An Unexpected End to a "nominal" Polar Expedition

[SpenSpaceCorp]

One fine day, Bill, Bob, and Lobus Kerman decided to hop into a Douglas DC-3 Aircraft to visit the North Pole, and get ALL the candy canes from Santa. This spur-of-the-moment decision was made based on the fact that Jeb was off on some mission involving "much speed", and "large explosions", and therefore could not possibly turn this soon to be relaxing voyage into a hair raising death defying experience. Anyway, the three Kermans hop into their newly acquired DC-3 and take off, heading North. (Bill was able to acquire the radial engines with propellers from KAX - Kerbal Aircraft Expansion - http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/76668-0-24-Kerbal-Aircraft-Expansion-(KAX)-v2-2-2-Hotfix

<-- Nice cruise

After a relatively uneventful takeoff and start of a nice relaxing journey, the engines sputter out and die. The three Kermans start arguing, "I thought YOU were supposed to finish fueling!" shouted Bill as Bob assessed the situation, trying to pick a half decent spot to land, as the plane had run out of fuel in the middle of a mountain range (How perfect).

<-- Plane runs out of fuel

<-- And mountains everywhere

There was a brief moment experienced by the trio of Kerbals in which they wished they had Jeb to stick the landing on a slope on the side of a mountain. Despite the risk of careening to the side, obliterating the craft, Bob manages to land the craft in one piece.

<-- Landing on a slope

<-- Touchdown, showing resources (0 liquid fuel)

<-- The crew step out to stretch their legs and yearn for snacks

Happy with a safe landing, Bill radios mission control, requesting an aircraft to "bring fuel and snacks" to the empty DC-3. As Bill, Bob, and Lobus step foot onto the base of the mountain to watch the sun set below the ocean, mission control dispatches the biggest most expensive plane to rendezvous with the stranded trio, a Boeing 747.

<-- Boeing 747 takeoff, displaying fuel boom

<-- Rear view of 747

<-- Getting dark out; nice view though!

<-- Distance/location of stranded DC-3 relative to the space center/747

It is well into the late evening when the fully loaded 747 approaches the stranded DC-3, dodging the hazardously tall mountains in the dark of night, managing to touch down relatively softly (in other words, not ending up as a ball of fire). There happened to be a manufacturing error in the 747's design, however, as the landing lights were installed backwards, making for not only a trickier landing, but making it impossible for the behemoth of an aircraft to grab onto the smaller DC-3 during the night, so the party waits until morning to refuel.

<--Final approach between two mountains

<--Backwards landing lights

<-- "Did someone call for fuel (and snacks)?"

When morning arrives, the crew of the monstrously large 747 simply cannot line up to grab the DC-3 and transfer fuel, as the slope proves too much and results in everything side slipping down, nearly running over Bill! So, the DC-3 starts to roll down the hill, gathering enough speed to "take off" unpowered, and glide to a flatter area, and land. The 747 on the other hand has no such luck. Instead of careening down the hill, the pilots take it slow, but still manage to break off one of the outboard engines! All in all, besides the broken 747 engine, the docking and refueling was a success on the shallower slope.

<-- DC-3 unpowered takeoff and glide, 747 seen in background

<-- Successful refueling maneuver

<-- Successful unplanned removal of 747 engine shown

filled to the brim with fuel and snacks, Bill, Bob, and Lobus wave farewell to the now semi-stranded 747 as they power away down the slope, gaining speed to lift off and continue their journey North. (Note: this 747 most likely does not have the power nor the aerodynamic integrity to take off with only 3 engines).

<-- DC-3 departing the semi-stranded 747

<-- Climbing to cruising altitude

<-- Leaving the mountain range behind

Seconds turn to minutes, minutes turn to hours, hours turn to eventual snack depletion. After cruising for some time, the DC-3 reaches a portion of the ocean that needs to be crossed. The trio hope they have enough snacks to sustain them without the need to crash land into the water to fish for some.

<-- Wing view of the journey thus far

<-- "T'is but a mere puddle"

<-- "Are we there yet?"

As the aircraft nears the North Pole, it slows for descent as the crew watch the compass closely for that telltale rapid rotation indicating a pole is beneath you.

<-- Descent

<-- Easy landing compared to the previous circumstance

<-- The literal line leading to the North Pole, mere meters away from the DC-3

The crew satisfied with a successful landing celebrates their goal coming close to an end. As Bill and Bob plan how to ask Santa for candy canes, Lobus Kerman steps foot out onto the ladder of the DC-3, when Santa's pet kraken spots the aircraft! Lobus watches in horror as the kraken devours the DC-3, killing Bill and Bob in an effort to protect the candy canes!

<-- Bill & Bob were still in the DC-3 which was attacked by Santa's Kraken. Note: I have DRE installed, thus the "died of G-force damage". Nevertheless, the game crashed.

UPDATE: I am currently undergoing an attempt to circumnavigate Kerbin in that ol' DC-3

Edited August 30, 2014 by SpenSpaceCorp
Update

[SpenSpaceCorp]

PS:

Please tell me what you think, and if I should follow up with this as to how they get home (reverting to when the DC-3 touched down, this time being equipped with anti-kraken spray)

[turkwinif]

PS:

Please tell me what you think, and if I should follow up with this as to how they get home (reverting to when the DC-3 touched down, this time being equipped with anti-kraken spray)

I really liked the way you used that docking port on the refueling plane, never seen it done like that before, especially with two large planes. But I can't help but feel as if this belongs in KSP Fanworks or the sub-forum Mission Reports. Otherwise, cool.

[SpenSpaceCorp]

Why thank you! And sorry if i put this under the wrong section

[Tw1]

Why thank you! And sorry if i put this under the wrong section

DW, it happens. Nice flight! Best of luck continuing/getting them home/whatever you decide to do next. Poles, even Kerbin's flat ones are fun to visit.

Question: Why couldn't they swap to the Boeing? It sounded like it had much greater range than the DC-3.

[SpenSpaceCorp]

Question: Why couldn't they swap to the Boeing? It sounded like it had much greater range than the DC-3.

I thought it would be funner to complete the journey in the DC-3, also because when I thought of just continuing with the 747, the engine had already exploded haha (perhaps Jeb had installed the engine!)

[GreeningGalaxy]

Clearly, the only true kerbal solution would have been to try to explode off the corresponding engine on the other side to get the thrust balance back. Although I would guess that would just make its TWR too low take off at all.

Nice.. photojournal? comic? thing! I usually forget to document my missions that well.

Once I accidentally flew an experimental fighter jet to the south pole after an unscheduled flip-out incident just after takeoff. I didn't even realize I was heading south until the ice sheet appeared on the horizon. I didn't manage to incur the wrath of the Kraken, though, nor did I do it in quite so stylish a plane as you did, however.

Neat!

[SpenSpaceCorp]

Thanks! by the way, I am currently modifying my B-17 Flying Fortress replica to drop a fuel rover next to the DC-3 when it runs out of fuel (again) on the return trip lol. Then I need to think of a way to get the 747 crew back... and I did try shutting off the opposite engine, but 2 engines is not enough to take off. 3 is barely enough to keep the behemoth level, but not climb, at least not at a sane rate.

[Claw]

Moved this report about a mission into mission reports.

~Claw

[SpenSpaceCorp]

Thanks!

Also, heres an update: I am currently undergoing an attempt to circumnavigate Kerbin in that ol' DC-3