Introducing the SX-104

[goumba]

Alright, well I've been tinkering with this one for a few days. I'm a perpetual novice at LW but its starting to get somewhere I like (previous attempts were just a mess). I've been working on a similar concept for a PSP homebrew game I'm working on, hopefully I'll finish that sometime soon.

I figure its only logical that space travel follows aviation. That said, NASA has used jets in experimental craft for some time, so why not take it a step further?

Inspired by the F-104 Starfighter, with some elements of the F-5E Tiger II; here's the XS-104 Bobcat, far from done.

[Rigel]

Looks good; needs thrusters.

[goumba]

Thanks.

Its far from done, and the thrusters are to come. I'm trying to figure out how exactly I want to do them. You can't see the rear, but the main engine has a thrust vectoring unit. I just need to add smaller maneuvering thrusters as well.

I'm also considering ditching the flaps and ailerons, but the idea was that it started life as a plane that was modified for space combat on short notice.

[Starbase1]

An interesting idea. Right now I'd say it looks 100% plane and 0% spacecraft though...

I think it has too string a sense of one-way-up, which is odd for a spacecraft. I think you can make it work while basing it on a plane, perhaps try pulling some components around, or stretching part of it along the length, to make it a bot more rocket like?

[goumba]

An interesting idea. Right now I'd say it looks 100% plane and 0% spacecraft though...

I'm using a plane as a base, so I'm putting work into that first, then adding modifications. My goal in this is so that they're a little more obvious as additions rather than looking as part of the vehicle from the start. I get only about an hour or two a week to work on this so its good that EE has a deadline of a few months. The other advantage is that if I decide something needs to be part of the model itself, work isn't going too fast and I can add it in at an early stage.

I think it has too string a sense of one-way-up, which is odd for a spacecraft.

I think I need you to explain to me what you mean. As I look at Star wars or Sci-Fi shows (of which I must admit I don't watch many), the vehicles pretty much have one method of motivation, if that's what you're referring to.

I didn't like how it was coming out so I went back a little and reworked some geometry and features. Added maneuvering thrusters near the wingtips, as I felt it made most sense here. I had initially placed them near the tail fin, but I think that would just provide thrust pushing it straight forward. Still trying to figure out where to place the thrusters that control pitch.

[goumba]

I'm slowly working on it, so far all I've gotten to do was add thrusters for rotation and vertical movement.

The goal was to add the ability for space travel without hindering its ability to move within an atmosphere, hence the two different thruster designs. Not that I expect this to happen in EE, but it was a design goal in my other project.

The forward facing thrusters are firing as I was just curious as to how they looked in a render.

[goumba]

Just curious is EE dead? I never see any activity on these forums anymore.

[goumba]

I had left this alone for a few weeks and I've done some reconfiguring, especially that of the intake. I haven't decided yet if I like it on the bottom or top.

Still nowhere near done, unfortunately.

[BillS]

Personally, I prefer the top intake.