United States Air Force Museum Replica Collection

[Mars-Bound Hokie]

GOOOOOOOOOD MMMMMMMMORNING KERBIIIIIIIIIIIIIIINNNN!

This is not a test, this is your local OV-10 Bronco pilot! Time to ride it from base to the DMZ!

 

• The OV-10 Bronco on display in the SPH.

For some reason, KerbalX detected a mod when I uploaded this craft even though I SWEAR I only used Stock and Breaking Ground DLC parts. Furthermore, I don’t even have SSTO Project.

• Mod confusion aside, I went with EM-32S Standard rotors to match the aesthetic of the real OV-10 Bronco. That meant that I had to go electric, which also meant I had to forget fuel and add as many batteries as possible while maintaining aesthetic.
• The solar panels on the cockpit was not only to simulate the front windows, but to add a power source to reduce - if not completely negate - the power drain caused by the engines. However, if I was to get an accurate reading of how far the plane can go on one charge, I had to do the test cruise at night.
• In case I needed an emergency power boost and there was no sunlight available, I installed a fuel cell in the back - and left some oxidizer.
• Sure, this plane was used as an attack aircraft back in Vietnam, but unless you’re behind enemy lines flying without nav lights is a safety hazard - especially if you’re transporting cargo or patients. That’s why the nav lights are their own separate action group instead of connected to the main light switch.
• I installed rocket pods on the wings to simulate this aircraft being used for attacks. When you’re done with them, simply hit ACTION GROUP 7 to detach them both.
• At first, the plane was nose-heavy. I had to not only fill up some of the fuel tanks in the back to move the CoM closer to the rear, but I had to reduce the motor size and output to 50% and bring the main throttle torque limit back to 20%.
• In addition, I turned off the pitch and yaw controls for the ailerons and used five Elevon 4s for the elevators.

 

Seriously, what set KerbalX to flag this plane as modded? 

 

• Historic photograph of an unknown airman rushing towards a Bronco before a late-night mission.
• The Bronco was a popular air support craft among Kerbin’s ground forces for a time. However, once the A-10 Warthog was introduced, the Bronco was reassigned to carrier-borne close air support. Eventually, it was phased out of military service completely.
• Remaining Broncos were used by civilian agencies, with the most notable example of which being the Kerbal Space Program for atmospheric studies. The design then served as a basis for unmanned drones sent to other planets to study their atmospheres, like the E-38 Earhart for Eve.

 

• The Bronco on a test cruise at night.
• Although the main lights were turned off, the nav lights were not. The nav lights alone drained more battery than the regular lights alone, and they HAVE to be on unless doing so would result in immediate enemy attention. So they were left on to get a more conservative reading on how far the plane can fly on a single charge.

 

• Here we see a Bronco launching an attack on surface targets from the air. It does not need to return to base after that because the ground would make a suitable landing spot without hostiles around to blow it up.
• The plane was running low on power anyway. Though the sun was barely shining over the horizon, the landing was in the mountains so there was pretty much zero solar power available. That was what the emergency fuel cell was for.

 

The KSP replica's cruise performance stats were as follows:

• Altitude: 5.83 km (~19.1k ft; Class Alpha airspace)
• Velocity: 145 m/s (~324 mph)
• Blade Deployment Angle: 30 degrees
  • DO NOT GO ANY HIGHER THAN THAT!
• Recommended Throttle: 14%
• Expected Range: 307 km
  • This test cruise was done at night without using the fuel cell (before the landing sequence) so there’s no external power sources influencing the results.
  • The nav lights were on the whole time as well.

 

#warflashbacks

• Here we see an unnamed airman standing in front of a Bronco after using incendiary rockets to clear an airstrip of hostiles in the mountains.
• Like newspaper forts, the encampments caught fire easily after the first volley. The flames quickly spread to the surrounding buildings, engulfing everything and everyone. Any survivors will be scarred not only physically, but mentally from witnessing the carnage.

 

After further investigation, I'm still baffled by why my Bronco replica was considered modded. To read more about it, expand the spoiler below.

Spoiler

I looked at the parts list after publishing the craft and found this:

• rotor.02s is marked as a modded part, and I have two of them. I'll have to assume that they're the craft's engines.

 

I then remembered that my Kettering Bug replica also had a small motor just like this craft, but that one was marked as Stock + DLC. Looking at that craft's parts list, I'm confused as to why that part didn't get flagged as a modded part as well - or, for that matter, why my Bronco was flagged as modded in the first place.

 

• "rotor.02s from   "

 

I haven't downloaded any mods in years, and I have never installed SSTO Project in my life. What's the deal?

• Not that it's the end of the world if it cannot be fixed. I said in the OP that "any and all parts necessary, including ones that come in DLCs and mods" are allowed, so there we go. Either way, we have a complete and functional OV-10 Bronco.

 

Replicas Remaining: 207

[Mars-Bound Hokie]

Bomb Austria for the Italy.

Show no mercy, slaughter them like sheep.

Oh, no, they're fighting back. Oh, this is bad. My pants are soaked in pee.

Caproni, oh please help me now. Send me some Ca.3s.

 

• Historic photograph from the First Imperial Wars. Here we see a Gondolan Caproni Ca.3 bomber flying southwest to reach Krakopolis after Heinkel landed troops on the mainland.

 

Those of you who followed this showcase thread may remember the story of how the Green Baron and the Heinkelians took over what would become the Island Airfield during the First Imperial Wars, how they used it for their attack on Krakoplis. What happened after that is the subject of today's story.

Spoiler

After Krakopolis’ defenses were weakened in both the air and the ground - mostly thanks to the infamous Green Baron - Heinkel commenced a land invasion from a nearby island with two battleships for naval and artillery support. With the city under siege - and, by extension, its manufacturing plants - Allied Command could not allow Heinkel to maintain this advantage for long. Since a squadron of Caproni Ca.3 bombers was within combat range, this was the best option for air support in the impending counterattack. However, taking back Krakopolis would not be easy.

Even if Allied air superiority over the city could be established despite the Green Baron, any attempt to retake it by land forces would be met with artillery from the Heinkelian battleships. This, in turn, would force any remaining Allied infantry and armor to retreat - followed by its air forces - making the would-be counterattack a failure. Unfortunately, the three Allied ships sent to take care of them were sunk - two by an enemy submarine, and the third was scuttled after being crippled to avoid capture - before their targets were within firing range. With the rest of the counterattack aborted, Allied Command realized that an airstrike was necessary to deal with the Heinkelian ships. However, at the same time, they could not stay for long since the latest scout reports indicated that the Green Baron was still within range of the combat zone.

The Ca.3 pictured was one of many converted to a torpedo bomber. While this meant that the plane would still have to fly low before attacking, they could just release their payload and retreat while the torpedo traveled the rest of the distance to their target.
To keep the Green Baron occupied, Gondola recruited several convicted murderers from their prisons, put them in four Ca.3s, and ordered them to attack Heinkelian infantry units. With the Green Baron distracted, the torpedo bombers with actual Gondolan airmen would commence the attack on the ships. As expected, while the decoy bombers managed to take out many soldiers and a few tanks, the Green Baron shot them all down - without noticing Heinkel’s ships being blown up until it was too late. 

 

And now for another dark secret:

Spoiler

Though Gondola’s government promised a full pardon to any convicts that survived the battle, they did not expect any to survive. Additionally, at the time, there were rumors that Gondola’s government had planned to kill them anyway and blame it on Heinkelian assassins if they returned - though this was never confirmed. After the Second Imperial Wars ended, "Operation: Redemption" - which was Gondola’s plan to use convicted felons as cannon fodder in the First (and later the Second) Imperial Wars - was revealed to the public. Out of the hundreds of felons that were trusted to carry out suicide missions without betraying their handlers throughout the First Imperial Wars, only 19 made it until the end of the war. While they did receive full pardons, all but 5 were arrested for crimes they committed afterwards or killed while committing said crimes. Soon after Wito Kerbleone took over Gondola before the Second Imperial Wars, the remaining five died under various circumstances. Historians do not debate that these were assassinations, but they do debate whether this was Gondola’s government’s plan from the start or if Kerbleone altered it.

 

 

• The Caproni Ca.3 on display in the SPH.
• When you launch the plane, expect it to rest on the tailwheels instead of the front. Don’t freak out about historical inaccuracy, as the real-life counterparts often had their rear gear on the ground with the front wheel in the air while resting.
  • In fact, the National Museum of the United States Air Force in Dayton, OH has supports holding the plane up at the rear gear. The front gear (both in-game and IRL) is for the pilots to land easier.
• I started with the cockpit from by triplane replica so I can keep an open cockpit aesthetic. At the same time, since two pilots were in that cockpit, I installed two command seats - and one ladder for pilots to board and disembark. However, that still left the issue of the long nose for the gunner and a central point of command (due to two seats), so I stuck with a probe core and a fuel tank.
  • With the probe core coming with MechJeb, this made the test cruise way easier and performance more efficient.
• For aesthetic accuracy, I used Propeller Blade Type Bs with blade angles fixed at 16 degrees. However, this meant that the plane’s thrust would be weaker than if I used ducted blades. So, for the two front engines, I kept the motor size and output at 100% BUT I left the main throttle torque limit at 20%.
• As for the third pusher engine in the back, although I had two other engines in the front for thrust, I didn’t want to deal with that annoying roll. So, I reduced the rear engine’s motor size and output to 20% while leaving its main throttle torque limit alone. This engine will not be as powerful as the other two, but it should keep rolling down to a minimum (without the use of MJ aircraft autopilot).
• The rear tailwheels had to be moved further forward and lower than expected, otherwise the blades in the rear engines would hit the ground. In addition, the rear blades had to be moved further into the engine itself.

 

AGAIN, ANY HELP IN TAKING CARE OF THAT ROLL FOR SINGLE-ENGINE PROP PLANES IS GREATLY APPRECIATED.

 

• Jeb being an idiot (again) and flying low enough over the SPH to touch the roof with the landing gear. Fortunately, no damage was sustained to either the aircraft or the building - at least none that could be attributed to pilot stupidity. And good thing too, because this was the only airworthy Caproni Ca.3 in existence - and it’s a replica on loan from Gondola.

 

• Historic photograph of a Caproni Ca.3 cruising over the Gondolan countryside.
• After the First Imperial Wars, many of the remaining bombers were converted and sold for civil use. Such purposes included transporting mail, sick or injured patients, and even paying passengers.

 

• Back in the present day, Jeb and an unnamed Gondolan flight engineer are flying along the coastline away from the KSC.
  • To make the test cruise easier, the replica was equipped with MJ aircraft autopilot.

 

The KSP replica's cruise performance stats were as follows:

• Altitude: 750 m (2,460 ft)
  • Best Vertical Speed to Altitude: 2 m/s
• Velocity: 50 m/s (~112 mph)
• Recommended Throttle: 10%
• Expected Range: 100 km

 

• The Caproni Ca.3 replica safely on the ground, and with only 2 fuel units left. Not a (new) scratch on it.

 

If I thought getting this plane to look like its namesake was hard, I was in for a surprise keeping it off the ground. Maybe I should stick with using ducted blades for props that aren't large, fixed-angle or not, then I'd get better performance stats. On a positive note, it's not every day you see an Italian warbird. Usually, it's the major players (Great Britain, U.S., Germany, Japan, USSR) whose military planes get the most recognition. @Sebastiaz made the best-looking Caproni Ca.3 replica on KerbalX - I would like some numbers on cruising altitude and range, though I suspect they're better than mine - but at least I used only Stock + DLC parts. 

 

Replicas Remaining: 206

Edited February 19 by Mars-Bound Hokie

[Mars-Bound Hokie]

For War Thunder's new update plane, I would like to nominate the Martin NBS-1 for an American Rank I bomber.

 

• The Martin NBS-1 on display in the SPH.
  • Although few people are likely to know about this, I included MB-2 designation in the craft name in case someone tries looking for the plane with that tag.
• I started with my Caproni Ca.3 replica and modified the rear so that it only has one fuselage instead of two. As for the engines, I reduced the motor size to 10% and kept the main torque limit at 20%. I noticed in my last several test flights involving props that the recommended throttle for cruise was way less than half (sometimes even a third), and I recall when I first started using props that I was advised to have a reduced motor size. So, in hopes of increasing fuel efficiency and leaving a recommended cruise throttle that made sense, I configured the engines as I had mentioned earlier.
  • While this did work wonders for the plane’s range, it did not help my sleep schedule.
• I switched the regular prop blades with ducted blades to improve performance, especially speed. If I ever do prop planes again, I’ll either use ducted blades since they work the best or the large regular prop blades (like the ones on larger aircraft like the Commando or the Peacemaker).
• Since the real-life NBS-1 had wings that folded, I started with taking the outer halves of the wings off and adding hinges to the middle before re-attaching them. Just like with my XF-85 Goblin replica, I removed the symmetry and did not autostrut them so that I don’t end up with freezing hinges again.
• Behind the front gunner, I installed a solar panel to mimic a seat and to give the plane a power source if it’s just sitting there in the sun.
• For the finishing touch, I added a couple of monoprop tanks with tailfins to copy bombs.

 

Just like the Martin B-10, this plane never saw action for the U.S.. However, you have to admit this plane looks pretty cool for a biplane bomber. And if you think the aesthetic is impressive, you should see its performance - even with a couple of bombs near the nose.

 

• Photograph of a Martin NBS-1 replica with its wings folded on the runway. This makes storage easier when the plane was not in use - at least when actual Martin NBS-1s were flown.
  • However, just like in real life, this plane was soon replaced with metal monoplane bombers such as the Martin B-10.
• This particular replica was built for showcasing purposes in Woomerang and put on static display when not in use.

 

• Jeb didn’t need to touch the controls (except for throttle and turning SAS on) to get off the ground at only 30 m/s.

 

• The Martin NBS-1 flying north through the countryside.
• This replica, which was completed around the time Bill, Jeb, and Val graduated high school, came equipped with a probe core. Old historical records buried deep in (what used to be) Martin Aerospace Incorporated’s archives point towards the NBS-1 having an incredible range for a bomber of its time. However, there were also complaints of pilot fatigue and some crashes resulting from said fatigue documented as well. To prevent such tragedies from happening again with this replica, the man who commissioned this expressly mentioned that it should come with an autopilot and a means to control it remotely from the ground.
• For once, Jeb was grateful that this plane had an autopilot. From what he was told before testing this replica, he and Bill were in for a long and agonizingly slow flight. With the autopilot on, the two of them could sleep while the plane was cruising.

 

• While flying north, Jeb had to fly around some mountains. Good thing Bill was there to wake him up, or they would be dead.

 

• Jeb and Bill flying over Kerbin’s north pole with the moon shining behind them.
• Minutes after this photo was taken, they passed out from the cold. Apparently, you need helmets if you’re flying in an open cockpit in the polar regions.
• Good thing that the plane had a probe core connected to ground control, who also received vital readings from the two men's suits. Otherwise, they would be toast when the plane ran out of fuel.

 

• After clearing the north pole, the NBS-1 is seen flying towards some islands with ground control looking for a place to land it.
  • Emergency rescue crews in the area were alerted and dispatched to the area.

 

Here's how I calculated the range for this replica:

Spoiler

With the plane taking three-quarters of a day to expend its fuel supply, the space center would have been a ways IN FRONT OF ME by the time I needed to land. This would skew the range calculations if relying on the MJ aircraft autopilot, so I used the latitude coordinates of my location when the NBS-1 was at 4 fuel units left.

 

• I didn't know that kerbals could freeze to death. They've walked on Kerbin's polar ice caps and on the frozen islands of Laythe with their helmets off, and until now that's never happened.
  • I'm guessing that it happens if they are going over a certain speed while not in a cockpit, which is apparently lower than 75 m/s.
• With a high fuel efficiency of 0.02 fuel units per second, it's no wonder the cruise test took forever to complete.
• Since the flight took 4 hours and 30 minutes, the planet's rotation would put the KSC in a position to affect the "Distance to Runway" reading, hence affecting the range calculations if I relied on that alone. So, I used the degrees latitude on the coordinates shown (63* 23' 14" N , 77* 00' 45" E) to calculate the arc length between that and the KSC.
  • Longitude (W/E) is not important in this case.
  • I had gone over Kerbin's north pole, so I would have had to subtract the end latitude (63.38 degrees) from 180*.
    • And then add the 0.03* from the KSC's coordinates if I want to be super-precise, since it's technically in the southern hemisphere.
  • I then divided the resulting angle (116.65*) by 360, then multiplied the quotient by 2 * pi * 600 km 

• The answer: 1222 km

 

And that's just with the bombs loaded. That number might be higher if the plane was unarmed, but still impressive nonetheless. Unfortunately, this plane was built too late to fight in the First Imperial Wars and replaced long before the Second broke out. Apart from bombing demonstrations and destroying old and captured warships, the only service this plane ever saw was during the filming of a silent movie.

 

Below is the KSP replica's cruise performance stats compared side-by-side with the real-life NBS-1's. I'm displaying them in this format to showcase how superior the replica is.

	REAL LIFE			KSP REPLICA - ARMED (WINNER)
	U.S.	Metric		U.S.	Metric
Altitude	7,700 feet	2.35 km		13,944 ft	4.25 km
Velocity	99 mph	44.3 m/s		168 mph	75 m/s
Range	400 miles	650 km		759.3 miles	1222 km

 

As for other performance stats for this replica:

• Best Vertical Speed to Altitude: <10 m/s
• Flight Time: 4 hours, 30 minutes

 

• A (not-so) perfect landing. If both occupants didn’t need to be rushed to the hospital after collection, it would have been perfect.
• This plane was armed the whole time. If it wasn’t, it might have better performance stats - but this should at least serve as a minimum expectation.
• After Jeb recovered, he told his friends he learned why Marxan pilots - which were located around Kerbin’s south pole - always wore closed helmets while flying open-cockpit planes in their home turf.

 

And here's a picture of the bombing test.

 

• While Jeb and Bill were in the hospital, the NBS-1 replica was transported back to Krakopolis and two more pilots volunteered to do a fake bombing run.

 

Seriously, this plane would make a great addition to anyone's War Thunder collection. This bomber would also serve well for rookies or those that feel like going old school. Gaijin could replace the PBY-5 Catalina - the multi-engine amphibious bomber variant that DOES NOT have wheels (and hence can't reliably land on the ground) - with the Martin NBS-1, giving it the chance to defend the Stars and Stripes once more. 

• The PBY-5A has wheels and is on display in the Air Force Museum.

 

Another plane I built that was the first of its kind on KerbalX, and I did (in my opinion) all the good stuff in the Early Years Gallery. Perhaps you all can help me with it while I return to building jets. Thank you all very much.

 

Replicas Remaining: 205

[TheKspEngineer]

Great replicas! I really like the story parts, and the blazing angels flashbacks

[Mars-Bound Hokie]

On 3/30/2024 at 2:19 PM, TheKspEngineer said:

Great replicas! I really like the story parts, and the blazing angels flashbacks

Thank you very much. Any requests from the checklist you would like to see in action?

 

And out of curiosity, have you ever played Blazing Angels yourself?

[TheKspEngineer]

4 hours ago, Mars-Bound Hokie said:

Thank you very much. Any requests from the checklist you would like to see in action?

 

And out of curiosity, have you ever played Blazing Angels yourself?

No, I have not played blazing angels, but I play warthunder

 

[TheKspEngineer]

I present: The iconic F-4 Phantom II

https://imgur.com/a/6sQAR9G

Historical footage of a dive bombing F-4. 

https://imgur.com/a/oJP14aW

Jeb found an old F-4 in the hangar and decided to take it for a ride.

https://imgur.com/a/2gLUXuP

The he dived aggressively into the water but then pulled up at the last second.

https://imgur.com/a/b2ZJ18N

https://imgur.com/a/aILLb54

After climbing back to normal altitude he turned upside down, to scare bill.

https://imgur.com/a/zqZ4qmM

It kind of worked.

https://imgur.com/a/y8a9OtD

 

 

[Mars-Bound Hokie]

Great job with the F-4 Phantom, @TheKspEngineer.

 

On 4/2/2024 at 2:34 AM, TheKspEngineer said:

No, I have not played blazing angels, but I play warthunder

I play War Thunder as well; U.S. air's my favorite (though U.S. naval isn't bad either). Interestingly enough, the F-4S Phantom II I bought at the 2023 Christmas sale is my most reliable plane so far.

 

If you look at my checklist for this thread, you'll recognize a lot of these planes from their respective countries' tech trees.

 

Replicas Remaining: 204

Edited April 12 by Mars-Bound Hokie
Replicas remaining

[Mars-Bound Hokie]

Hear a plane being described as "a missile with a man in it," and you might think about the Japanese Okha and/or the German Komet (or its Japanese variant) from WWII. While both certainly qualify for such titles, it was actually used to market the American F-104 Starfighter from the early Cold War.

 

• The F-104 Starfighter on display in the SPH.
• After the nose, I went straight to the engine and the tailfin. When choosing the engine, I was stuck between the Panther and the Whiplash. I then chose the panther since it was shorter in length, could switch between supersonic and regular mode, and had a higher vectoring range than the Whiplash. As for the tailfin, I had to move it back as much as possible just for the tip of the rudder to be placed further back than the engine tip - just like the real Starfighter. After that was completed, I added a battery and a drag chute.
• The real-life Starfighter’s fuselage was long, but I didn’t want to make the replica’s fuselage took long or else it would look ridiculous and flimsy later. So, I worked on the engines and had their tanks end where the tailfin began. I then placed the engines on the tanks, moved them closer to the fuselage, and bent them downward.
• To extend the plane’s range - and since a lot of pictures of the F-104 I saw had wingtip fuel tanks - I added those to the craft. After the test cruise, I configured the fuel flow priority so that the external tanks will drain first.
  • The AG5 (Action Group 5) button will toggle the crossfeed and switch the fuel flow from the external tanks to the main fuselage. Hitting it again will switch it back to the external tanks, and so on. If you’re unsure about which tanks are draining now, right-click on a fuselage or external tank and see which one of them is draining.
  • The AG0 (Action Group 0) button will detach the external tanks from the plane. I set that button farther away from AG5 to reduce the risk of accidental detachments.
  • This plane starts with 1120 fuel units total (out of 2010), and the external tanks hold 300 of them. Assuming you don’t touch the AG5 button at all, you can lose the tanks once you hit 820 fuel units left to shed some dead weight - and extend your range.

 

• Someone in the manufacturing plant screwed up the cockpit button labels and put the "ENGINE ON/OFF" label on the button that actually detaches the fuel tanks. The KAA investigators thought Jeb was being dumb, but the owner’s manual was found to have not matched what was displayed inside the cockpit. Further testing of the aircraft’s controls later proved that Jeb was telling the truth about the buttons being mislabeled.
  • In other words, anyone could have gotten it wrong.

 

• Less than five minutes down, and the Starfighter has already cleared Alt Test Mountains.

 

• Flying over the ocean at 9.975 km altitude.

 

• At the 33-minute mark, the plane on autopilot was picking up speed. When this picture was taken, the Starfighter was flying at 800 m/s at an altitude of 10.1 km.
• This phenomenon reminded me of my F-16 replica from a year ago. It started out slow at full throttle in wet (supersonic) mode and the altitude locked, but in the end it was flying just fast enough to catch fire.
• With such an inconsistent performance, I don’t know if I could even log recommended cruise stats since they rely on consistency. At least I can jot down how the flight began vs how it ended.

 

• 50 units of fuel left, and the Starfighter is flying at 814 m/s. Jeb cut off the engines and looked for a nice flat spot to land his jet, and there were plenty of them here.
• I’m sure the plane could go farther if the empty tanks were detached earlier, but I didn’t set the fuel flow priority until after this flight. You can expect a better performance this time.

 

TEST CRUISE STATISTICS COULD NOT BE LOGGED BECAUSE THE PLANE’S FLIGHT PERFORMANCE WAS FAR TOO INCONSISTENT TO QUALIFY

 

The KSP replica's test flight performance stats were as follows:

• Altitude: 9.975 km (32,726 ft)
• Starting Velocity: 295 m/s (659.9 mph)
  • Ending Velocity: 814 m/s (1,821 mph)
• Throttle: 100%
• Range: 820 km (509.5 miles)
• External Tank Status: Attached the entire time

 

• Jeb doing a smooth landing with the F-104 Starfighter, and with the aid of its drag chute. Both tanks were recovered without a scratch, although KSP personnel have argued that Jeb should have ditched them and increased his range.
  • At the same time, the tank’s design engineers were rumored to have contemplated installing parachutes that would deploy upon detachment from the plane. Perhaps that can be done in the next upgrade.

 

Sorry I've been gone from this thread for so long. Besides a marathon, work, road trips, and watching the eclipse, I've been grinding the U.S. Air tech tree in War Thunder lately. I still have a long way to go before I get the F-15A Eagle and the F-14B Tomcat (in that order), and then my "Maximum USAF" collection is complete.  Any and all help to add to this showcase thread is greatly appreciated.

 

UPDATE: I changed my craft file with the following:

• Finally updated my game to 1.12.5 this afternoon; was previously 1.12.4.
• Installed drag chutes on backs of external tanks and set them to deploy upon detachment.
• Replaced the front nose cone with a fly-by-wire for aesthetic and so non-pilots can use it.
• Put a USAF symbol on the top of the left wing.

 

Replicas Remaining: 203

Edited April 14 by Mars-Bound Hokie
Mentioned updated version now exists.

[Mars-Bound Hokie]

Everybody knows about the famous Corsair Skipper Riley and his role in WWII (or lack thereof) - and how he trained the fastest crop duster in the world. However, nobody seems to recall that he had a son who fought in Vietnam, an A-7 Corsair II. And unlike his dad, he kept flying into danger despite setbacks.

 

• The A-7 Corsair II on display in the SPH.
• To increase thrust and speed, I used two Wheesley engines clipped together (by using two crossfeed-enabled small hardpoints and small Oscar-B fuel tanks to attach them to the aircraft) and stashed them in a structural fuselage. However, the plane has one air intake - which has led to a few flaming outs in the very beginning and the end of the flight.
• To address the flaming out, I used two air intakes clipped together. However, for some reason, that resulted in a worse cruise performance. So now, the replica has one air intake. You’ll get some flameouts in the beginning, but the engine/s will get back online soon and your plane will run better. To repeat, DO NOT add another air intake.
• The real-life A-7 had an airbrake under the fuselage, so I included one in this replica. To make sure it didn’t activate along with the gear brakes, which would result in the plane losing balance and/or crashing while landing, I removed the airbrake from the brake action group and set it to be toggled by the AG5 button.
• The wing connectors on the side of the fuselage are just for aesthetic purposes.

 

• The A-7 firing decoys a minute after takeoff.
• It only has eight, so use them wisely. Better yet, don’t get locked on by enemy missiles in the first place.

 

• Historic photograph of an A-7 Corsair II flying over Kerbin’s oceans 15 minutes after taking off from a carrier. This plane was intended for close air support (CAS) against enemy ground units.
• It should therefore come as no surprise that this plane was nominated to be transported to Laythe when Kerbin established a military presence there many decades later. The A-10 Warthog was also a good choice, but it was not designed for use on carriers. Either way, it got turned down for faster and more modern carrier-borne aircraft.

 

• After a little less than 45 minutes, the plane could fly at cruising speed and gradually ease up on the throttle. Of course, the pilot would be in for a very long flight if he didn’t have any missions to complete.

 

#planareclipse

• Sometimes, daring aerial photographers would fly directly underneath aircraft and line it up with the sun so that it looks like a plane-shaped eclipse.

 

• A front view shot of the A-7 Corsair II flying over Kerbin.

 

• Four hours and almost 3,000 kilometers later, and the plane had 20 fuel units left.
  • Just like with my C-141 Starlifter replica, I had to turn south to avoid running out of fuel while too far into water.

 

The KSP replica's cruise performance stats were as follows:

• Status: UNARMED; MINIMAL COUNTERMEASURES
  • 8 x Flares
  • 8 x Chaffs
    • ONE LAUNCH: (1 x Flare) and (1 x Chaff)
• Altitude: 7.4 km (~24.3k ft; Class Alpha airspace)
• Velocity: 220 m/s (~492 mph)
• Flight time: 4 hours
• Expected Range: 3,000 km
  • WARNING: the plane will get bouncy and will experience a few flameouts while landing, but if you know what you’re doing you could put the plane down in one piece.
  • Also, make sure your airbrake is retracted before touchdown.

 

• A navy pilot stepping out of the A-7 after putting the plane down on dry land.

 

• Airbrake test over the KSP.
• Don’t worry about it tipping your plane up and throwing it off-balance before takeoff and during landing - unless you hit the AG5 button by mistake. The brake action group will not work on the airbrake.

 

That's another plane down that I also have in my "Maximum USAF" aircraft lineup in War Thunder. I've already copied the A-10 Warthog and the F-16 Fighting Falcon, and @TheKspEngineer recently did the F-4 Phantom II. All that's left is:

• Already have in War Thunder, in museum:
  • F-111A Aardvark
• Don't have in War Thunder yet, in museum:
  • F-15A Eagle
• Don't have in War Thunder yet, NOT in museum:
  • F-14B Tomcat

 

I sure got a long grind to go, both in War Thunder and in this KSP thread. Thank you all for taking the time to check it out.

 

Replicas Remaining: 202

[Mars-Bound Hokie]

While I continue on the long grind for the F-14B, I am having an attack aircraft with a talisman (that I got by pure chance) take its place to save backups in Air Arcade matches, speed up the tech tree research, and also gather crew points for when I finally get the F-14B. Also, last weekend, some new friends I made at the Air Force Museum wanted to check out the Memphis Belle II. It felt right that I make a replica of that plane next.

And so, without further ado, here's the F-105 Thunderchief.

 

• The F-105 Thunderchief on display in the SPH.
• I included the aka in the craft name since it was a popular nickname for the plane and so plane enthusiasts who know it can find it.
• I tried to add the airbrakes in the back. According to War Thunder and pictures I found on the internet, the real Thunderchief’s afterburner could open up and function as an airbrake. However, I decided to scrap that idea since my attempts to add them proved useless. At least I included a drag chute (but I didn’t really test that part).
• The air intakes were a rather interesting challenge. They were not only positioned right where the wings were attached to the fuselage, but they were angled to go outward.
• To maintain aesthetic, I chose a Panther engine for this craft. However, part of me wanted to go with a Whiplash for performance since most of my other replicas that used Panthers did not do so well.

 

• The Thunderchief ascending to cruising altitude at quite a steep angle. It was approaching Mach 1 when the pilot decided to speed up his ascent.
  • The sad part is that, unlike its real-life counterpart, this plane never made it past Mach 1.

 

• Settling at a cruising altitude after the initial ascent.

 

• Historic footage of the famous F-105 named the Baikerbanur Bombshell II cruising over Kerbin’s desert. It is currently on display in the Super-Cool Aircraft Museum.
• The original Baikerbanur Bombshell was a B-17 Flying Fortress that participated in the Second Imperial Wars - and is also on display in the Super-Cool Aircraft Museum. However, the F-105 did not get nearly as much fame as the B-17.
• Just like in real life, the Baikerbanur Bomshell II could carry more bombs than its namesake predecessor from the Second Imperial Wars.

 

• The Thunderchief ending its test cruise after approximately 43 minutes of flying at full throttle and only 30 fuel units left.

 

The KSP replica's cruise performance stats were as follows:

• Altitude: 10.9 km (~35.8k ft; Class Alpha airspace)
• Starting Velocity: 290 m/s (~649 mph)
  • The cruise ended at 320 m/s (~716 mph)
• Recommended Throttle: 100%
• Flight Time: ~43 minutes
• Expected Range: 760 km

 

• Old photograph of an unknown pilot walking out of his F-105 after landing.

 

I've noticed a pattern in my planes' performance when it came to the Panther engine. Specifically, even when it was in wet mode, the plane did not fly supersonic to start. If it did go fast, it would be within the last five minutes of powered flight before landing. Any ideas why that's the case?

• Anyway, until I get that issue resolved, I might want to stick with the Whiplash for supersonic planes.

 

Spoiler

In the meantime, I am considering building a four-engine prop for my next plane. 

 

Replicas Remaining: 201