The SlamDancer, a BARN-STORMING BIPLANE that doesn't require SAS!

[zombiphylax]

The PX-2 SlamDancer

The fine folks at Mockheed Lartin have been sitting around waiting for the solar flare to pass before continuing work on anything too serious; luckily, they found a relic of a previous generation to keep them occupied. After liberal spit-shining, and generous amounts of elbow-grease, they got the old bird in flying condition.

DOWNLOAD NEW BARNSMASHER .CRAFT HERE (Rebalanced, slightly more agile and wider landing gear profile)

DOWNLOAD .CRAFT FILE HERE (Original, still pretty balanced)

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No SAS at all, you really don't need it, this is a very forgiving, very agile, plane that requires only ~16% throttle (halfway between 0 and the first solid line of your throttle indicator) and precision controls (caps lock). I pilot it with a keyboard, so I'm willing to bet it's a piece of cake with a joystick. Includes a probe-core for those situations where you just want to fly without driving a Kerbalnaut to your airstrip.

I've been having a blast with this thing, and it should survive the new release no problem.

Let me know what you think!

Edited July 21, 2013 by zombiphylax

[GusTurbo]

Wow, what a fun looking plane. Great design, and it looks very functional in the video. This should be great for flying around the new KSC in .21. Question about the engine: being inside the tail section doesn't cause any problems?

[zombiphylax]

Yeah, I was thinking it'd be great in the new KSC, especially with the new tower!

As far as the engine: no, at least none that'll affect your flight, but your flight history will repeatedly show the trail being damaged...

[Jeb Cubed]

Seems like when I put up my Sopwith Kerman, everybody started making biplanes. Good job though, mine isnt as stable because its so maneuverable. Well done.

[zombiphylax]

Haha, I noticed the influx too, would you believe this started out as me trying to make a Swoop style speeder bike? This thing wouldn't be all that stale without the parts clipped into its fuel tank. That was the part that took longest with this bird...

[zombiphylax]

Anyone tried this with FAR? I know it doesn't work, but I'm not at my PC, and considering making a FAR friendly version if it seems close to being piloted.

[Silicon014]

Now how exactly do you get the craft to be pitch stable under various fuel conditions? Is it completely balanced empty and full?

[zombiphylax]

Parts clipped into the fuel tank, namely 4 small I-beams and 2 small flaps right behind the intake. So while it's not perfectly balanced 100% owff the flight, it's pretty balanced overall. The radial intake on top is actually there to add drag as well that helps keep the nose level.

[zombiphylax]

Rebalanced it while watching the KSPTV marathon, much tighter turn radius, wider footprint for slightly easier landing, balanced to be steady even towards the end of your fuel supply, and now you can actually do cork-screws (important for air circuses ).

Edited July 21, 2013 by zombiphylax

[Silicon014]

I actually tried this with FAR. Even after sweeping AoA's and updating the control surfaces, running at half throttle, etc., it still has an incredible tendency to pitch up, then into a flat spin.

[Zanis]

This is one if the best looking bi planes I have ever seen!

What altitudes can you get with the plane and what speeds have you gotten with it as well?

Keep up the great work!

[zombiphylax]

I actually tried this with FAR. Even after sweeping AoA's and updating the control surfaces, running at half throttle, etc., it still has an incredible tendency to pitch up, then into a flat spin.

Thanks for the update! Downloading FAR right now to see if I can tinker a bit...

Edit: Wow, it's going to take me awhile to get used to FAR, don't think it's very viable to try and adapt this plane with FAR.

This is one if the best looking bi planes I have ever seen!

What altitudes can you get with the plane and what speeds have you gotten with it as well?

Keep up the great work!

Thanks! Honestly I wouldn't recommend trying to squeeze speed and altitude out of this, it's not balanced for 100% thrust, and I've put it into flat spins by trying to climb as fast as possible (luckily you can recover easily ~1km up). It's really just a stunt plane that is made to handle well at low altitude and speed.

Edited July 21, 2013 by zombiphylax

[Sabastian]

Man, how did you get the jet engine to work with the fuselage blocking it? I've been trying to make airplanes like this for a while, and I keep running into that issue. Been driving me nuts!

[zombiphylax]

As far as I can tell, that stem making up the tail doesn't have a mesh at the very end, so the thrust travels through it as long as you place it just barely behind the engine's node. Everything else blocks the thrust like you said, i wish i could have clipped the rear landing gear through the top, but that blocks the thrust...

[WizardlyMouse]

Awesome plane. I downloaded the rebalanced version and loved it. I haven't been able to land it though. I imagine it's easier with a joystick so you don't always jerk your nose up too far, but with the arrow keys I other come down too fast and pitched too far down, or I just start rising again due to bad physics.

During one of my crashes, Jeb got flung from his seat at mach speeds, and crashed into the ocean 2 kilometers away from the crash site.

[zombiphylax]

Thanks, Mouse, glad you're enjoying it! Landing is a bit tricky, I usually cut thrust all together, make sure I have precision control engaged, and glide it in, basically aiming short of the runway because it glides much further than you'd expect, and then tapping brakes rapidly as soon as the front gear touch down. Once you slow down enough, I pull up and lock the brakes down. Normally I crash mid-loop, so I've only had to land a handful of times.

[Javster]

AWESOME PLANE!!

(Download link?

EDIT:

Found it on your main page)

Edited October 27, 2013 by Javster

[zombiphylax]

I'm sorry, I rarely have time to check here anymore. I'm glad you found the original download link, but if you're bored enough, I offer all 3 prototypes. Pretty similar, but have fairly distinct flying characteristics.