BAK Manta - an unconventional flying boat

[Guest]

My aircraft designs are usually pretty conventional, often riffing off some classic design patterns. Here's something a bit more unusual, although it too is inspired by a real-life craft. This is the BAK Manta. It's a six-person flying boat and it does the job really nicely. Top speed is over 290 m/s ASL, it's capable of surfing the edge of stall at about 20 m/s, and both lands and takes off water easily. She's powered by fuel cells. She is on the razor's edge of aerodynamic instability, so if you fly her too hard your pilots will black out (at high speeds) or you'll throw cartwheels (at low speeds), but if you don't overdo the control inputs she's surprisingly docile. She flies well both low and slow, and fast and hard.

https://kerbalx.com/Brikoleur/BAK-Manta

Edit: updated craft. Watch her take off -- note that Scatterer wave collisions are enabled so it's a bit bumpy!

Spoiler

The real-life inspiration for BAK Manta is the Airfish 8 ekranoplan. Unlike the Airfish, the Manta does take off!

https://newatlas.com/wigetworks-airfish-8-ground-effect-vehicle/56184/

 

Edited February 18, 2021 by Guest