Asymmetrical Aircraft Challenge

[vyznev]

2 hours ago, vyznev said:

Conveniently, it also means that designing a well balanced asymmetrical propeller isn't nearly as hard as it might seem. I wonder if an asymmetrical helicopter could work…

As it turns out, it does. Allow me to present the Asymmetricopter!

Spoiler

I mean, I'm not saying that it flies well. But it does fly.

With skill and patience, it can even land safely.

 

Craft file: https://pastebin.com/m2DJYV1F

(Note: I/K control main propeller baseline pitch — not sure if it makes sense to call it "collective" when there's only one blade — and J/L trim the tail prop pitch. Stage to start the engines and the fuel cell. Basically it flies like an ordinary helicopter, except more wobbly. SAS is strongly recommended, although it's kind of marginally flyable without it.)

Ps. I belatedly realized that this doesn't actually qualify for the challenge, since it takes off vertically. I mean, I guess you could take off more or less horizontally if you wanted to, but it'd be more difficult and serve no real purpose. (Real helicopters sometimes do it to gain extra lift by basically running ahead of their own downwash, but KSP's aerodynamics model isn't advanced enough to include such things.) Oh well, I'll leave it here anyway.

 

Edited March 11, 2020 by vyznev

[AHHans]

14 hours ago, vyznev said:

I thought about trying to subvert the challenge by designing the most normal-looking and airworthy plane possible that would still technically qualify for this challenge.

Well, does that violate rule number 5 of the challenge?

Anyway, don't assume that a craft that looks like a flying trash heap is not airworthy or hard to fly. From my three iterations the last one, the Most Gauche, is the one that flies best and IMHO the one that looks most irregular. Once I got over my impulse to make a craft that isn't symmetric (not that I'm sure that I really got over it) it is remarkably easy to balance it out: just add another piece somewhere on the side where you need more weight or lift, or move one of the pieces around for fine-tuning. In fact there are IMHO only two issues with the Most Gauche: one is that it has a tendency to veer off the runway at higher speeds. You can counteract that but it is actually easier to either pull the nose up and take off, or switch the props into reverse and/or hit the brakes and stop. The other is that the unbalanced propellers induce a wobble that keeps SAS from really locking onto a direction and eliminating the pitch-down tendency. The latter can be remedied by switching the propellers for a jet engine.

I think it flies well enough that I even put the Most Gauche on KerbalX.

[MarkoeZ]

Sooo, does this qualify?

https://imgur.com/gallery/Fvx2Xgh

1 minute ago, MarkoeZ said:

Sooo, does this qualify?

https://imgur.com/gallery/Fvx2Xgh

craap, nvm, not use same part twiice... Back to the drawing board

 

[Klapaucius]

There are some really interesting and fun designs that have been posted recently. Cool!

 

However, most of them do not qualify for this challenge. The rules state that you may only use one of any part. Even paired right and left wings or landing gear are not allowed.  

[vyznev]

7 hours ago, Klapaucius said:

There are some really interesting and fun designs that have been posted recently. Cool!

However, most of them do not qualify for this challenge. The rules state that you may only use one of any part. Even paired right and left wings or landing gear are not allowed.  

Just to be clear, since you didn't mention which entries you were referring to, I'd like to note that mine does qualify under that rule. Even the left and right wings, while almost identical in appearance and aerodynamics, are built out of different wing pieces. Check the craft file if you don't believe me.

Edited March 13, 2020 by vyznev

[Klapaucius]

7 hours ago, vyznev said:

Just to be clear, since you didn't mention which entries you were referring to, I'd like to note that mine does qualify under that rule. Even the left and right wings, while almost identical in appearance and aerodynamics, are built out of different wing pieces. Check the craft file if you don't believe me.

Doesn't the copter have a bank of batteries?

[vyznev]

On 3/13/2020 at 9:31 PM, Klapaucius said:

Doesn't the copter have a bank of batteries?

No, the copter has one battery on the right side and one large fuel cell on the left. (Of course, the copter doesn't really qualify anyway, since it's VTOL. )

[Klapaucius]

1 hour ago, vyznev said:

No, the copter has one battery on the right side and one large fuel cell on the left. (Of course, the copter doesn't really qualify anyway, since it's VTOL. )

Well....that category was to stop VTOL jets. I never imagined something with mismatched blades!

[Pro100kerbonaut]

I made an SSTO

[RoninFrog]

13 hours ago, Pro100kerbonaut said:

I made an SSTO

Those were some intense tumbles during reentry.

[Mars-Bound Hokie]

Hey, @Klapaucius. Here's my entry for the challenge.

 

What do you think? I also brought my parts list with me (which you can find on KerbalX):

Edited March 25, 2020 by Mars-Bound Hokie
Added screenshot of my parts list

[The_Stinky_Broccoli]

is this challenge still open?

[Klapaucius]

3 hours ago, epicfailure2020 said:

is this challenge still open?

My challenges never end. Looking forward to your contraption.

[The_Stinky_Broccoli]

 you never said it needed to completely survive!

those wings are different they are the wing pieces a and b but rotated. the rules said I could use the same control surfaces twice and the same with landing gear. there is not a good picture of it but the two intakes are different. one is a shock cone intake and the other is normal.

Edited July 18, 2020 by epicfailure2020

[Klapaucius]

4 minutes ago, epicfailure2020 said:

 you never said it needed to completely survive!

those wings are different they are the wing pieces a and b but rotated. the rules said I could use the same control surfaces twice and the same with landing gear.

No the rules do not state that at all.  You may not use any part more than once, and left and right paired parts are considered the same. The wings was an example, but it applies to all parts, including control surfaces and landing gear.

[The_Stinky_Broccoli]

On 10/20/2018 at 11:24 PM, Klapaucius said:

A right and a left lifting surface count as the same part.  That goes for landing gear as well. 

and the wings were completely different I just adjusted them so they had the same drag and lift. there probably not even the close together. 

Edit: sorry did not understand well

Edited July 18, 2020 by epicfailure2020

[Klapaucius]

54 minutes ago, epicfailure2020 said:

and the wings were completely different I just adjusted them so they had the same drag and lift. there probably not even the close together. 

5. Keep in mind the spirit of the challenge. I cannot foresee every loophole.  Be clever and innovative, but remember, this is about creating something unique using your building skill to achieve it.

Sorry if that was not clear, but the intent was for no matched parts at all. I think all the other entries follow that so I assumed it was perhaps clearer than it was.  It makes it more of a challenge and more interesting. I'm keen to see what you come up with.

Edited July 18, 2020 by Klapaucius

[The_Stinky_Broccoli]

is that better? I know its not the best and I'm making a better one but its all I have now.

 

Edited July 18, 2020 by epicfailure2020

[Klapaucius]

8 minutes ago, epicfailure2020 said:

is that better? I know its not the best and I'm making a better one but its all I have now.

 

Nice!!! 

 

What is the best??? It is not a contest; the idea is have fun and figure it out.  Thanks for the entry and for bringing the challenge back. Grab your badge. 

[The_Stinky_Broccoli]

i mean better as in crazier and less symmetrical.

and how do i get my badge?

Edited July 18, 2020 by epicfailure2020

[Klapaucius]

8 minutes ago, epicfailure2020 said:

i mean better as in crazier and less symmetrical.

and how do i get my badge?

Right click on the small badge in the original post.   Here are instructions on how to add it.

 

[The_Stinky_Broccoli]

can i use struts more than once?

[Klapaucius]

2 minutes ago, epicfailure2020 said:

can i use struts more than once?

That is a good question. It has not come up.  I'm inclined to say try it with autostruts first and see how it works out, but I am willing to be flexible on this.

I think you have inspired me to reboot this challenge without the single part restriction and see where it goes.

Edited July 18, 2020 by Klapaucius

[The_Stinky_Broccoli]

tell me when that is out. i will be one of the first to try it!

[Klapaucius]

@Mars-Bound Hokie  I realized just now I never responded to you post. Sorry about that!  Love the lopsided takeoff. That alone was worth the price of admission. Please take you badge.