Moth Mk IV Flying Wing

[Wambo333]

The story

I had an idea to create a stealth plane in KSP with some of the most popular models like the B-2 Spirit, SR-71 and the Flying Wing concepts in mind.

I didn't want to build an exact copy, just a fun to fly, stealthy looking aircraft for my fleet.

While Mk I-II, this plane had a lot of structural panels all over the wings, which made it look rather dark, like a giant moth. It's unique name was born.

First this plane was a **** to fly, it spinned uncontrollable owing to the slightest turns and a lot of brave Kerbals had to sacrifice their lives in order to get this thing to the current Mk IV.

As I'm very unexperienced in building (space)planes, it's been a long way for me with both a lot of general overhauls and minor optimizations since the first prototype to this stable Mk IV version.

The Moth Mk IV Flying Wing is nothing special compared to all those amazing crafts out there but it's the first larger aircraft I built in KSP that actually flies pretty well and so I'm a bit proud of it.

The aircraft

This marvelous flying wing was developed in corporation with Jeb's Junkyard and an unknown German engineer with the code name Wambo333.

It then was tested in a secret area near Kroom Lake in the Kevada desert.

According to today's knowledge, many brave Kerbal pilots lost their lives within the testing program, that's why the government denied it was even developed on Kerbin for a long time.

An early version (way to heavy in the back)

A short video showing just some basic maneuvers at the KSC

Download: https://www./download/a9f35a5a9155juq/Moth+Mk+IV.craft

My aircrafts: SR-71 Blackbird | Moth Mk IV Flying Wing

Edited October 17, 2014 by Wambo333

[Guest Space Cowboy]

Looks like you have achieved what you set out to do! The craft seems to have plenty of control. I noticed the fuel tanks seem a bit forward. Not a problem unless aircraft control is difficult when the fuel is low. I generally put my fuel right on the empty COM or equally spaced around it. Ideally, the wet COM (full of fuel) should be in the same location as the dry COM. Sadly, KSP doesn't not show us dry COM, unless we remove the tanks in the hangar. I also make sure the fuel burns equally from front and rear tanks, if that is my design. If you have several tanks attached end to end, you can run a fuel line from the center tank to the engines. Then the fuel will burn from the outer tanks to the inner. This is a big issue on bigger craft and especially SSTO's that must stay balanced throughout their burn for reasons of fuel economy but also craft control.

[jmiki8]

You can simply remove the fuel from the fuel tanks in the SPH, and see where the dry COM is, without touching the tanks.

[kidolvski]

What mod was used for the engine exhaust?

Nice craft!

[Wambo333]

Looks like you have achieved what you set out to do! The craft seems to have plenty of control. I noticed the fuel tanks seem a bit forward. Not a problem unless aircraft control is difficult when the fuel is low.

Yeah I had to put them in the front to balance the heavy engines in the back but as I said I'm not very experienced in building planes in KSP, so I don't know all the tricks and intricacies yet

I flew it quite a bit around Kerbin and didn't get any difficulties while on low fuel but I never actually flew it till the fuel went out. I guess I'm going to investigate this further ^^

What mod was used for the engine exhaust?

Nice craft!

Thanks, you can download the engine effects here:

http://www.curse.com/ksp-mods/kerbal/220207-hotrockets-particle-fx-replacement

Edited August 13, 2014 by Wambo333

[sardaukar11]

really nice plane!

[Guest Space Cowboy]

jmiki8 that's awesome I did not know that

[Jeb Cubed]

I love flying wings! This one looks great. One question though, have you tried "stalling" it?

[Astronomer]

[Wambo333]

I love flying wings! This one looks great. One question though, have you tried "stalling" it?

It has very much lift due to its wing size so its not likely to stall but I don't use FAR, so it may be different there.

CRAFT FILE NAO

Just edited my post, now there is a download link at the bottom.

[soulreaver1981]

Nice plane but the engine's need to be more hidden. Anybody can see the flames en a rocket can home in on the heat

[Wambo333]

Nice plane but the engine's need to be more hidden. Anybody can see the flames en a rocket can home in on the heat

I'm already working on the Mk V and that's a great idea.

Thanks, I'll try that soon

[Roflcopterkklol]

Oh neat i remember seeing this thing on youtube, actually what made me want to make the ultimate flying wing, about that stalling problem.

Insanely hard to fix on a flying wing, it took me 6 re designs on my first plane to fix the problem.

Once fixed though, oh my god are they insanely awesome at everything.

All 3 are up on the stock craft repository, ima have a fly of this thing, was wondering how it goes

[Wambo333]

Oh neat i remember seeing this thing on youtube, actually what made me want to make the ultimate flying wing, about that stalling problem.

Insanely hard to fix on a flying wing, it took me 6 re designs on my first plane to fix the problem.

Once fixed though, oh my god are they insanely awesome at everything.

All 3 are up on the stock craft repository, ima have a fly of this thing, was wondering how it goes

Do you mean stalling in general or just while on low fuel? Do you have a link to your flying wing, I would love to try it

[Roflcopterkklol]

Do you mean stalling in general or just while on low fuel? Do you have a link to your flying wing, I would love to try it

For all my craft see http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/90964-New-Design-The-SSTO-Beast-mk3-roflcopterkklol-Industries

The Beast mk6 is the plane that went through the 6 re designs.

and the side ways stalling problem, when cornering if you try to change the bank angle to the opposite side half way through a corner the plane tends to stall (hard to get them to do it but when they do it is almost like they just cut straight through the air and it is really hard to recover from), my plane actually ended up looking like no flying wing i have ever seen.

After making that i made "The Mongrel mk2" just to see how hard i could push the wing design i ended up with for high alt flight.

Ended up calling them super gliders instead of flying wings, felt more fitting seen as they stopped being a single wing.

Did just finish my SSTO version of this plane also, was a bugger to convert the design to an SSTO but im pretty sure it worked out quite well.

Edited August 26, 2014 by Roflcopterkklol