Testing times

[Wanderfound]

So, I got a contract to test one of the big Kerbodyne engines. Unfortunately, I'm not really building any big rockets right now, so I couldn't just strap it on the bottom of something that was going up. Or maybe I could?

Introducing the Kerbodyne D7 Heavy Lifter:

Although the D7's cargo bay is typically filled with fuel tanks or space station segments, it occurred to me that something else might fit in there:

So it's off to the runway...

...and away we go.

Now, I know that I could just activate it without any fuel and complete the contract that way. But that wouldn't be very Kerbal, would it?

Whee!

Edited August 2, 2014 by Wanderfound

[CatastrophicFailure]

So, I got a contract to test one of the big Kerbodyne engines. Unfortunately, I'm not really building any big rockets right now, so I couldn't just strap it on the bottom of something that was going up. Or maybe I could?

Introducing the Kerbodyne D7 Heavy Lifter:

http://i1378.photobucket.com/albums/ah120/craigmotbey/Kerbal/imagejpg1_zpsb86796fa.jpg

Although the D7's cargo bay is typically filled with fuel tanks or space station segments, it occurred to me that something else might fit in there:

http://i1378.photobucket.com/albums/ah120/craigmotbey/Kerbal/imagejpg3_zps4385e249.jpg

So it's off to the runway...

http://i1378.photobucket.com/albums/ah120/craigmotbey/Kerbal/imagejpg7_zps94ca2216.jpg

...and away we go.

http://i1378.photobucket.com/albums/ah120/craigmotbey/Kerbal/imagejpg6_zps5215a800.jpg

Now, I know that I could just activate it without any fuel and complete the contract that way. But that wouldn't be very Kerbal, would it?

http://i1378.photobucket.com/albums/ah120/craigmotbey/Kerbal/imagejpg4_zps9131c298.jpg

Whee!

Lol how many G's was that sucker pulling??

[Volcanix]

So, I got a contract to test one of the big Kerbodyne engines. Unfortunately, I'm not really building any big rockets right now, so I couldn't just strap it on the bottom of something that was going up. Or maybe I could?

Introducing the Kerbodyne D7 Heavy Lifter:

http://i1378.photobucket.com/albums/ah120/craigmotbey/Kerbal/imagejpg1_zpsb86796fa.jpg

Although the D7's cargo bay is typically filled with fuel tanks or space station segments, it occurred to me that something else might fit in there:

http://i1378.photobucket.com/albums/ah120/craigmotbey/Kerbal/imagejpg3_zps4385e249.jpg

So it's off to the runway...

http://i1378.photobucket.com/albums/ah120/craigmotbey/Kerbal/imagejpg7_zps94ca2216.jpg

...and away we go.

http://i1378.photobucket.com/albums/ah120/craigmotbey/Kerbal/imagejpg6_zps5215a800.jpg

Now, I know that I could just activate it without any fuel and complete the contract that way. But that wouldn't be very Kerbal, would it?

http://i1378.photobucket.com/albums/ah120/craigmotbey/Kerbal/imagejpg4_zps9131c298.jpg

Whee!

You are the god for spaceplanes, aren't you? That plane looks awesome. Have you managed to land it at KSC after the test?

[Wanderfound]

You are the god for spaceplanes, aren't you? That plane looks awesome. Have you managed to land it at KSC after the test?

Awww, shucks.

That's my standard heavy cargo lifter; it's been up and down dozens of times. I did blow up a few of them getting these screenshots, though; if there's any gimballing or atmospheric drag pulling the exhaust off-line, it'll blow the tail off. Even with it straight you don't want to keep it lit for more than a few seconds or you'll start losing parts.

[Wanderfound]

Lol how many G's was that sucker pulling??

Not sure; piloting was taking all of my attention at the time.

[Volcanix]

Awww, shucks.

That's my standard heavy cargo lifter; it's been up and down dozens of times. I did blow up a few of them getting these screenshots, though; if there's any gimballing or atmospheric drag pulling the exhaust off-line, it'll blow the tail off. Even with it straight you don't want to keep it lit for more than a few seconds or you'll start losing parts.

What does shucks mean? (non-native english speaker here)

*uses Google Translator*

Oh no, that was meant seriously! I'm pretty sure I've seen a couple of your spaceplanes around somewhere, have you got a thread or something for it?

And about that tail off-blowing, is that only because of FAR? I had FAR and thought "Oh yeah finally I can fly some fighter jets realistically", so I turned, pulled full up at full throttle and BANG! Aerodynamic failure. I think I'm gonna reinstall it soon if I've got enough time to build some spaceplanes, currently I'm working on a space station. Maybe I could use the spaceplanes to bring the parts into orbit? Not a bad idea, tho. *starts KSP*

[Cydonian Monk]

Awww Shucks is often used as a bashful version of "Thank You," at least in the rural parts where I'm from. Now I'm curious how Google translated it.

Anyway - this makes me want to restart the SSTO cargo plane project I was working on back in 0.22 or 0.23. I could never get to a happy point where the payload capacity justified the effort. You seem to have that bit figured out. I may need to borrow some of this for inspiration.

[Wanderfound]

What does shucks mean? (non-native english speaker here)

*uses Google Translator*

Oh no, that was meant seriously! I'm pretty sure I've seen a couple of your spaceplanes around somewhere, have you got a thread or something for it?

And about that tail off-blowing, is that only because of FAR? I had FAR and thought "Oh yeah finally I can fly some fighter jets realistically", so I turned, pulled full up at full throttle and BANG! Aerodynamic failure. I think I'm gonna reinstall it soon if I've got enough time to build some spaceplanes, currently I'm working on a space station. Maybe I could use the spaceplanes to bring the parts into orbit? Not a bad idea, tho. *starts KSP*

Cydonian has it right on the "shucks"; it's a way of saying "thank you" for a compliment while trying not to seem overly conceited. I'm also curious what Google told you...

Blowing off the tail wasn't a FAR-induced aerodynamic failure (which does happen a lot with big planes, which is why the wings are heavily strutted). It was because the tail was directly in the path of a very big rocket exhaust. Incinerated rather than snapped.

[Wanderfound]

Awww Shucks is often used as a bashful version of "Thank You," at least in the rural parts where I'm from. Now I'm curious how Google translated it.

Anyway - this makes me want to restart the SSTO cargo plane project I was working on back in 0.22 or 0.23. I could never get to a happy point where the payload capacity justified the effort. You seem to have that bit figured out. I may need to borrow some of this for inspiration.

Feel free: http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/88628-Kerbodyne-D7-Heavy-X5-a-heavy-lift-SSTO-spaceplane

[Wanderfound]

I'm pretty sure I've seen a couple of your spaceplanes around somewhere, have you got a thread or something for it?

I don't have a dedicated design thread, but they're all called Kerbodyne something-or-other. If you google "Wanderfound Kerbodyne" you should find them all.

[Wanderfound]

Anyway - this makes me want to restart the SSTO cargo plane project I was working on back in 0.22 or 0.23. I could never get to a happy point where the payload capacity justified the effort. You seem to have that bit figured out. I may need to borrow some of this for inspiration.

BTW: you might be interested in these.

http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/90699-Kerbodyne-Wedgetail-a-bulk-fuel-tanker-for-Spaceplane-Plus-and-FAR-NEAR?p=1352830#post1352830

http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/90344-Kerbodyne-Velociraptor-light-cargo-express-SSTO-for-Spaceplane-Plus-and-FAR

[Volcanix]

I don't have a dedicated design thread, but they're all called Kerbodyne something-or-other. If you google "Wanderfound Kerbodyne" you should find them all.

Googled "Wanderfound Kerbodyne". Was not disappointed.

Found mostly some planes from you, but one page was kinda.. I don't know what I should say.. That site copied your content and posted it there with Ads. Or was that you?

You should really make a thread where you post all of them. I bet its gonna be popular

[Cydonian Monk]

BTW: you might be interested in these.

http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/90699-Kerbodyne-Wedgetail-a-bulk-fuel-tanker-for-Spaceplane-Plus-and-FAR-NEAR?p=1352830#post1352830

http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/90344-Kerbodyne-Velociraptor-light-cargo-express-SSTO-for-Spaceplane-Plus-and-FAR

Excellent. I'll dig into those sometime this weekend. Thanks!

[Wanderfound]

Googled "Wanderfound Kerbodyne". Was not disappointed.

Found mostly some planes from you, but one page was kinda.. I don't know what I should say.. That site copied your content and posted it there with Ads. Or was that you?

Nothing to do with me; just the usual internet thieving scum.