P38 Lightning - Super agile fighter :D

[HafCoJoe]

I decided to make this iconic plane with the new spaceplane parts and ALT-F12 infinite fuel so, here you go! - I also didn't bother to hide the wheels with an octagonal strut this time. You can do it by placing the wheels upside down on an octagonal strut and then flipping the strut inside the fuselage so only the bottom of the gear bay is showing. Good technique to know.

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Craft download: P38 Lightning(Dropbox)

I'm quite enjoying these new plane parts. Though I really with the black rim wasn't included or at least toggleable. It makes wings look funny unless I do strange workarounds.

Edited November 29, 2014 by Avera9eJoe

[HafCoJoe]

Any other propeller planes you want me to make? I can make pontoon planes too. See here.

[Rune]

Any other propeller planes you want me to make? I can make pontoon planes too. See here.

You know you can hide jet engines on those tailcones and have them produce thrust, right? The trick is not to have any part directly behind the thrust line (and the thrust line is very thin, BTW) that isn't the part they are clipped within. Throttle response and autonomy (especially autonomy) is much more realistic that way.

Rune. Another useful technique!

[BagelRabbit]

While we're throwing techniques out there, I generally mount the rear landing gear on the tops of wings and then rotate them 180 degrees so that they're facing downwards.

Because I'm a spoiled brat when it comes to replica aircraft, I feel obliged to say that the plane's rudders appear to be upside down. (Not sure if this was intended.) Also, the rear wing looks a little thick...?

Nevertheless, nice job making a quality replica aircraft. I should try to do that more often.

-Upsilon

[HafCoJoe]

You know you can hide jet engines on those tailcones and have them produce thrust, right? The trick is not to have any part directly behind the thrust line (and the thrust line is very thin, BTW) that isn't the part they are clipped within. Throttle response and autonomy (especially autonomy) is much more realistic that way.

Rune. Another useful technique!

Yeah I've been experimenting with that but it generally brings the center of mass too far back for the wings to be mounted well. The jet thrust works just like struts from what I understand. Struts can go from the inside of one piece to the outside and so can jet exhaust.

While we're throwing techniques out there, I generally mount the rear landing gear on the tops of wings and then rotate them 180 degrees so that they're facing downwards.

Because I'm a spoiled brat when it comes to replica aircraft, I feel obliged to say that the plane's rudders appear to be upside down. (Not sure if this was intended.) Also, the rear wing looks a little thick...?

Nevertheless, nice job making a quality replica aircraft. I should try to do that more often.

-Upsilon

Yeah that works too for landing gear. Only for wings tho . As to your "spoiled brat"-ness, I love that meat! Yeah the rear wing it pretty thick. I may make another, larger replica so the back wing can be proportional. The outer "side" wings of the tail can't be shrunk anymore easily so I made the center the same thickness.

Anyhoo, Any craft you want me to build?

Edited November 30, 2014 by Avera9eJoe

[Guest]

Nice, it flexes very well but rolling isn't stable, you can tweak it easily by disabling roll axis on some non-perpendicular control surfaces.

Edited November 30, 2014 by RevanCorana

[HafCoJoe]

Nice, it flexes very well but rolling isn't stable, you can tweak it easily by disabling roll axis on some non-perpendicular control surfaces.

Rolling isn't stable? Not sure what you mean... I've had no problems with it's roll (Though I wish it did tilt faster). I generally don't disable any control surface axis on stunt planes as I think that just wastes a good control surface. Are you referring to the slowness of it's roll, or something else? I'm flying it right now with no problems.

I don't like wasting control surfaces by disabling them in agile crafts. Sorta takes away the spirit of agility. Speaking of which, I've just built another plane even more agile than this one... Based off of the top concept art:

I don't know if I'm sharing this one though. It can turn almost within radius of INSIDE the VAB but it does a flip if you let go of pitch before the turn is done it will do a quick flip and end up straight again (Most people would complain that this is "unstable" and rightly so as it is, though it is intentionally unstable. It just allows you to do a stunt flip if you want to.). If you want a copy of this plane message me.

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Edited November 30, 2014 by Avera9eJoe