A Totally Stock Zeppelin (Casually hovers at 4 m/s)

[Tsevion]

Well, abusing one of the more amusing bugs I've encountered with KSP Aerodynamics, I've created a stock Zeppelin.

Craft File

And here's a video explaining how it works, and showing it cruising around and landing (and crashing). Skip to 4 minutes if you don't care about the aerodynamics and just want to see the Zeppelin.

[Sirine]

Great Zeppelin... Impressive.

[Dakitess]

Yay this is really nice !

[Nik_601]

That's... Wow.. That's really cool

[drewscriver]

Huh. Interesting investigation, and very neat craft.

[RocketBlam]

It looks heavy. Almost like a... lead... zeppelin?

Edited November 1, 2014 by sal_vager

[Nik_601]

It looks heavy. Almost like a... lead... zeppelin?

http://hotmeme.net/media/mememaker/8/8/4197-live-dangerously-austin-powers.jpg

Somebody've said Lead Zeppelin?..

[spoiler=]

[cantab]

[Pds314]

Okay... Time to make a flying saucer....

[Signo]

Okay... Time to make a flying saucer....

I gave it a try in 0.24

http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/94688-Requires-PF-Flying-saucer?highlight=flying+saucer

[sal_vager]

This is just crazy, well done for figuring it out Tsevion, stickied

[Solarspaceprobe]

This is super cool! I doubt it works with FAR/NEAR though.

You did say it was a STOCK zeppelin anyways, so that's not really a problem!

[Rune]

...And it still works in 0.25. It has until the aerodynamics patch to live, I'd say. Casually going about at 15m/s (I used a lot less control surfaces):

Rune. I tried ions, but drag was too much for them.

[WooDzor]

I can only think of landing this thing on EVE. 'float' up to a reasonable altitude and release the return to orbit rocket Jeb had thought off bringing. Feasible? Only problem is the air breathing engines :-/ And the fact that it is a bit cheaty since atmo-glitch.. it would look good though..

[Rune]

I can only think of landing this thing on EVE. 'float' up to a reasonable altitude and release the return to orbit rocket Jeb had thought off bringing. Feasible? Only problem is the air breathing engines :-/ And the fact that it is a bit cheaty since atmo-glitch.. it would look good though..

I'm thinking this should get powered by a couple of counter-rotating stock propellers (you know, the ones running on reaction wheels and wheel bearings), and then you would be set for Eve, or even Duna. Never built one myself though. Mind you, I couldn't get it much higher than kerbin sea level, but even that would be a great help for Eve. Now climbing and going back down at 5-15m/s, with about 200mm/s top sustained climb rate? There's the catch.

Rune. Never mind the part count to lift a heavy SSTO rocket.

[BriXman]

This craft is incredible! And for once also looks good! Great job!

[Redshift OTF]

I can only think of landing this thing on EVE. 'float' up to a reasonable altitude and release the return to orbit rocket Jeb had thought off bringing. Feasible? Only problem is the air breathing engines :-/ And the fact that it is a bit cheaty since atmo-glitch.. it would look good though..

I've tried similar things on Eve, (not a blimp though). Those control surfaces become very powerful in Eve's thick atmosphere and sometimes rip apart or just spin the ship over. Eve takes the drawing board, chews it up and spits it out across the room

[WooDzor]

if you could just get past these first 12.000 meter of soup, you actually won't need a very large STO / rocket. You could build one that works on rocket fuel that works on Kerbin, and add a bit since circularizing will require quite a bit more dV. Pitty there aren't any stock baloons. But i think I can live with myself wing glitching if it is a realistic solution I am trying to do.

[xenomorph555]

Guys we must develop this technology further, bigger, better airships are needed!