KerbalX

Description

A stock aircraft called Lerche VTOL fighter plane. Built with 166 of the finest parts, its root part is Mark2Cockpit.

Built in the SPH in KSP version 1.2.2.

VTOL fighter plane modeled after the https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heinkel_Lerche
Plane is powered by two electric SAS engines driving two three-bladed contra-rotating propellers which are contained inside the nine-sided annular wing.

Thanks to this engine arrangement plane can takeoff and land vertically, and it can do a vertical climb to high altitude at about 40 m/s.

Max. speed at low altitude is about 189 m/s, 200 m/s at 5000m and about 160 m/s at 9000m. Flight ceiling is 10650m.

To takeoff:
- engage the SAS and brakes on the plane,
- right click on one of the blades on each rotor and pin the settings panel,
- press 0 to decouple the rotors,
- switch to the rotors, use Alt+E to trim them all the way,
- when the rotors are spinning at full speed switch to the each rotor and press 1 to toggle the propeller blade pitch,
- switch back to the plane which should slowly takeoff,
- disengage the brakes and pull up the landing gear,
- at about 100m from the ground pitch down until the plane is pointed to about 10-15 degrees above horizon,
- while the plane is accelerating switch to the each rotor and adjust the Authority Limiter for the blades to -70,
- switch back to the plane and enjoy your flight.

Vertical landing is tricky but it is relatively easy to do with a little bit of patience.

To land:
- make sure the SAS is engaged and the settings panel for the blades on each rotor is up,
- reduce the altitude to about 100m and the speed to 100-120 m/s,
- pull up until you’re flying vertically then engage the brakes and deploy the landing gear,
- when the speed of plane drops down to about 40 m/s switch to the front rotor and adjust the Authority Limiter for the blades to 150,
- switch back to the plane and keep it pointed up as it slows down and starts falling down,
- when the vertical speed reaches about 5 m/s switch to the rear rotor, the SAS should keep the plane pointed up,
- you can now use the Deploy Direction button for the rotor blades on the rear rotor to control the descent speed of the plane. If the Deploy Direction is set to Normal rear rotor will not provide enough lift and vertical speed of the plane will increase. If the Deploy Direction is set to Inverted lift of the rotor will higher and the vertical speed of the plane will slowly decrease until it starts flying up. Use this to keep the descent speed under 10 m/s.
- when you get close to the ground reduce the descent speed to 2 m/s or less,
- once the plane lands use Alt+X to stop the rotors.

Details

• Type: SPH
• Class: aircraft
• Part Count: 166
• Pure Stock