KerbalX

Description

The CF-57 is a versatile aircraft, the design itself has another variant called the AC-57 attack variant. The aircraft has unique STOL capabilities utilizing split tailplane control surfaces to create butterfly spoilers witch are only seen on gliders. It has two large jettisonable fuel tanks that hold up to 1600 units of liquid fuel for other aircraft and its maneuverability is significantly increased when they are ditched. It can carry up to 8 passengers not including crew and has a cargo bay used for extra fuel. The reason the landing gear is so tall is to allow the refueling boom and heavy ordnance to be hung under the main fuel tank and also giving the aircraft a angle of attack of 20 degrees during rotation witch significantly reduces ground roll; coupled with it’s high lift devices and immense power from it’s two J-56 Lotus turbofans it can perform a tactical ascent right after takeoff to avoid SAMs even when fully loaded. It can be equipped with ECM and short range IR guided missiles depending on the threat environment, it’s key defensive feature is a small, computer controlled twin 50. cal turret mounted on it’s tail mainly to shoot down incoming missiles, it could be used to shoot down enemy aircraft but it’s effect is minimal.

Specifications:

Weapons: Point defense anti-missile turret, defensive IR guided missiles
Maneuverability: Low
Range: High
Survivability: High
Payload: Medium
Cargo: Low
Speed: Low

Variants:
AC-57 Norad Missile truck and attack variant
V-57 Civilian version, carries 2x passenger load

Combat tactics:

Support: Flown at very low level with equipped ECM and IR guided missiles to refuel short range AV-11 Herons (picture at top of page) on low level attack runs where 2 Herons will escort the tanker and top-off, usually behind terrain cover and another pair or Herons will hit the target and intermediately run back to the tanker, switching places with the escorting pair witch goes on until weapons dry. Due to the short loiter time, Herons must have a tanker on standby when on attack.

Standoff: Placed in a holding pattern away from danger to refuel fighters and aerial early warning aircraft.

Built in the SPH in KSP version 1.7.2.

Mods

• Airplane Plus
• Automated Aerial Refueling System
• BDArmoryContinued
• MechJeb 2
• Squad (stock)

Details

• Type: SPH
• Class: aircraft
• Part Count: 85
• Mods: 5