Barracuda - Interplanetary SSTO VTOL

[Cupcake...]

UPDATE:

It's been discovered that the Barracuda can actually fly from Kerbin, straight to Laythe. Who knew?

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While the Magpie set new records for range and endurance it didn't quite have what it takes to get the Cupcake seal of approval and consequently won't be released. The Barracuda meanwhile has really hit its stride, building on the already impressive performance of its predecessor, while at the same time adding a greater fuel load, reduced excess weight, vastly improved handling and a higher service ceiling.

A new construction technique unique to the Barracuda ensures a reduced part count, and a rugged chassis that is tough enough not to need any struts at all. Like the Magpie the Barracuda is capable of taking off from Kerbin, landing on Minmus, landing on the Mun then returning back to Kerbin for a powered landing!

You can also take a one way trip to Duna where the Barracuda has more then enough fuel to put you gently down on the martian surface.

While not designed as a utility drop ship the Barracuda can still haul light cargo loads from Kerbin to the Munar surface using its two balanced docking ports. These ports can also be used for long range drop tanks, they're plumbed directly into the Barracuda's fuel system so there's no need for any fuel lines or de-couplers, just slap the tanks on and go.

A bonus refueling tanker makes this a proper 100% re-usable spacecraft.

This ship was inspired by Rune who took one of my old designs and supercharged it to create his very own Grasshopper. I'm ashamed to say the reason it's taken me me so long to do a LV-N powered SSTO is that I'm incredibly vain about my ships, and it's taken me a long time to figure out a way to mount the LV-Ns in an aesthetically pleasing way.

OWNERS MANUAL:

You'd best pick up a copy of the ship to start with, it comes with two files (the Barracuda and the tanker) both of which need to go into you space plane folder.

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Like all my craft the Barracuda features a horizontal axis cockpit for suborbital flying and a vertical axis docking port for orbital piloting and navigation. The top docking port operates in line with the engines and must be used when performing burns with the navball. You can also use the top docking port if you'd rather fly the Barracuda like a regular rocket.

CONTROLS:

1 - Toggle Jets

2 - Toggle LV-Ns

9 - Toggle Ladder

0 - Toggle Intakes

ABORT - De-Couple All Ports/Eject Drop Tanks

SPACE - Eject RCS Pods

SSTO MISSION PROFILE:

Before heading out to the runway you'll need to choose between taking all four drop tanks or the RCS pods. If you want both then delete two of the side drop tanks. Activate the SAS and keep it on all times, then set full throttle and press 1 to start the jets. This also wouldn't be a bad time to switch command over to the top docking port. The Barracuda's blindingly fast ascent rate will have you at 15,000m in just 15 minutes! Amazing. So yes, best stick the kettle on, or indulge in a bit of time bending. Once you do reach 15,000m pitch over to 45`on a 90`heading and hold this course till you hit 20,000m. Now keeping on that 90`heading gently pitch forward to a 20` elevation. You'll also want to right click on one of the jets so you can monitor their life signs. At 25,000m pull the nose back to that 45`elevation and press 2 to light the LV-Ns. Keep an eye on the jets as they'll start to run out of air at about 28,000m. You don't need to be over concerned about flameouts, the ship will give you plenty of advance warning, and it's only if you ignore these then you'll spin out. If the craft does start to list don't try and correct it yourself, instead just reduce throttle and let the reaction wheels pull the ship back into line. Don't forget you can press the abort key to eject the drop tanks once they're empty.Once you lose power from the jets press 1 to shut them down and 0 to block the intakes. From this point on you can slowly pitch flat to the horizon and round out your orbit.

Once you're ready to land back on Kerbin swap command back over to the cockpit. Press 0 to re-open the intakes and 1 to fire up the jet. Upon landing press 2 to give yourself rocket assist, this will help get rid of the throttle lag from the jets and ensure a smooth touch down.

Good luck!

Cupcake...

Edited October 4, 2013 by Cupcake...

[Sirine]

Another great VTOL from Cupcake!

[M.Wolfy]

Your so predictable , always making VTOLs...

THE MUSIC!!!

Also, which one of your VTOL/SSTOs would you say is the easiest to use (I need to practice flying SSTOs and VTOLs ).

Edited September 28, 2013 by M.Wolfy

[Cupcake...]

Another great VTOL from Cupcake!

Cheers! Glad you like it.

Your so predictable , always making VTOLs...

THE MUSIC!!!

Also, which one of your VTOL/SSTOs would you say is the easiest to use (I need to practice flying SSTOs and VTOLs ).

I know, I guess I'm a bit like McDonalds, at least you know what you're gonna get! As far as learning to drive I can safely reccomend the Stratos, it even comes with a special suborbital training version. Its a bit dull but safe, kind of like a Volvo. When you get a bit more confident you can take the Scythe out for a spin, just be careful, as the name suggests it's pretty sharp and best handled with care!

Cupcake...

Edited September 28, 2013 by Cupcake...

[M.Wolfy]

I know, I guess I'm a bit like McDonalds, at least you know what you're gonna get! As far as learning to drive I can safely reccomend the Stratos, it even comes with a special suborbital training version. Its a bit dull but safe, kind of like a volvo. When you get a bit more confident you can take the Scythe out for a spin, just be careful, as the name suggests it's best handled with care!

Cupcake.'..

alright, thanks

[drewscriver]

Very nice ship, and now you've got me all curious as to this 'new construction technique'...

[speedboiae86]

It'd be awesome if you did a video of that to this music:

[The14th]

A bonus refueling tanker makes this a proper 100% re-usable spacecraft.

(snip)

You'd best pick up a copy of the ship to start with, it comes with two files (the Barracuda and the tanker) both of which need to go into you space plane folder.

As I was watching the videos I was thinking "It'd be great if we could get Cupcake to share that refuelling tanker too, so I don't have to build a height adapter to mine..." but I shouldn't have worried, you've already got us covered!

Excellent, I'm going to try this out tonight (since my joystick has finally arrived) Thanks for another great ship!

[Tankbuster32]

Cupcake! WTF, you're too good at this. I feel small and insignificant

[Cupcake...]

Cupcake! WTF, you're too good at this. I feel small and insignificant

Hopefully this will make you feel better, it's my first dropship that I released in version 0.17. It's called the Buttercup and is a perfectly awful design, that I thought was the best thing since sliced bread at the time.

Very nice ship, and now you've got me all curious as to this 'new construction technique'...

Ah right, well as you've seen most of my dropships are built around a sub-chassis attached to a docking port, this technique works great for single engine craft as everything is balanced and symmetrical. The Barracuda meanwhile uses the central fuel tank as the root part which is fine for twin engine craft and makes for a very strong design. The only real downside is that you haven't got the subbasembly compatibility.

It'd be awesome if you did a video of that to this music:

That's a great track, but by god it's fast, it feels like 5000 beats per minute or something! I don't think my editing skills could keep up...

As I was watching the videos I was thinking "It'd be great if we could get Cupcake to share that refuelling tanker too, so I don't have to build a height adapter to mine..." but I shouldn't have worried, you've already got us covered!

Excellent, I'm going to try this out tonight (since my joystick has finally arrived) Thanks for another great ship!

My pleasure, glad you've finally got your stick! Playing KSP with a joystick is just a world apart...

Cupcake...

Edited September 28, 2013 by Cupcake...

[drewscriver]

Ah right, well as you've seen most of my dropships are built around a sub-chassis attached to a docking port, this technique works great for single engine craft as everything is balanced and symmetrical. The Barracuda meanwhile uses the central fuel tank as the root part which is fine for twin engine craft and makes for a very strong design. The only real downside is that you haven't got the subbasembly compatibility.

Ah, cool. I think I mentioned it, earlier, but that 'docking port as root node' trick was definitely one I stole.

By the way, what's your video capturing/edit setup? I've been jealous of your videos for a while...

[Cupcake...]

Ah, cool. I think I mentioned it, earlier, but that 'docking port as root node' trick was definitely one I stole.

By the way, what's your video capturing/edit setup? I've been jealous of your videos for a while...

It's nothing too exciting, I just use Fraps for capturing, Premier for editing and Format Factory for compression before uploading to Youtube. Fraps takes some great video but chews up HDD space like crazy!

Cupcake...

[speedboiae86]

That's a great track, but by god it's fast, it feels like 5000 beats per minute or something! I don't think my editing skills could keep up...

I think whoever uploaded it sped it up a bit to avoid any copyright claims from the original artists.

[Cupcake...]

I think whoever uploaded it sped it up a bit to avoid any copyright claims from the original artists.

Ah okay, I think I found the original version and you're right. It's still a tiny bit short for what I need, I generally use songs that are at least 4-5 minutes in length, Any shorter and I have trouble boring people. The last video clocked in at a healthy 9 minutes!

Cupcake...

[s1l3nt_c0y0t3]

Correct me if I'm wrong but you seem to be using parts clipping on your ships. Do you have any unclipped ships?

[Cupcake...]

Correct me if I'm wrong but you seem to be using parts clipping on your ships. Do you have any unclipped ships?

Do you mean the debug menu clipping? Because I don't actually use that, all of the parts have legitimate attachment points. This applies to all my designs. Hope this helps.

Cupcake...

Edited September 29, 2013 by Cupcake...

[Rune]

You see, one of the awesome thing about being in the forums for a long time is this: You start with a vague idea that your ships are good, almost as good as they can be made, and then you start looking stuff here and you want to cry. You have no idea how these guys are doing those things that defy the laws of physics and look so damn gorgeous. Then you start to pick some things up, here and there. And then, one day, almost by surprise, one of those people that amazed you when you were new in the forums (cupcake in this case) gives you credit in his last release, because you showed him how to upgrade on of his designs. And that is very, very cool.

Rune. Is feeling pretty cool right now.

[Cupcake...]

You see, one of the awesome thing about being in the forums for a long time is this: You start with a vague idea that your ships are good, almost as good as they can be made, and then you start looking stuff here and you want to cry. You have no idea how these guys are doing those things that defy the laws of physics and look so damn gorgeous. Then you start to pick some things up, here and there. And then, one day, almost by surprise, one of those people that amazed you when you were new in the forums (cupcake in this case) gives you credit in his last release, because you showed him how to upgrade on of his designs. And that is very, very cool.

Rune. Is feeling pretty cool right now.

I think you need to go back to making VTOLs again.

Cupcake...

Edited September 30, 2013 by Cupcake...

[Rune]

I think you need to go back to making VTOLs again.

Cupcake...

Hahaha. Haven't you seen the Bat'leth? Cute and temperamental shuttle I did for SSI. In fact, I may give it another design pass, it's on the verge of aerodynamic instability. And there are the VTOL options of the White Dart... Oh, that reminds me, I never got around releasing the Duna Edition, with modest VTOL (i.e: Duna) capabilities on rocket power.

Rune. I think I have to give them a rest

[Cupcake...]

Ah right, I didn't realise the Bat'leth was a VTOL.

Cupcake...

Hahaha. Haven't you seen the Bat'leth? Cute and temperamental shuttle I did for SSI. In fact, I may give it another design pass, it's on the verge of aerodynamic instability. And there are the VTOL options of the White Dart... Oh, that reminds me, I never got around releasing the Duna Edition, with modest VTOL (i.e: Duna) capabilities on rocket power.

Rune. I think I have to give them a rest

[Guest links123]

I realize the Bat'leth was VTOL

[Cupcake...]

Hey all,

Got a new video to show you. This one sees the Barracuda pushed to its maximum operational range, running the express service from Kerbin straight to Laythe! For something that was only designed to do Mun missions, the Barracuda just keeps on surprising. This video is a bit different to my usual ones and it'll be great to hear what you guys think of it.

Cupcake...

Edited October 4, 2013 by Cupcake...

[The14th]

My first thought was - Laythe! Good Gravy!

My second thought was - LOL, fishing poles! Genius!

<<Then awesome things happened>>

My eighteenth thought was - Blimey, I bet it was hard landing those fuel trucks. ( and from the outtakes it looks like it was! )

My nineteenth thought was - Why is the truck fitted with a 56K modem?

Definitely different to your normal videos, but I enjoyed it immensely! The rendezvous at the 11 minute mark was a thing of beauty.

Well done for this. It really shows of the truly awesome capabilities of your craft.

[Cupcake...]

My first thought was - Laythe! Good Gravy!

My second thought was - LOL, fishing poles! Genius!

<<Then awesome things happened>>

My eighteenth thought was - Blimey, I bet it was hard landing those fuel trucks. ( and from the outtakes it looks like it was! )

My nineteenth thought was - Why is the truck fitted with a 56K modem?

Definitely different to your normal videos, but I enjoyed it immensely! The rendezvous at the 11 minute mark was a thing of beauty.

Well done for this. It really shows of the truly awesome capabilities of your craft.

Cheers, glad you liked it! Landing, the fuel trucks or maybe not crashing them for want of a better word shouldn't have been quite so hard, I mean all I had to do was press the space bar. Could this lack of timing explain my failures on the dancefloor? Still it's nice to have a quicksave button though, I think I would have needed a fleet of 18 trucks otherwise. I know what you mean about the modem, with the budget cutbacks the board we're insisting on fitting a 28.8k modem, but I was adament. Only the best components get used in my designs.

Cupcake...

[Dvarx]

Stupid me, didn't read manual with enough attention. First attempts to reach orbit was very unsuccessful. How many fuel you should have when reaching LKO?

Edited November 6, 2013 by Dvarx