KerbalX

Get the 256x160 flag!

1.12.5 Craft File

• Dialed back on the control surface sensitivity (1.5.1)
• Removed invalid KIS part module references (1.7.1)
• Flight Tested and 1.12.5 Approved!
• HAIL KRAKEN!!!

• Type: SPH
• Class: aircraft
• Part Count: 85
• Pure Stock
• KSP: 1.12.5

Description

Emerging from a secluded Krakonian Skunkworks hangar, the spooling lift fans of an FA-38 whine at an ever increasing pitch. The MAD Mind Collective 5th gen fighter effortlessly begins to levitate with a TWR double its weight. Elite Krakonian pilots fortunate enough to qualify, do not achieve vertical flight in the Nemesis… They dominate it. HAIL KRAKEN!!

A stock aircraft called FA-38 Nemesis. Built with 85 of the finest parts, its root part is Mark2Cockpit.

Built in the SPH in KSP version 1.12.5.

Design Notes

My Nemesis indeed! An airframe with so much instability that taming the aerodynamics on this one truly felt like a battle. This take on a 5th gen VTOL fighter is no doubt most notable for its inherent instability. Trying to fly it without the fly-by-wire (SAS) engaged is just not going to work very well. On the one hand it is very balanced, but you’re basically flying a symmetric wing (front-back) through the air and it has a tendency to want to rotate on the pitch axis with very little input.

The VTOL capability presented an interesting design challenge. Aside from the typical issue with positioning the vertical thrust at the COM, as the plane slows down you still need to maintain a fair amount of roll/yaw control. This is achieved with the inclusion of the 4 small reaction wheels on the fuselage. They work great when your control surfaces don’t have airflow, but can also make the plane feel very over controlled at speed. To counter this (or at least tame it somewhat) the control surfaces and main engine gimbal were significantly dialed back. You can still over control the aircraft on turns (point nose opposite direction of flight) pretty easily so it does require a bit of finesse and perhaps a lighter touch on the controls than some of my other designs, but at least it feels a bit more contained in flight.

With a TWR greater than 2.0, the vertical flight feels very controlled with plenty of thrust to keep it from pancaking on landing. Vertical flight proved stable enough to land fairly easily on both of the helo-pad landing areas at the KSC. I know IRL planes like the Harrier don’t need that much vertical thrust, but in KSP I have a tendency to want to descend too quickly and need the extra thrust to keep from smashing into the ground or bouncing around.

The Uncut Flight Demo

Thought I’d try doing something a bit different. This is my final unedited test flight of the FA-38 along with voice commentary sharing my final thoughts on the craft, how it flies, and basic play-by-play on the control inputs. Let me know in the comments if you like this sort of thing.