updated F-104 and NF-104

[Ojimak]

Inspired by Space Cowboy's mod F-104 and NF-104, I decided to create my own stock (and smaller) version. These were my first attempts at recreating actual aircraft, and I think it went fairly well. The planes are fairly maneuverable, a feat only possible due to my hiding via part clipping wings and control surfaces in the fuselage.

The main difficulty in creating this was making the main and tail wings look right (with the downwards sweep and such). I couldn't figure out a way to make the intakes, cockpit, and vertical stabilizer look more realistic, so I did the best I could.

For both planes, takeoff speed is around 75 m/s. Don't pull up too quickly or the craft will tailstrike and, if using the updated F-104, will completely disintegrate, or, if using the NF-104, will lose it's engines. Don't try any fancy maneuvers below ~90 m/s or the plane will start cartwheeling. All flying was done with a keyboard, so joystick flying should be a breeze.

Updated F-104: (see here for details)

The staging is set to start the engines, launch the missiles one at a time, drop the missile holders, drop the wingtip tanks, and drop the centerline tank, in that order. If you want a different order, used the action groups.

Action Groups:

1. toggle jet engine

2. toggle afterburner (Actually a rocket engine with ~2.5 minutes of oxidizer at full throttle)

3. toggle ladder

4. extend the antennas on the rockets and the nosecone

5. drop wingtip tanks

6. drop the centerline tank

7. launch all four missiles

8. drop the missile holders

10. drop everything.

This craft was updated on 8/20 to version 2, improving several issues, for more details, see here.

updated F-104 mediafire download link

updated F-104 spaceport download link

NF-104:

This version is equipped with an additional 9 engines, has no missiles, and has a hidden RCS system for maneuvering in the upper atmosphere (only because the actual NF-104 had one; it's honestly not needed). This maybe could get to space, but I doubt it, since it lacks a turbojet and enough air intakes (feel free to add them).

Action Groups:

1. toggle jet enginer

2. toggle afterburner (Actually a rocket)

3. toggle rocket engines

4. extend the antenna on the nosecone

5. toggle the ladder

NF-104 mediafire download link

NF-104 spaceport download link

-Ojimak

Edited August 21, 2013 by Ojimak
updated the F-104

[Giggleplex777]

I see, you like to zoom climb.

My own XF-104 (from 0.19, updated to 0.21).

Also, F-104G with missiles:

Edited August 19, 2013 by Giggleplex777

[Ojimak]

Looks awfully familiar.

Probably aren't too many different ways to make an f-104 with the same parts

Yeah, I was originally planning to use a simple main wing design like that, but I instead opted to take the more accurate, less flight worthy option for my design. But you definitely got the vertical stabilizer angles better than me. I also chose to use the basic jet engine because it seemed to fit the shape better, despite it's not being as effective of an engine as the turbojet.

I wish I could get the cockpit to look better.

-Ojimak

[Giggleplex777]

Your F-104's wings are too big. The NF-104 had wingtip extensions to reduce wing loading.

My wings are a little too small.

Edited August 19, 2013 by Giggleplex777

[sgt_flyer]

be careful that hidden moving parts (such as control surfaces) are not clipped through more than 1 part else, a spontaneous disassembly may occur

[Giggleplex777]

Damn you tailstrikes!

Edited August 19, 2013 by Giggleplex777

[SuperWeegee4000]

How odd. I can't seem to exit. Also, I must suck at flying spaceplanes, because this thing refused to turn for me.

[Ojimak]

spaceport download links have now been added.

be careful that hidden moving parts (such as control surfaces) are not clipped through more than 1 part else, a spontaneous disassembly may occur

umm, Not always. My plane certainly was not disassembling itself

Your F-104's wings are too big. The NF-104 had wingtip extensions to reduce wing loading.

Yep, noticed it when I searched for the schematics (why I only posted the NF-104 schematic). Thought y'all wouldn't notice it. Rats

-edit- Problem fixed in version 2

...this thing refused to turn for me.

what? How? Can you describe whatever problem there was in more detail?

-edit- Problem fixed in version 2

-Ojimak

Edited August 21, 2013 by Ojimak

[SuperWeegee4000]

umm, Not always. My plane certainly was not disassembling itself

Yep, noticed it when I searched for the schematics (why I only posted the NF-104 schematic). Thought y'all wouldn't notice it. Rats

what? How? Can you describe whatever problem there was in more detail?

-Ojimak

Um, I pressed A and D and... nothing.

[Ojimak]

Um, I pressed A and D and... nothing.

oh. It's not the best at yaw due it's dearth of vertical control surfaces (it's not a piloting problem). I might part clip some in for a future version. I guess because I'm a n00b at flying I didn't think yaw was needed much, but according to future comments, it clearly is.

-Ojimak

Edited August 20, 2013 by Ojimak
edited to remove incorrect statements

[Giggleplex777]

oh. It wasn't really made for yaw, because honestly, most planes aren't [citation needed]. If you want to turn, roll and then pitch. In general, I don't use yaw except for during fine adjustments, because that's how planes generally fly in microsoft flight simulator (and probably real life, but I'm not an actual pilot).

-Ojimak

I had flown planes before (with an qualified pilot, of course), and yaw is pretty important if you want to turn, but you'll still need some (depending on which turn you do) of roll and pitch.

[Guest]

Hats off to both of you for even attempting with stock. Excellent work if I may say so.

[deskjetser]

I had flown planes before (with an qualified pilot, of course), and yaw is pretty important if you want to turn, but you'll still need some (depending on which turn you do) of roll and pitch.

It's more than important, you will not be able to land in real world conditions without yaw. Even the slightest wind that isn't going head onto you, or behind you would mean that to land on a straight runway you would need to touch down at a banking angle, thus being nasty to your gear. Not to mention taking off, aircraft usually lock their steering gear at around 50+ knots, depending on the aircraft.

The reason you can get away without yaw in flight, is because the aerodynamic flow over the vertical surface alone is enough to keep the nose of the aircraft to within a few degrees of the actual flight path. But again, if there is wind, the speed at which you could get away with banking and yanking, varies on the size and weight of the aircraft and the wind speed and direction.

Edited August 20, 2013 by deskjetser

[Guest]

RE: not enough yaw - ran into a problem when I had to edit the CFG of the small control surface / stabilizer. I made a copy of the CFG file of smllctrlsfc (or simlar nomenclature), and renamed the part by appending a few characters to the name of the part within the CFG. If you want full instructions I am glad to do it. The 'new' part will appear in the browser alongside the original. Including a CFG file with your craft is not a big deal either. The parameter you will change is "deflection lift" which I BELIEVE is defaulted at 0.5. I would try 1.0 to start.

[Ojimak]

F-104 version 2:

changes:

1. moved the landing gear around, craft looks more realistic and will no longer veer on the runway.

2. shortened the wings to a more accurate length.

3. Part clipped four vertical small control surfaces into the fuselage to provide better yaw control.

4. slightly modified the action groups, mapping the launch of all four missiles to 7 and the drop of the missile holders to 8.

wings:

landing gear:

new control surfaces:

download:

updated F-104 mediafire download link

updated spaceport link

Important note:

The changed landing gear arrangement makes the craft much more vulnerable to tailstrikes. Just be careful and wait to take off until at around 75 m/s (it still can take off at ~65 m/s, but it tailstrikes maybe 50% of the time for me at that velocity). In addition, tailstrikes will now destroy the whole plane instead of just the engine.

Damn you tailstrikes!

yep (just be glad it wasn't like this):

-Ojimak

I'll update the NF-104 later.

Edited August 20, 2013 by Ojimak

[Guest]

You've got a stabilizer sandwich. Most excellent!

[NASI Director]

I actually did not know that you could clip control surfaces for more lift. +1 for KSP aerodynamics!

[Ojimak]

I actually did not know that you could clip control surfaces for more lift. +1 for KSP aerodynamics!

yep, sorry super-purists, but this is the only way I could make this craft fly.

-Ojimak

[Guest]

Super purist Kerbal Police.