Plane parts: Do you use them and what for?

[Columbia]

Ever since 1.0, I've never went to any celestial body. Not even the Mun. Yet I spend all my time on KSP, not much else.

Planes are too addicting.

[foxkill2342]

You forgot space shuttles in your poll. They get to space faster and have more Delta V when you get there.

[Scrat]

My approach is having a spaceplane main section to which i attach conventional booster rockets for going to space. Also I like to attach some plane parts to my rockets so my center of drag is behind my center of mass and I get better control during ascend of my rocket.

[Luna-Industries]

I'm a rocketmaaaaaan. In all seriousness I absolutely suck at building SSTOs or spaceplanes of any kind.

[razark]

I tried to represent all possible options for usage of plane parts in the poll.

You forgot the "I use them to build planes occasionally but not exclusively" option.

[problemecium]

Can you please change the poll to allow multiple choices?

I use plane parts for planes, for rockets, for boats, SSTO spaceplanes, etc.

[Jett_Quasar]

Can you please change the poll to allow multiple choices?

I use plane parts for planes, for rockets, for boats, SSTO spaceplanes, etc.

Agreed, I use them for everything, including stuff that's not on that list.

All KSP images have been moved here.

JR

Edited September 28, 2015 by Jolly_Roger

[Green Baron]

In my opinion KSP now needs rocket-addons like KW, SpaceY, etc. to keep it balanced. I know how to build and fly small "spaceplanes" (haven't tried large ones in 1.x yet), but it's way too boring to start and land them, takes minutes to reach orbit or deorbit and land. And it's much easier to lift 300tons into orbit with a rocket. The last spaceplane i built was docked to a station where it looks cool and there it stays.

So i'm a hardcore rocketrist

:-)

k

[Otterer]

Like it has been mentioned, the rocket parts could use a revamping. They lack a certain sleekness that is present in the space plane parts. When I am on a mission where looks don't matter, I will usually not care too much what parts I am using as long as my ship is efficient and functional. But, when I am building something to look a certain way, or for fun, or just kind of odd, I go all crazy on those space plane parts!

[Overland]

what about people who use plane and rocket parts to build long range land vehicals?

I love aircraft..rockets not so much..trains more so.. it seems the later are gaining traction in KSP... perhaps youll need to make another angry poll soon about no more train parts?

I came for the rockets and engineering in KSP

I stay for the planes and trains.. I dont quite inspect trees but they get an angry horn blast if one gets in the way..

Edited August 22, 2015 by Overland

[Otterer]

Although usually, it ends up just being stuff like this:

[Overland]

Having driven 200+ km on the surface of kerbin with a train along with seeing screenshots of others.. I can safely say that Kerbin is indeed a beautiful place.. squad really did well on our homeworld.. its full of amazing things to see.. the detail of which we'd miss without planes.. to the OP.. I really do recomend one day flying or driving around kerbin.. its much more prettier than the ink black of space

please see nassaults movie "kerbal"

its not just a movie..as i found exploring kerbin... its almost a documentry on the kerbin experience

http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/49682-Kerbal-A-KSP-Movie

Edited August 22, 2015 by Overland

[tater]

I use plane parts to help increase my RAM use so that I can eventually crash. That's pretty much it.

[Alphasus]

I use plane parts to help increase my RAM use so that I can eventually crash. That's pretty much it.

What do you find so wrong with plane parts? This antagonism gets us nowhere.

[Sharpy]

TweakScale?

I tweakscaled Whiplash to match MK3 and launched an MK3 plane with a single big whiplash at its tail. Fell apart right after take-off, hull breaking at the seams first. I'm not sure why - probably the thrust makes the joints break. Although I tried to throttle down and lift it very gently and it still broke into pieces. Dunno, maybe Tweakscale weakened the joints between the remainder of the parts?

[Alshain]

I tweakscaled Whiplash to match MK3 and launched an MK3 plane with a single big whiplash at its tail. Fell apart right after take-off, hull breaking at the seams first. I'm not sure why - probably the thrust makes the joints break. Although I tried to throttle down and lift it very gently and it still broke into pieces. Dunno, maybe Tweakscale weakened the joints between the remainder of the parts?

That's just the Mk3, the Mk3 has very weak joints.

[Thegamer211]

I use them for spaceplanes, like my newest space shuttle.

And I always strap some Delta-deluxe winglets at the bottom of my rockets.

...and planes?

[tater]

What do you find so wrong with plane parts? This antagonism gets us nowhere.

Um, they are used to make planes. I make rockets (and spacecraft).

At least if the 64 bit hype is correct, I can add rocket parts without crashing my machine, while continuing to ignore the plane parts.

A plus is that I never upgrade the SAB or runway. The latter is a nice rover testing facility.

A better poll might ask what percentage of the parts you actually use are plane parts (add all parts in all launches in a save). Plane parts are about 1/3 of total parts at this point. If you use considerably fewer than 1/3 plane parts, these additions are not really helping you.

Edited August 22, 2015 by tater

[Alphasus]

Um, they are used to make planes. I make rockets (and spacecraft).

At least if the 64 bit hype is correct, I can add rocket parts without crashing my machine, while continuing to ignore the plane parts.

A plus is that I never upgrade the SAB or runway. The latter is a nice rover testing facility.

I understand better now. Thank you for that.

[Endersmens]

I use plane parts more than rocket parts in sandbox. Cause I love planes. Of course in my career save I use rocket parts more, but I've used plane parts for exploration.

[GoSlash27]

Um, they are used to make planes. I make rockets (and spacecraft).

I make rockets and spacecraft too. A lot of them use plane parts. Some of them plane parts exclusively.

A better poll might ask what percentage of the parts you actually use are plane parts (add all parts in all launches in a save). Plane parts are about 1/3 of total parts at this point. If you use considerably fewer than 1/3 plane parts, these additions are not really helping you.

Au contraire; While I might not find a use for some of these parts, I have ideas for most of them. I expect PorkJet to focus primarily on plane stuff. That's kinda his specialty. And I don't confuse "moar plane parts" with "less rocket parts". Ragging on planes does absolutely nothing for the development of rockets. I'm thankful for whatever goodies I get.

While I do believe that we could use more and updated rocket parts, that's a case of "not enough" rockets rather than "too much" planes IMO.

Best,

-Slashy

[Robotengineer]

Biased much?

Anyways, I use plane parts for lots of things.

[keeper]

I mainly stick to rockets, but might give flying a bash and crash from time to time.

Do use a couple plane parts on all my rockets. Tail fins, cabins, and whatnot.

[tater]

Au contraire; While I might not find a use for some of these parts, I have ideas for most of them. I expect PorkJet to focus primarily on plane stuff. That's kinda his specialty. And I don't confuse "moar plane parts" with "less rocket parts". Ragging on planes does absolutely nothing for the development of rockets. I'm thankful for whatever goodies I get.

While I do believe that we could use more and updated rocket parts, that's a case of "not enough" rockets rather than "too much" planes IMO.

Most all the new parts have been plane parts, though, and the current rocket parts are often really ugly by comparison to the sleek, well-thought out plane parts.

New plane cargo bays? Stunning. New rocket service modules? They look like a 5 year old did them.

More parts is great, but given KSP's "load everything" paradigm, U5 cannot come soon enough for me, I see 100 plane parts and think, "wow, I could add one of those cool parts mods minus those, and not crash the machine..."

If memory wasn't so critical (Mac here, I already have texture quality turned down to 1/2) I'd not care as much, I'd just add more mods. I have used some of the mk3 adaptor parts on large vessels a few times.

[GoSlash27]

Most all the new parts have been plane parts, though, and the current rocket parts are often really ugly by comparison to the sleek, well-thought out plane parts.

New plane cargo bays? Stunning. New rocket service modules? They look like a 5 year old did them.

This is true, but it's because PorkJet did them and PorkJet happens to be primarily a plane guy. They're basically incorporating his (freakin' awesome) airplane stuff wholesale because it's payware quality out of the box. If there's somebody out there who does this level of work with rockets and gets tapped for inclusion, we'll see new and more polished rocket parts.

If there's one rocket part I'd put on my wish- list, it would be an engine to fill the gap between the Skipper and the Mainsail. I often find myself facing a design situation where the one is too weak and the other is overkill.

Best,

-Slashy

Edited August 23, 2015 by GoSlash27