Open Source Construction Techniques for Craft Aesthetics

[HafCoJoe]

DUDE. Why have I never thought of this! Adding to list of things to use in next cinematic...

[Azimech]

This was a concept test build and it flies. Smart placement of struts means you can have a very strong barrel. I start with a single steel beam and place a few beams radially outwards (in this case I believe 12) and place a long radiator on them, then rotate with absolute angle snap. You don't need steel beams any more (unless you're breaking symmetry somewhere like I did) because the radiators attach to each other.

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This one flies but the drag is huge. Ten basic jets: top speed 110m/s. It flies a lot faster with FAR.

[Majorjim!]

If you noticed that parts do not connect as easily in the editor post version 1.0. They used to have two possible 'positions' on the node. Not anymore.

There is a new toggleable variable in the alt+12 menu after version 1.0 It is called Non-strict part attachment orientation checks. Ticking the check box on this fixes this issue.

MJ

Edited August 28, 2015 by Majorjim

[Mad Rocket Scientist]

If you noticed that parts do not connect as easily in the editor post version 1.0. They used to have two possible 'positions' on the node. Not anymore.

There is a new toggleable variable in the alt+12 menu after version 1.0 It is called Non-strict part attachment orientation checks. Ticking the check box on this fixes this issue.

MJ

When 1.0 dropped, I added this to my list of things to do instantly on start-up, along with part clipping.

[Bulbashenko]

But never, never use to attach the small cubic strut for the small mk2 cargo bay!!! ...and radial attachment point too!

[FlipNascar]

You can use stock fairings to make a sealed bearing... That means you can build reduced part count bearings, and it's less likely to break through because it's already inside and sealed. Or you can combine it with the "close fairing to unattached part" (although I struggle to get this to work every single time...) to get a simple one-piece tube for your parts.

The only caveat that I've discovered so far, you need to make sure that at craft launch there is an offset gap between the parts inside the fairing and those outside. You can build the innards, then create the fairing, then add your cube struts and offset tool to make a gap. If you don't, the bearing will still sort of work but there's a lot of resistance.

I'm sure you whizzkids will do far more inventive things...

Example craft file download two bearings constructed with the gaps offset, and one that ignores it. The offset bearings will just keep on spinning.

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[Aegeas]

That's interesting about using wheels for bearings, guess you could make revolving space stations that way... I'll have to keep that in mind.

I've seen quite a few post of people using landing gear as a sort of linear actuator, well I was trying to get a small docking port to stick out of a mk2 cockpit with the least amount of parts to save weight as it was for a small space plane.

I found to get the most movement its best to push the lightest part possible using landing gear that is held in place by a strut so the gear can't move back.

The 'structural intake' is perfect as it is fairly long and will accept radial attachments and only weights .0044T

The closer you put the part to the base of the gear the more tension and push you get. Also the more landing legs pushing the same part the more movement again.

Here are some examples of what I mean including the finished cockpit (craft file attached) that uses 2 legs to fully retract the dock (action group 5). In the last pic the gear is pushing on a structural intake inside the cockpit angled at about 45 degrees.

mk2_cockpit_dock.craft

Edited August 30, 2015 by Aegeas

[problemecium]

Found this on Reddit, it's awesome. http://imgur.com/a/MDSUq

Cool! Although personally I eschew "abuse" of the Cubic Strut and would do this with Radial Attachment Points instead. The concept is solid though.

[Rune]

That's interesting about using wheels for bearings, guess you could make revolving space stations that way... I'll have to keep that in mind.

I've seen quite a few post of people using landing gear as a sort of linear actuator, well I was trying to get a small docking port to stick out of a mk2 cockpit with the least amount of parts to save weight as it was for a small space plane.

I found to get the most movement its best to push the lightest part possible using landing gear that is held in place by a strut so the gear can't move back.

The 'structural intake' is perfect as it is fairly long and will accept radial attachments and only weights .0044T

The closer you put the part to the base of the gear the more tension and push you get. Also the more landing legs pushing the same part the more movement again.

Here are some examples of what I mean including the finished cockpit (craft file attached) that uses 2 legs to fully retract the dock (action group 5). In the last pic the gear is pushing on a structural intake inside the cockpit angled at about 45 degrees.

http://i.imgur.com/F8LmRdq.gif

http://i.imgur.com/nGBXRu2.gif

http://i.imgur.com/ehiNLot.gif

mk2_cockpit_dock.craft

Have you tested what happens when such a thing docks?

Rune. I predict a visit form the kraken when the game loads the physics for the composite ship.

[Aegeas]

Have you tested what happens when such a thing docks?

Rune. I predict a visit form the kraken when the game loads the physics for the composite ship.

I did a quick test tonight, docked with a station and then did some time acceleration tests and a few reloads, all worked fine.

I did however get it to blow up once, this happened when it was docked and I lowered/raised the gear that holds tension on the dock.

But I couldn't get this to happen again after several tries.

So yeah any time a part has collision surfaces and is animated there is a chance of kerbal physics making things explode but I don't think the risk is any greater with this particular setup than with a cargo bay mishap.

[Goddess Bhavani]

Mk2 cockpits look much better if you make them look like a blended wing design, using a tailcone clipped into the nose flanked by two Big-S strakes.

If you add a Big-S delta wing behind the resulting assemblage, you get an Avro Vulcan scale model / historical pre-production aerodynamic testbed!

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[Aegeas]

Mk2 cockpits look much better if you make them look like a blended wing design, using a tailcone clipped into the nose flanked by two Big-S strakes.

If you add a Big-S delta wing behind the resulting assemblage, you get an Avro Vulcan scale model / historical pre-production aerodynamic testbed!

http://imgur.com/a/oHlct

I'm a big fan of the look of blended wing / flying wing planes.

I was playing around with what wings would merge into the mk2 cockpit (like you have been) and at one point it started looking a bit like a Horten 229 (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horten_Ho_229) so I ended up trying to make one:

The real Ho 229 is still one of the most beautiful planes and so ahead of its time, I think it is probably my personal favourite. For me it is like the spitfire, sheer elegance of design as well as incredible performance for its time.

One thing I did find though when trying to get flying wings to fly well is that roll can be a headache. The big-s elevon 2 gives too much roll and anything less seems to give too little.

A few things I have found that help are:

• put engines as far apart as possible (gives more torque for the thrust vectored engines - like a longer lever around the COM)

• use mk1 fuel tanks or any of the intake size 1 parts as a spacer between adapter parts and engines - this allows you to move them in and out of the adapter with the translate tool to fine tune COM/COL.

• clip advanced canards into fuel tanks (a bit cheaty but definitely improves stability) which will hide them to keep the lines of your plane.

Here is an example of my current WIP SSTO which is designed to be a sort of modular plane:

The two passenger cabins can be replaced by fuel tanks or cargo bays and it has enough DV to get into a 125k LKO from memory. It uses advanced canards and two reaction wheels to assist with stability. It will fly level or on a 20 degree incline on x4 time accelerate, if it stalls it will naturally point nose down in free fall, it allows for a fair amount of deviation from pro-grade as well as being able to hold 45 degree pitch on re-entry without flipping out or flying backwards. Those are my current three test I put any new plane through, I'm all ears if someone has suggestions on any other practical tests for a space plane to pass.

On this plane I have deactivate the roll on the elevons, yaw and pitch are still active. I ended up adding 4 canards to each engine (8 total for the plane). This may sacrifice performance and be a bit cheaty in some peoples eyes but for me it about getting a plane I like the look of to fly well. If there was a way to limit the power of elevons similar to how you can limit engine thrust to fine tune stability then that would be cool but there isn't so this is my compromise.

[Aegeas]

While we are on the topic of blended looks I found that this setup blends nicely together.

[Castille7]

Stock cargo bay

I want to show you mine cargo bay, with a tutorial, how to build it. Enjoy!

http://i.imgur.com/eBDK9NK.png

http://i.imgur.com/rmbSl8s.png

You can use it in your crafts, but please, post a link to my video, when you're posting craft using my cargo bay on KSP forum/reddit/steam.

Cargo bay

Nice Engineering work!

[selfish_meme]

Does anyone know how to blow up an oscar b, the damn things are tough

[Sharkman Briton]

Try moar boosters into it, that or smash it into the ground at gosh knows how fast.

[selfish_meme]

Try moar boosters into it, that or smash it into the ground at gosh knows how fast.

Smashing it into the ground works, I wanted to blow it up midair though, so far has withstood 6 separations clipped inside. I am thinking if I heat up something else inside, now I have to go look for small explodey stuff.

[Majorjim!]

I did a quick test tonight, docked with a station and then did some time acceleration tests and a few reloads, all worked fine.

http://i.imgur.com/X0mFM7Q.png

I did however get it to blow up once, this happened when it was docked and I lowered/raised the gear that holds tension on the dock.

But I couldn't get this to happen again after several tries.

So yeah any time a part has collision surfaces and is animated there is a chance of kerbal physics making things explode but I don't think the risk is any greater with this particular setup than with a cargo bay mishap.

This is genius! I have never seen a single person do this.

- - - Updated - - -

Smashing it into the ground works, I wanted to blow it up midair though, so far has withstood 6 separations clipped inside. I am thinking if I heat up something else inside, now I have to go look for small explodey stuff.

Clipped stack seperators like to go pop now, try that. Hell try three of them!

[selfish_meme]

Clipped stack seperators like to go pop now, try that. Hell try three of them!

Nope, surprisingly resistant to exploding unless they happen to have already been deployed.

[Yukon0009]

A single Jumbo will sink to the seabed on its own.

[selfish_meme]

A single Jumbo will sink to the seabed on its own.

Wrong thread bud, but thanks, is too big to be of use as a torpedo though...or is it? nah

[Majorjim!]

Nope, surprisingly resistant to exploding unless they happen to have already been deployed.

Well they like going pop sometime on my pad, undeployed. The overheating bug. Why do you want them to splode?

- - - Updated - - -

Wrong thread bud, but thanks, is too big to be of use as a torpedo though...or is it? nah

Even if you use parts that sink, it cannot move at any speed underwater. It will explode.

[selfish_meme]

Well they like going pop sometime on my pad, undeployed. The overheating bug. Why do you want them to splode?

- - - Updated - - -

Even if you use parts that sink, it cannot move at any speed underwater. It will explode.

Was thinking about AA

[Majorjim!]

Was thinking about AA

Hmm, like flack? What about a load of inline seperators as shrapnel?

[HafCoJoe]

I sadly don't have any pictures but I'm in the prototyping stages of a stock door hinge. It's going to move a door of 2x3 large structural panels. The new fairings work wonders with small part count bearings! The door is meant to be controlled with a rack and pinion but the only annoying issue I'm getting is that the motorized wheels are levitating 3 centimeters above the rack.

This is the best real world example I can find right now:

Imagine this mechanism but with the tiny gear is a wheel and no matter what you do it refuses to touch the curved bearing.

If anyone knows a way to solve this please do share

Edited September 9, 2015 by Avera9eJoe