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White Dart. Now updated to 0.23!

Rune

By Rune
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Rune

Rune

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Hey guys! The White Dart SSTO is now mostly tested, and because the design went so well, the engineers at R-SUV went ahead and modified the prototype to create two different serial models to appeal to the discerning customer, a VTOL and a nuclear powered long-range scout. Not that the prototype is short range (flown right, there is enough for a KSO mission and return to runway), but it is equipped with landing gear to allow tail landings on airless moons. But, you know, the discerning customer, mostly wants something that looks good and fast. This achieves both objectives with a minimal part count and awesome performance. And I seriously don't really know how I got it to look so... well, clean. I just love it. Ladies and gentlemen, the SSTO previously known as Mk XIX:

WHITE DART

ZvyRt0q.jpg

With the latest in Stabojet Technology to avoid flameout disasters, the whole family is an atmospheric airhogger that can get to terrifying speeds and altitudes thanks to the good T/W ratio on jets. As such, the main rocket propulsion should only be used to provide 200-400 m/s on the climb to orbit: Milk those turbojets as long as you can! The prototype also has amazing T/W on rocket power, so if you don't like tedious waits on the way to orbit, that is definitely your version. It also has somewhat cleaner lines, with less parts due to the missing subsystems. But if you are after efficiency or plain VTOL awesomeness, the other two versions get the added performance at the cost of a low T/W ratio outside of the atmosphere, so remember to make sure you keep your apoapsis in front of you during the climb to orbit with them.

Update!

Celebrating 0.23 and the RAPIER engine, here's a complete rebuild of the White Dart. Look how SSTOrgeous it looks

zFHmi8S.png

I know, pretty much the same. But there are changes, and they are substantial! First, a single engine means way less T/W on jets. No more vertical climbs, but the reduced engine weight gives is much better mass ratio, and should give it more delta-v than the previous chemical version. Won't be able to hold a candle against the old nuke version, though, but it'll have much better T/W. Also, the reduced weight means better aerodynamic characteristics due to low wing loading, and I finally gave up and installed almost hidden frontal control surfaces, so maneuverability is truly spectacular.

The VTOL system is also new and shiny: a cluster of rockomax 48-7S's gives it enough T/W to lift on kerbin (though it eats fuel like there is no tomorrow) adding very little weight and instant response, allowing for controlled landings in airless bodies or bodies with a thin atmosphere.

Also, part count efficiency has increased dramatically: just 50 parts in total! Courtesy of editor tools (for the surface attachment option) and a simple layout, I guess. I didn't even had to clip the intakes...

Anyhow, file added to the collection!

Imgur Album:

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Downloads:

White Dart Prototype - Beginners and casual flights up to KSO.

Munar version - Nuke powered! Likely interplanetary in fact, but you know, cramped cockpits. Remember to airhog like there is no tomorrow.

VOTL version - LKO only, advanced players. You could switch the jet engines with LV-909's to achieve low-gravity or Duna VTOL landings.

Update! 0.23 rebuild - Now sporting a single RAPIER and optional rocket VTOL capabilities.

Rune. Beauty as well as brains.

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Rune

Rune

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Thanks guys! I'm glad you like it as much as I do, when I saw the prototype, I said to myself: now that is my new standard one-man SSTO.

Very sleek and streamlined. I even like how you've hidden the intakes under the wings

p.s. Is it using Stabojet technology? I can't tell from the screenshots.

Yes it does. 10º each engine, and it's not perfect, but that is why it'll only deviate a bit to the left before correcting itself on flameouts. Good to know wehn you should throttle down a bit, and it makes the intakes look awesome (the intake ratio is 6-1, BTW, and each has its own cubic strut to clip in and still, you hardly see them except as one big intake on each side). Plus, this way the aviation fuel is completely separate from the rocket fuel. Some confusion editing saw the second paragraph, with most of the interesting explanations, go away. I should post when I'm more awake, I guess.

Rune. Now the other part comes: take it places! :D

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Rune

Rune

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something looks familiar here lol

Familiar to what? Someone else already said something, but I don't get it. Mind pointing me to a link so I get the reference?

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littlebattler

littlebattler

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Familiar to what? Someone else already said something, but I don't get it. Mind pointing me to a link so I get the reference?

It's probably just the wing arrangement. The small delta at the front, wide delta at the back is pretty commonly used. I use them on almost everything even since they look so good, although I don't like using them for the underside of the hull. Asymmetry is nice y'know.

Still, great plane as usual. If you can make a cargo version it would be perfect.

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Rune

Rune

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It's probably just the wing arrangement. The small delta at the front, wide delta at the back is pretty commonly used. I use them on almost everything even since they look so good, although I don't like using them for the underside of the hull. Asymmetry is nice y'know.

Still, great plane as usual. If you can make a cargo version it would be perfect.

Actually, Hoy already explained himself by PM and it was more about the depot with the two White Darts docked in the album, it reminded him of one of his stacks. The picture is there to show that they are pretty balanced even if you use different versions, and the whole arrangement is subtly different (i.e: despite appearances, that's a tractor design), but he is more or less right: bunching things around orange tanks to send them interplanetary in one big bunch is something we all do.

That double delta, though, sure looks gorgeous. I also try to put it everywhere, but this is the best I've gone about it. I also seriously like the forward reverse sweep winglets: Totally useless, but they look cool.

Still, I don't know about a cargo version. I'm going to arm them with hardpoints at the wings, just where the delta angle switches (it's close to the CoM), so I guess you could say "probe launcher" as well, but the whole build is not very resistant to stability changes so any serious payload would need adjusting the CoL with lifting surfaces, and I don't see how to integrate that without ruining the looks.

In the end, this does its job: a very high performing single seater, for those times that you just want to fly somewhere, and not go all complicated and smart about it.

Love the look of it, but it didn't like FAR. CoL is too far forward in FAR. Sweet none the less!

Sorry then, you'll have to take those sexy winglets and replace then with much more reasonable canards to get more control authority. You'll ruin the looks, but it's like I said before: its on the verge of uncontrollability due to excessive stability, so not very forgiving with changes in design, but I had to compromise somewhere to get those looks. In this case, the compromise is the plane only flies great with the CoM very tightly in check, and if not it flies very poorly (the VTOL development version without the reaction wheels, for example, turned out to become a very expensive lawn dart incapable of pulling up out of a dive, because the CoM was a tad more to the front of the CoL. Kod how I love our new magical reaction wheels). Yet the plane will never flip out on you as it is, and if you make it, it will recover on its own. So I'm calling it "sorry, it works for stock", and not messing up with it further. Chances are I would only screw things up anyway ^^'.

Rune. There are, however, a couple more pics in the album... ;)

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Rune

Rune

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What version are these? When I tried to test it, KSP complained they were a different version...

Weird, because I have downloaded the game on a different computer yesterday (last version of course), downloloaded the files, and used them myself. In fact, I've never seen that "not from this version" message myself, though I download few things. Anyhow, it should be 0.21.1. Does it not let you fly it, or is it a non-problem like using a SPH ship on the VAB, for example?

Rune. The wonders of playing alpha.

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drewscriver

drewscriver

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Hmm, I suppose it would help if I was more specific...

I have 0.21.1.276 - according to the loading screen (steam version, so it should keep me current).

I dropped the three files in the SPH folder (stock). I go to the SPH, and when I click the load button, a dialog box pops up: "There are incompatible craft files in the folder. Would you like to delete them?" If I click 'Not Now', the ships are listed in the folder, but grayed out.

I don't have any modded parts (only plugins are subassembly loader, alarm clock and RCS build aid) You mentioned the craft was stock, so I assumed it was a version issue.

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Rune

Rune

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Ok, now I am more puzzled still. I just did everything you should have done (download the files, put them in the stock folder, etc) with a windows 0.21.1.276 version I dowloaded yesterday from the store, and they work without issues. Not that the version that I run on my main desktop isn't up to date, and I built them there. What OS do you run, and why does KSP hate you so much? :(

Rune. Can someone help him?

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Rune

Rune

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I'm running Windows 7, and usually KSP is pretty well behaved. I've downloaded a number of other craft without issue - Cupcake's VTOLs, and G4Virus's SSTOs, to name a couple

Dude, I'm sorry I can't be more help. Is anybody else having the same issue? Might be worth reporting it as a bug, if only so someone with more knowledge of the inner workings of KSP explains to us what is going on. I just can't replicate the bug... :(

Rune. I also run win 7 right now, it's really really weird.

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