as a scientific survey aircraft, Hellblazer's Wallpaper Factory contributed an awesome screenshot of the Skorpion with a payload of dropsondes and a drop tank over the mountains.

[VR_Dev]

Dude this jet is awesome. But the pics are better. How did you make the last pic in the first post?

And did you pay to get more sketchfab features?

[Goddess Bhavani]

Oh the last pic must be some sort of concept art for the real jet. The one in the hangar right?

No I'm using the free Sketchfab, which amongst some other restrictions, is limited to stock backgrounds and 5 annotations. Quite alright for KSP showcases actually, at least for smaller craft.

[VR_Dev]

Oh the last pic must be some sort of concept art for the real jet. The one in the hangar right?

No I'm using the free Sketchfab, which amongst some other restrictions, is limited to stock backgrounds and 5 annotations. Quite alright for KSP showcases actually, at least for smaller craft.

Oh I thought the one in the hanger was some super great mod I didn't know about.

And I haven't discovered these sketchfab features yet. I'm super excited

[Goddess Bhavani]

SketchFab is quite easy to use If you need any tips let me know. Here's one of my other sf uploads.

Notice some parts are missing, like the struts I use to make the windows on the lower bridge. Fuel lines will not appear as well as sketchfab currently doesn't support procedural parts, or tweakscaled parts.