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Science Plane +

This is the slightly modified version of the craft built for scouting missions on Laythe with a couple of things ironed out. The couple point has been moved to the top, the science equipment moved to the outside to help with access, and the ability to toggle between liquid fuel production and oxidiser production has been added to the action groups.

The craft is supplied with the servos locked, all gear up, and aeleron authority set to 0 ready for attachment to a delivery vessel. If you intend to fly it straight from the hangar don't forget to unlock the servos, set aeleron authority to 100 and put down some landing gear. If you wish to use VTOL straight away you'll need to rotate the engine naccelles by right clicking both servos in turn and sliding the sliders to target angle.

300m/s, a reasonable range and refuelling capabilities mean that this craft can get around Laythe to gather science from all over. Having loaded up with pure raw science, the VTOL capabilities mean that it can dock easily with ocean based science facilities, offload all that lovely data, and then take off from the water with no risk of unplanned disassembly. Safe water landing and take off make Valentina a happy bunny. Mind you, so do explosions and mayhem. She's bonkers. We love her.

1. Toggle bay doors
2. Toggle drill extension
3. Toggle surface harvester, ISRU liquid fuel, fuel cell and radiators
4. Toggle between liquid fuel production and oxidiser production. (This key toggles both liquid fuel and oxidiser on the ISRU. It should be used only after production has started with action group 3, or it will just switch both on. And then used again before stopping production with action group 3 to switch back to liquid fuel production.)
5. Toggle landing struts for VTOL on land

The nacelles are rotated using I and K

The docking clamp on the back sits with the bottom just in the water. It can be adjusted slightly by rotating the engine nacelles thereby shifting the bouyancy of the craft. Note that moving in the water using only the RCS in docking mode is VERY slow. Get nice and close under jet power before switching to docking mode.
Care should be taken when landing vertically as the craft has only a little over 1 TWR, meaning that fine adjustments near the top of the thrust are required to bring it down in a controlled way. Other than that, it is very stable and easy to fly. Take off is particularly pleasing, requiring full throttle, and then steadily tilting the nacelles, without the need for any other input.

There is a decoupler located over the main fuselage just in front of the stability wheels to attach the craft for piggyback purposes, as it has only atmospheric capabilities. I use a very big spaceplane for the purpose.

Uses Breaking ground and OPT spaceplane parts.

(edit) Note that since RCS are only needed for docking there is very little need for oxidiser. 200 tops is plenty, and more than that will reduce TWR to levels too low to use the VTOL capabilities. Refuel only what you need.

The spaceplane that I use to get this craft to other celestial bodies can be found here
https://steamhost.cn/steamcommunity_com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1863248570

The science outpost that this plane was designed to work with can be found here
https://steamhost.cn/steamcommunity_com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1863261580