Stock Parts Airplane

[LambdaCactus]

This game started with a stock lander design, using fins for legs. As I was test-piloting it around the KSC, landing on the tower, the VAB, the fuel drum, I found I could almost keep the thing flying when it pitched over... so I evolved my design to make it flyable, and started fooling around in the mountains west of KSC. I even took a few bombing runs, playing the mountain climbing challenge, but I don\'t have the range for any snowy peaks higher than 300m: I\'ve been able to just barely fly to one of the closest white peaks on the edge of the icefield to the west. Still working on refining the piloting, I\'ll post my own entry later.

Can you make something vaguely resembling an airplane from junkyard parts, and make it fly?

Challenge Description:

Build and fly an airplane using only stock parts. The goal is to launch, climb, turn, achieve level and controllable flight as long as your fuel lasts, then pull the eject handle and parachute safely.

Rules:

No ballistic flight except the initial launch before you gain aerodynamic control and pitch over. Flight ceiling of 5000m.

SRBs for JATO will be allowed, but otherwise single stage only. You fly what you launch with.

RCS may earn you funny looks since this is supposed to be an airplane, but let\'s allow it for assistance as long as it\'s not your primary source of lift.

The Kerbals\' pod must parachute safely at the end of the journey, so you might want a decoupler (not required if your design uses crumple zones: the criteria here is survival of the crew).

Players may challenge one of two categories:

[list type=decimal]

[li]Agility: how many lakes can you fly over in the mountains to the west or north of KSC? To count a lake, altitude must be under 1200m.[/li]

[li]Endurance: how far can you fly in a more-or-less straight line to the west of KSC?[/li]

Suggested bonus agility challenge: fly a figure-8 between the VAB and the tower. (I have yet to try this, but I believe my plane can do it.)

Proof of completion:

Screenshot of your plane in flight, showing level flight and angle of attack < 45°. Agility scoring: shot of each mountain lake you fly over. Endurance scoring: Screenshot of final parachuted destination on the map.

Allowed parts:

Stock parts only. Have fun!

[Tim_Barrett]

For one I think atleast one or two more types of longer fins will greatly rise the awareness of spaceplane capabilities with newer members.

But for now I have to re-download a fresh .13.2, one moment.

[RedDwarfIV]

Ahem.

[Iskierka]

Image does not work.

Also, the only way to create an 'aircraft' with stock parts at the moment is a pile of winglets built around the least mass you can make the fuselage. And once you\'re already going for a pile of winglets you may as well make a magical space turbine, which is silly.

Also, at least one part of the challenge is broken, which is to fly over lakes at under 1200 m: the highest mountain found on Kerbin is only 900 m, so there is no agility required whatsoever.

[nextgenerationliberty]

Well, my first challenge so here is what I got. (Also my first serious post on this forum, so apologies ahead of time.) I dub it the XF-112 Dodgeminer. It has one SRB for initial launch and four liquid fuel tanks fueling two thrust-vectoring rocket engines. It has eight wings on either side, with a V-tail.

Here it is in the hanger.

In more or less level flight.

Bingo fuel! Eject!

Final landing location. (I didn\'t get very far, and I drifted north a bit.)

Not a bad view at least.

[Tim_Barrett]

@Generation try making one of those four main wings an R8 version, so you have some more control.

[nextgenerationliberty]

@Tim Thanks, it flies much easier now. Now just gotta try to increase it\'s range...

[LambdaCactus]

the only way to create an 'aircraft' with stock parts at the moment is a pile of winglets built around the least mass you can make the fuselage. And once you\'re already going for a pile of winglets you may as well make a magical space turbine, which is silly.

Well, there\'s some room for interpretation of what makes an airplane... in the game physics, 'does it glide like a brick' is good enough for me. It\'s certainly possible though. nextgenerationliberty\'s plane counts!

Also, at least one part of the challenge is broken, which is to fly over lakes at under 1200 m: the highest mountain found on Kerbin is only 900 m, so there is no agility required whatsoever.

Again, agility is relative in this game... the idea is that you can even turn well enough to point at different targets reliably... I\'m open to change the parameters if you think it\'s too easy.

[MaxMurder]

The AV I Superjet:

I made this a while age to see if a plane was possible with stock parts... It may be hard to control, and only have about 10km range.... But it flies goddamnit!

[LambdaCactus]

Ok, here\'s my run:

Level flight:

Engine cutoff in the mountains:

Safe!

Final landing spot:

So I can just barely make it to the snowy mountains with those 3 tanks and 1 engine (with JATO for safety, although it takes off fine without it too), depending how well I prepare my approach... The distance runs seem to work better with an initial slow climb and then cruise on a long descent path with reduced throttle. As for agility, I think I\'ll need a joystick to make it any fun... it\'s too jumpy otherwise. I\'ve attached the craft file so you\'re welcome to try it.

[witeken]

Ok, here\'s my run:

Level flight:

Engine cutoff in the mountains:

Safe!

Final landing spot:

So I can just barely make it to the snowy mountains with those 3 tanks and 1 engine (with JATO for safety, although it takes off fine without it too), depending how well I prepare my approach... The distance runs seem to work better with an initial slow climb and then cruise on a long descent path with reduced throttle. As for agility, I think I\'ll need a joystick to make it any fun... it\'s too jumpy otherwise. I\'ve attached the craft file so you\'re welcome to try it.

Thanks for the .craft.

[nerdboy64]

Are you allowed to have a stage that drops 'JATO' boosters once they\'re spent?

[LambdaCactus]

Are you allowed to have a stage that drops 'JATO' boosters once they\'re spent?

As long as you\'re just dropping SRB\'s for takeoff assistance then yes.

[Thomas_Jefferson]

Endurance challenge. Results: frozen mountains.

[Thomas_Jefferson]

My highest record:

[Monkthespy]

I made something like this and for some reason it flew, but I can\'t seem to reproduce it, but if you guys want to see a really short range plane that is extremely simple and hard to fly, simply attach a fuel tank and then a Liquid Fuel engine.