Recreate the Arkbird

[cardgame]

...should know what I\'m talking about.

The Arkbird is an orbital plane that descends into the upper atmosphere to change course. It is armed with a laser cannon on its belly or nose.

In the original game, it was put into space via mass drivers. Here, the challenge is to put it into space with a rocket or two, or even by itself.

Build the spaceplane as close to scale as you can. It is completely understandable if you are unable to construct a 200 meter monster, but larger is better.

[crekit]

To scale after adjusting for a kerbels smaller size? That would seem fair.

[Luigibro606]

Oh, I remember that. Never could beat the level.

[NeoHoltsky]

That takes me back. Hated that giant laser in the back. All of NESA\'s resources shall be devoted to creating this monster!

[Golakka]

This is the best ive managed so far

Attempting to gain orbit

Head on shot

Dropping low into the atmosphere

Burning back out again

Sustained damage from unknown source

Screw you Blaze

[cardgame]

Pretty nice design. I\'m surprised you were able to control it so well without a tailfin

By outer atmosphere, though, I mean up at 50,000+ meters, or as high as it is possible to be and still change your plane\'s heading without RCS. By orbital plane, I mean it should be able to establish itself in an orbit exceeding 75,000 meters.

[Golakka]

Yeah, im a few more days tinkering away from a stable orbit

Actually the inclined surface aera provides enough stability

[Guest Flixxbeatz]

Is the engine located underneath or in the wings?

[cardgame]

Those yellow dots are the engine locations. There are some right where the angled wings separate from the larger main wing, above and below the wing.

[Guest Flixxbeatz]

Closest I can get.

I think I\'ve paid too much attention in the wings and underbelly...

I like to put that thing in orbit

, but I just can\'t because of the tanks below.

And it flies like a goddamn brick.

[cardgame]

It\'s supposed to fly like a brick

It\'s an orbital plane, not a fighter jet.

[Golakka]

The construction isnt the problem, tis getting an incredibly un-airworthy machine into orbit.

[Guest Flixxbeatz]

Revamped the previous one. Removed the belly engines and put 2 tanks in its wings. Now it can be 'shuttled'.

I\'ve managed to trick the collision mesh by removing the rest of the wing while putting the side tanks and putting it in a way that it won\'t touch neither sides. All\'s perfect now.

If you\'re wondering what\'s up with the clusterf*** of struts, this is what the plane looks like in flight if I will not put that much.

So yea, probably the closest I\'ve did

[Tim_Barrett]

When you remove the struts, the wings flap violently and randomly; a kerbal bird!

[Guest Flixxbeatz]

When you remove the struts, the wings flap violently and randomly; a kerbal bird!

Touche

It does still shake, although minimal. But it\'ll rattle the entire plane when it does.

[Joshmo]

Good challenge!

[cardgame]

Thanks

Care to submit an entry?

[Guest Flixxbeatz]

So who has the closest yet?

[Joshmo]

I haven\'t quite gotten anything to fly very well yet.

[cardgame]

So who has the closest yet?

Probably your second entry.

[Joshmo]

This is the best ive managed so far

Attempting to gain orbit

Head on shot

Dropping low into the atmosphere

Burning back out again

Sustained damage from unknown source

Screw you Blaze

This one gets my vote

[cardgame]

It\'s a tough decision.

hint to any more contenders: the Arkbird\'s flaps are very long and narrow... kind of like a certain flap ingame with 0.9 lift

[Swizzlewizzle]

I got pretty close. Would have loved to get rid of all the stupid massive fuel tanks but there is no way to create molded fuel tanks yet... the wings were created with the "Procedural Wings" plugin allowing for custom wing shapes.

I made it as big as possible.... heavy planes like this take a LOT of jet engines to get off the ground >.<

[OtherDalfite]

Oh wow, haven't seen this thread in a long time. I guess if people are still contributing to it, I see no need for it to be locked.

[Swizzlewizzle]

Oh wow, haven't seen this thread in a long time. I guess if people are still contributing to it, I see no need for it to be locked.

The arkbird is a really nice space plane.