[WIP] Futuristic SSBO (Single Stage Beyond Orbit) Aircraft

[Radekpl]

Hi there.

Playing this game from early development and now i would like to also make some content.

So I started modeling futuristic aircraft designed by Oscar Cafaro.

My plan is making this model as pure futuristic. So no addon booster to get this ship into orbit. It will have high ISP motors.

Central motor (two mode motor) 

1. mode - Used mostly during ground to high atmosphere - will use most of the fuel from wings and body storage
2. mode - Used from high atmosphere to space - will use the reactor seen at side view to boost the aircraft to hypersonic speed.

Side motors (two mode motors) + high force orientation thrusters

1. mode - Used during atmospheric flight - using fuel from wings
2. mode - Used during space travel as very high ISP futuristic motors to reach every planet you want.

Side motors are placed above wings, bellow wing are placed two front orientation thrusters, landing gear assembly, two rear orientation thrusters. (All this is encapsulated in nacelles)

Top Down orientation thrusters will be placed before and after the wings

Improvement (some of them because i am real ultralight pilot):

• Top opening cargo space variant and also original designed cockpit opening cargo space variant
• Krueger flaps - (Not sure now if will use also nacelles for realistic aesthetic mechanism, or use futuristic Krueger flaps without mechanism hidden in nacelles)
• Slats (because I would like to keep some realism in athmosphere fliyng)
• Do not know yet ...

Notes:

• Propably will need help with texturing
• Propably will need help with cfg file tweeking
• Propably will need develop addon for double tire landing gear system - I can program in Csharp, but if is there any addon i can use for that ?
• Propably will need help with part testing
• I am open for any ideas
• Due to aircraft shape, main body parts and main engine will not be compatible to aesthetic combination to current parts. Naccelles (with attachable landing gear assembly and separated motors, thrusters), Main wings, ... will propably be combined with basic parts.

Very early development pictures:

[CobaltWolf]

Neat! You probably can scale back the number of polys on it - you don't need that many to define those shapes smoothly and it'll make it much easier to work with

[Radekpl]

Sure. High poly model is just for Texture and UV generation. Final model will be more polygon count friendly.

[Rezza Goan]

I love the design... Bring this into ksp will be great

[davidy12]

Looks like a Pelican from Halo. 

[JadeOfMaar]

It's not every day you see a mod for a futuristic spaceplane body, especially a "NASA" thing from a concept artist. I have quite a lot to say but I'll wait until you get along some, and I don't have any idea yet how much you're aware of things like mirroring with asymmetric parts, CoM vs CoL vs CoT, and drag cubes. But it's great to know that you're a pilot. There are a good few players who would welcome the flaps and slats in your wings, for one.

[Radekpl]

Update state:

High poly modeling (base for game ready low poly model):

• Wings: 100%
• Slats: 90% - need some adjustment
• Flaps: 100%
• Speedbrakes: 100%
• Aelerons: 100%
• Motor gondola: 100%
• Main Gear: 50% (aditional detail need to be modeled)
• Main gear doors (with small back doors): 100% 
• Front assist motors: 80%

I have no idea about mirroring in kerbal. I hope it will be like mirror around point of origin of the model? Good thing is, that I am modeling in Houdini, so everything can be redone/repair from any point.

I will try post an animation of current progress during weekend.

Cheers.

[Radekpl]

Another short update. Just animations.

Overview:

Flap detail:

Gear detail:

Edited August 20, 2020 by Radekpl
Added more images

[Radekpl]

I decided to remodel main gear to be more funky and futuristic look.

I will keep also original "non futuristic" design, if anyone will prefere that.

[Bartybum]

@Radekpl It does look awesome, but from what I can tell the bottom linkage isn't fully constrained. I think something a little simpler/more conventional would do better, like halfway between that and what it was originally.

[Radekpl]

On 8/27/2020 at 3:35 AM, Bartybum said:

@Radekpl It does look awesome, but from what I can tell the bottom linkage isn't fully constrained. I think something a little simpler/more conventional would do better, like halfway between that and what it was originally.

Yes. It seemsit isnt, but there is small wormgear transmission which keep front piston at right place. Worm gears are quite good at it. They are self locked. You cannot turn with big gear to move small worm part. And also in "practical" situation, there can be some piston lock mechanism, or somethink simmilar. but it is beyond model for kerbal game.

There you can see finished front gear. I would like to keep as much as possible from Oscar Cafaro design, so I kept his L shaped front gear and for doors I was inspired by C130 Hercules. I hope you will like it.

I would like to ask if I should make also door handle mechanism, or keep it rather simple, just doors without mechanism visible.

I prefere simplistic version. For flaps too, just to keep realistic movement, but do not show the real mechanism behind.

Next step is to finish modeling elevator - just to split static and moving part, quite easy. Cargo bay doors, also should be very simple. B1 style cockpit entrance Hatch + ladder from bottom part of the cocpit - or make there a ramp. But there is rear part of front gears door, so I need to think about it first.

I am not sure about colliders in game, what they can handle. The best should be, if you can make walkable cockpit and use BUTTON to enter the cocpit just for enter THE SEAT. But I think it is not possible due to Kerbal heads . Hope for Kerbal 2.

 

[Noctis_cs]

@Radekpl Woah ! 
Keep going. You make an amazing work !

[Radekpl]

Quick update  Little bit dirty landing animation. But for imagination ... it works. The cockpit look just perfect. View angle from cockpit during landing is amazing.