F-14D Super Tomcat

Description

Well, here it is. My highest part count craft and longest project so far. This took over 1,5 months to make, but goddamn am I happy with it! I was inspired by EvenFlow’s great Tomcat, which I definitely recommend checking out: https://kerbalx.com/EvenFlow/Grumman-F-14A-Tomcat
I borrowed some techniques from that beauty.

This thing handles decently apart from the lacking roll rate, but doesn’t really matter since you’re not getting any good fps with this one. Top speed is somewhere around 150 m/s, so nothing great.

BG is too weak, the swing wing mechanism is made with the DockRotate plugin found here: https://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/index.php?/topic/170484-19-110-dockrotate-lightweight-robotics-rotational-control-on-docking-ports-plus-noderotate-make-any-part-rotate/
You can fly the plane without the plugin since it doesn’t add any parts, but the mechanism won’t work. I’m looking forward on learning BendyTech, so possible future swing wings will work for everybody.

There will be a stripped down version of the plane without the livery, so be on the lookout for that.

Built in the SPH in KSP version 1.10.1.

About the plane

You most likely know about the Tomcat, it’s one of the most iconic fighter jets with it’s recognizable swing wing. It was developed form the VFX program and served in some wars, for example the Iran-Iraqi war and the end of the Vietnam war. I went for the D variant, the most advanced F-14 known as the Super Tomcat.

I chose the livery used by VF-31 Tomcatters, which is in my opinion the best F-14D livery. Most impressive thing about the livery is that it doesn’t use flags! It is made for example from grip pads, structural panels and graviolis.

Controls

• Afterburner is toggled from RCS
• Wings are swept back from 1
• Wings are swept forwards from 2
• Landing gear are unlocked from 3, do this before retracting and after deploying

Details

• Type: SPH
• Class: aircraft
• Part Count: 1810
• Pure Stock
• KSP: 1.10.1