For the Fairest: Prettiest Spaceplane Challenge

[Wanderfound]

As per the title: post a pic of the prettiest/hottest/meanest/coolest/sleekest/baddest spaceplane you can build.

However, a few rules:

* Stock parts only. Modpacks make it too easy.

* Must be functional. Post a couple of pics demonstrating that it can make orbit.

-

As for judging...when you post your pic, also post a vote for any design that isn't yours. You can go back and edit your vote later; it's okay for the first few entries to cast no vote until some competition appears. Exactly how to define "spaceplane" is entirely up to the voters.

The plane with the most votes wins a golden apple.

[jaddbo]

i built a box ssto as a proof of concept, and it worked fairly well, i even had a vairient of it that launched a small satilite, but i lost the design, though i can re-build it

[Volcanix]

Well, this thing can't make orbit, although I think it could with a few modifications. However, I think it's pretty, so to get the ball rolling, I'll post it here.

I also presented it with two other planes in this video, if someone is interested, however it has some weird fall-out-of-control at the end, which was... Well, weird.

[Overfloater]

Do outdated planes count?

This one was my most resilient, reliable and maneuverable heavy cargo ship:

It is partially responsible for making this base on Laythe:

(each time I delivered 20~24t payloads, each time different plane (each delivered 3 modules))

P.S. ima gonna have to vote for Major Jim's plane, look how perfect it is! Not to mention the ssto capability.

Edited January 24, 2015 by Overfloater

[Foxster]

OK, its not a spaceplane but I like it...

[Majorjim!]

Here is my new SSTO, Eagle-1 and the Eaglet ion mun shuttle.

And a video of a full mission:

My vote so far is for Overfloater's Heavy cargo SSTJ. The master of possibilities.

Edited January 23, 2015 by Majorjim

[Wanderfound]

Okay; that should be enough entries that people can start voting as well as submitting. Remember that you can't vote for yourself, you must vote for someone, and you can change your vote whenever you like.

For a Kerbodyne entry, we have the Stratos N...

Proof of function:

Another view:

...and since I can't vote for myself, my vote for the moment goes to MajorJim's Eagle.

[Batz_10K]

Here's my entry - The Turbo-Finch-IN

Leaving the KSC

Climbing into orbit

In orbit

My vote is for the Eagle-1

[Chronosheep]

This sounds like a good opportunity to advertise my interplanetary SSTO spaceplane, the Archangel.

(Download available in the Spacecraft Exchange thread)

Of the planes posted before, my vote for the best looking would go to Wanderfound's Stratos N.

Edited January 24, 2015 by Chronosheep

[WhiteKnuckle]

Not saying that Majorjim's Eagle isn't cool looking, but I'm pretty sure he could take pictures of the KSC Port-O-Potty and make it look good. One way or another he needs to get a nod for best photography.

My current vote goes to Chronosheep's Archangel, great mix of realism and sci-fi awesomeness.

-Space reserved for my entry sometime this weekend-

[Foxster]

Just admire it for the engineering. Flies brilliantly, goes to 50km+ on jets, has a shed load of dV in orbit, etc.

...or the Sierra Sausage that can put a probe in orbit around a body and fly on home:

Edited January 24, 2015 by Foxster

[DundraL]

The Lancer series has been around in various forms since 0.23, and is my go-to craft for anything in kerbin's SOI, including mun surface missions.

While there are versions for passengers and light cargo, they are all very similar to this:

Javascript is disabled. View full album

Nuclear version usually piggybacked on another aircraft called the chariot, since it usually didnt have much DV advantage after a solo-ascent.

The only other version thats been updated to .90 is the SE... and it is used primarily for... shenanigans:

(random music in video... forgot OBS records pandora in background)

My vote goes for the Stratos N, by wanderfound.

Edited January 25, 2015 by DundraL

[BagelRabbit]

Here's my entry:

Plover Mk5

The Plover at take-off. It takes off at 70 m/s (and can glide at less than 50 m/s), and is a joy to fly in the lower atmosphere.

...yes, the Plover is not only an SSTO, but it is also capable of Minmus orbit if flown carefully. I didn't fly it carefully enough, so I ended up about 300 m/s short... but still.

I'm really, really proud of this abort system. It's very effective, and you don't see abort systems on many SSTOs.

It's only got four air intakes (two Ram air intakes and two basic jet intakes), it's got a reasonable part count (66 parts), and it handles almost absurdly well.

(I'm linking a video of how well it handles here, though I've since "fixed" the abort system so that the parachute only deploys fully at 50 meters and thus usually doesn't cause the cockpit to spin like that).

My vote goes to Majorjim, by the way. His builds are consistently among the most aesthetically awesome things that I have ever seen.

[raygundan]

I thought these were kinda funny-looking when I first built them... but they've grown on me.

The Cormorant family of heavy-lift SSTO spaceplanes:

Available in three option packages:

Standard: (263 parts, 93.5t, $241,770, 6 passengers, 36t of cargo to LKO, max cargo length the same as an orange tank)

Heavy: (265 parts, 94.02t, $240,822, 1 passenger, 40t+ of cargo to LKO, 33% longer cargo bay than standard)

Crew Cab: (269 parts, 98.01t, $267,718, 18 passengers, same cargo weight/size as standard)

*all weights include a full 36t orange tank as test cargo.

Note: it's much easier to read the mission report if you go directly to the imgur writeup. For some reason, the forum version puts the image descriptions directly on top of the thumbnails-- but you can still click to the left and right of the large image to go forward/backward.

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And I'll cast my vote for MajorJim

Edited January 25, 2015 by raygundan
forgot to vote the first time!

[Wanderfound]

Don't forget to vote, peoples; every submission must be accompanied by a vote for someone else's ship.

[HafCoJoe]

The Bolt

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Makes a 85km orbit with a bit of messing around. I'm quite fond of her .

I vote for Upsilons "Plover Mk5". I really like the compact and stuffed, yet sleek shape. And the wings remind me of batman for some reason...

[Captain Sierra]

I have no good images of this bird readily available but its one of my prettiest.

And another plane, this one an SSTO.

I have some better things but I need to acquire screenshots first.

Unless something changes, my vote goes to Volcanix' VTOL.

Edited January 25, 2015 by Captain Sierra

[GeorgeG]

Here's my Corvette R6. It has great handling. Can rendezvous and dock. And even carry small payloads externally.

Album:

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Even brought back and landed with two REALLY big payloads once…..

- GeorgeG

Edited January 25, 2015 by GeorgeG

[Volcanix]

Unless something changes, my vote goes to Volcanix' VTOL.

Heh, thanks.

My vote goes to Majorjim's plane, really awesome engineering right there!

[drewscriver]

Well, you've forced my hand. I was trying to make a cool video, but I haven't had the time. Regardless, here's the Alaflux.

edit: cool video made

Pretty? Well, I think so, though everyone has different tastes. You won't confuse it with any other SSTO, that's for sure.

Functional? Hell yes.

She's got the legs for Duna easily (and maybe Laythe, if you're a better pilot than I), including a small cargo.

And if you're going somewhere without an atmosphere, you can save some delta V by dropping off useless bits (like wings and engines), to pick up later on the way back.

Safety is also thoroughly covered, with a detachable command section that is quite flyable, but has redundant parachutes and a monopropellant thrust system in case things go well and truly pear shaped.

The full album is here:

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Oh, and I'm tossing a vote Overfloater's way, because I've always thought that ship was awesome.

-Drewscriver

Edited February 15, 2015 by drewscriver
Made my cool video.

[raygundan]

Don't forget to vote, peoples; every submission must be accompanied by a vote for someone else's ship.

Sorry about the omission-- I even had MajorJim's entry in mind, I just somehow completely forgot to put it in the post. I've edited my original post to add it.

[RogueMason]

I present the Ranger II for consideration.

Small, and only capable of ferrying two crew at a time, but very capable for the purpose it serves. Of all the spaceplanes I've built, the Ranger line has received the most attention, with the ultimate goal of being able to land safely on Duna (after being transported there by a suitable cruiser, of course).

You're gonna have to believe me that this little thing is able to reach orbit; somehow, I don't have any screenshots of it ascending from the runway, but I do have one in the SPH, albeit significantly outdated as I've since added a barrage of parachutes and landing rockets to assist the Duna goal, though the general appearance hasn't changed.

Also, I vote Overfloater. Damn, those planes that you put out are impressive.

Do outdated planes count?

This one was my most resilient, reliable and maneuverable heavy cargo ship:

http://i.imgur.com/OtMyqdF.jpg

[Windspren]

The C-16 Phoenix

It can make orbit (I think) even though I failed on my first try, when I reverted flight I realized I had 2 full tanks of LF+O that I forgot to transfer to the main tanks .

Can fly an Mach 7, although the warranty is for Mach 5:sticktongue:

More info and download link here:

http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/106308-Interstellar-Innovations-NOW-HIRING-NEW-SHIP

- - - Updated - - -

I vote for the Ranger II

Edited January 30, 2015 by Laythe Dweller

[problemecium]

Nothing to lose, so I guess I'll bite:

[Hodo]

Here's my entry:

Plover Mk5

http://i.imgur.com/FjxVUuR.jpg

The Plover at take-off. It takes off at 70 m/s (and can glide at less than 50 m/s), and is a joy to fly in the lower atmosphere.

http://i.imgur.com/R15r7WS.jpg

...yes, the Plover is not only an SSTO, but it is also capable of Minmus orbit if flown carefully. I didn't fly it carefully enough, so I ended up about 300 m/s short... but still.

http://i.imgur.com/HYXKln0.jpg

I'm really, really proud of this abort system. It's very effective, and you don't see abort systems on many SSTOs.

It's only got four air intakes (two Ram air intakes and two basic jet intakes), it's got a reasonable part count (66 parts), and it handles almost absurdly well.

(I'm linking a video of how well it handles here, though I've since "fixed" the abort system so that the parachute only deploys fully at 50 meters and thus usually doesn't cause the cockpit to spin like that).

My vote goes to Majorjim, by the way. His builds are consistently among the most aesthetically awesome things that I have ever seen.

I have abort systems on all of my non-combat craft, and the Vanguard ejection system and EVA chutes for my combat craft.

Not an entry

But it is QUITE rare.

Edited January 30, 2015 by Hodo