KerbalX

Historic photograph of the Kerbal Space Center in its early days. Back when the program started, satellites were retrieved via mid-air recovery operations.

• The plane seen here, a C-119 Flying Boxcar, was derived from an old Allied cargo plane from the later years of the Second Imperial Wars. Many candidates for primary aircraft were submitted for the KSP’s Satellite Recovery Unit, but most of them never made it past the drawing board.
• There was one proposal that featured a jet-powered cargo plane with robotic arms on both sides that was submitted for final consideration. It would have flown faster than the C-119 and not require as precise an approach to the falling satellite, but the C-119 was cheaper in terms of sale, fuel, and maintenance costs. The C-119 also didn’t need as many people to operate it, hence reducing total wage costs - even if the pilot was more expensive than that for the robotic arm plane.
• As photographic and data transmission became more advanced, the Satellite Recovery Unit was shrunk and eventually disbanded. Any Flying Boxcars that weren’t on display or put in reserve were sold.

The C-119 Flying Boxcar on display in the SPH.

• I started with HB_Stratos’ MK3 Custom Cockpit since the real-life plane’s nose looked too fat to match the regular Mk3 cockpit. Of course, using that cockpit would mean a new set of problems later.
• To maintain balance, I had to keep the plane’s fuel tanks less than half full. That’s what having a long boom-mounted tail will do. I used the regular fuel tanks instead of structural fuselages in case there was an opportunity and/or need for more fuel near the back of the plane.
• I tried to add alligator hinges and telescopic cylinders on the door of the cargo ramp to mimic the real Flying Boxcar’s satellite-catching mechanism. However, when I closed the door after assembling it, the mechanism was still floating in place where it was. So, I aborted that plan altogether.
• For the plane’s engines, I reduced the motor size and output to 66% and set the main throttle torque limit to 1%; I left the RPM limit at the maximum of 460. That way, I wouldn’t have to cruise at such a low throttle setting. Then again, I don’t know if that really maximized efficiency since I was dealing with two engines carrying a Mk3 fuselage.
• At first, I installed the front landing gear directly on the custom cockpit. However, that backfired since it would not deploy while stowed. So, just like my VC-54C Sacred Cow replica, I put a long I-beam on the cargo bay right behind the cockpit and then a medium landing gear at the forwardmost end of it. Perhaps that should be the standard procedure for whenever I use a custom cockpit for a plane with a front wheel.
• I managed to click on the command pod inside the cockpit, which would allow me to transfer crewmembers to the Mk1 lander cans. However, that proved useless as all the lander can hatches were obstructed - rendering my ladders useless. So, I removed the ladders and installed a third lander can in the cargo bay so kerbals can EVA in and out of the plane.
• Since the Flying Boxcar was used to catch satellites, the cargo bay is full of EVA repair kits - and some scientific study kits (kickbacks are suspected to be the reason).

The Flying Boxcar on a test cruise.

Another picture of the Flying Boxcar on a test cruise.

• At first, it was flying at 5 km altitude with the throttle at 86% power. It was near the end of that test cruise that I realized that I could have just cruised at 70% throttle, but it was too late to change anything by that point. I then decided to try again - and add a tiny bit more fuel to increase the range a bit more.

The C-119 low on fuel while flying over Kerbin’s northern polar ice cap.

• This was taken from the latest test cruise, where the 70% cruise throttle rule was implemented from the start.
• The previous flight didn’t make it this far.

The C-119 Flying Boxcar, landed safe and sound.

• In the last test cruise, the front landing gear would not deploy. That problem was fixed when it was mounted on an I-beam which was mounted under the cargo bay behind the cockpit.

Unnamed crewmember checking the cargo storage units behind the cockpit.

• Since the lander can hatches on the side of the cockpit were obstructed - which means that they’re just decorations - a third lander can was placed inside the cargo bay so kerbals can have a means to get in and out.