Z-50 "Cobra" - Stock Swivel-Jet VTOL/F-35B Replica!

[Giggleplex777]

Zepto Eagleworks is proud to present our most advanced aircraft! Powered by (PATENT PENDING) Swivel-Jet 2.0 technology, the Z-50 can switch from an okay-ish VTOL to a forward-flying brick in seconds! Yes, you heard right. This stock aircraft (which is totally not meant to be an F-35B replica) has a pivoting engine! Powered by Pure Magicâ„¢.

Download: http://www./download/n2pf22oqlb9sppl/Z-50.craft

Action groups:

1: Toggle forward lift fan

2: Toggle main (rear) engine

3: Toggle bay doors

4: Toggle VTOL/secondary reaction wheels

5: Toggle main reaction wheels

6: Toggle main engine gimbal (off by default)

0: Toggle ladder

How to fly (Read carefully!):

Vertical Takeoff:

1. Parking brakes on.

2. Start engines.

3. Throttle to 100%

4. Apply back pressure (pitch up) to keep the aircraft level as the engines start up. This is because the Whiplash revs up faster than the Wheesly.

Horizontal Takeoff:

1. Parking brakes on.

2. Start the main engine (press 2)

3. Right click the docking port on the attached to the structural intake and undock it.

4. Throttle to 100% and set thrust limiter to 100%.

5. Disengage brakes.

Transition to horizontal flight:

1. Brakes off and make you are:

• At 100% throttle (thrust limiter set to 70% on the main engine)
  
• At least 75m above terrain and that are no nearby obstructions

2. Right click the docking port on the attached to the structural intake and undock it.

3. Press 1 to deactivate the lift fan right after or at the same time as step 2. The engine should snap in place.

4. Keep as slight nose-down attitude until your airspeed reaches ~45m/s and then pitch up so you don't hit the ground.

5. Press 3 to close the bay doors.

6. Set the thrust limiter on the main engine to 100%. You may also press 5 and/or 6 to disable the reaction wheels. (Optional)

Transition to VTOL mode:

1. Set thrust limiter to 70%

2. Parking brakes on.

3. Press 3 to open the bay doors.

4. Throttle down to <30%

5. Press 1 to activate the lift fan.

6. Right click the middle docking port on top of the aircraft and click undock. The engine should dock to the lower docking port.

7. Throttle up so you don't stall!

Flight Tips:

• Always leave the aircraft on VTOL mode when leaving.
  
• Wait until the plane has stopped before dropping the rear engine if you want to takeoff vertically after you have landed horizontally.
  
• The open-end of the cargo bay creates tremendous amounts of drag and will prevent the plane from flying faster than ~200m/s below 10,000m.
  
• If you want to go supersonic, set your attitude to 20 degrees above the horizon and wait until you are ~10,000m, where you may level out.
  

Edited September 4, 2015 by Giggleplex777
Formatting

[VR_Dev]

I dig the VTOL engine with the intake on it. Replicated the VTOL doors well too.

Did you notice the bug with the air-brake? Even if you remove it from the brake action groups it still comes up when toggled. Super annoying

Edited September 4, 2015 by clown_baby

[Giggleplex777]

I dig the VTOL engine with the intake on it. Replicated the VTOL doors well too.

Did you notice the bug with the air-brake? Even if you remove it from the brake action groups it still comes up when toggled. Super annoying

The air-brake's pretty buggy, so I just let it be and stay with its brake action group.

[soulreaver1981]

wow nice moving engine giggleplex.

i think i'm gonna borrow, cough steal you desgin lol

ps time go get back in the game

Edited September 4, 2015 by soulreaver1981

[Castille7]

Fan-tastic work! Two thumbs up here!

[Jon144]

As everyone here knows I hate this plane in real life. But I have always found these replicas amazing. And now one with an actual hinge system for engines!? Everyone knows I am a sucker for stock bearings/hinges! Take my rep!

[Rune]

I've already tried my hand at it, and I must say it is very smooth. Once I managed to remember the action groups (and cleared the ground enough before attempting the transition, that's also a thing ^^'), I managed to do the whole circuit: VTOL, transition to horizontal mode before the control tower, some flying around KSC, then back to VTOL to land on top of the administration building. The swivel is so smooth! Certainly a perfect craft to fool around KSC and polish flying skills. I wonder if you could take off with some BD weapons by taking out some fuel...

Rune. TWR 0.7 at sea level on horizontal flight is not so far off form the F-35 itself, the 'C' version has 0.74.

[sgt_flyer]

yup problem is the drag... awful stock drag @sea level

[Noname117]

This looks quite innovative; I've always wanted a swivel-jet VTOL in KSP. I might have to download this so I can steal its technology fly around with it a bit and see how much fun a swivel jet really is so I can fit it to a NAFA .

[Rune]

yup problem is the drag... awful stock drag @sea level

Which is why I suggested the cargo bays to him: they should do a nice job of shielding most of the bits of the mechanism from the airstream. Though I haven't tried to go supersonic on it myself yet, I only found out about the main engine limitation when I started picking it apart after the flight.

Rune. Sea-level supersonic flight is probably off, but the question is, how high do you have to go to break Mach?

[Guest]

Why did you position the LV1R's in this particular orientation?

Was it trying to smoothen the movement?

Speaking of LV1R.. http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/130146

Edited September 4, 2015 by RevanCorana

[Redshift OTF]

I couldn't believe I missed this! Amazing innovation.

[Snowdrift The IceWing]

Hey, my computer hates the download files; are you willing to share how the swivel works? I understand if not.

[The Optimist]

2 hours ago, Snowdrift The IceWing said:

Hey, my computer hates the download files; are you willing to share how the swivel works? I understand if not.

The last post was October 23, 2015. As such, this craft is likely outdated. And also your post is something called a "Necro", which is discouraged for old craft threads.

[Majorjim!]

7 hours ago, Snowdrift The IceWing said:

Hey, my computer hates the download files; are you willing to share how the swivel works? I understand if not.

Yup, old ad broken I'm afraid..

 It used to work by taking advantage of the wobbly connection of the ant engine. That and then two docking ports for it to connect to.