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Alpine Aircraft Challenge Results

5,199 AntiAirNuri  3.5 years ago

After a long time spent working at a helicopter manufacturing company, I managed to get some time for myself to review these entries, and close this challenge at last. Rewards might be slow to come, but please have patience while I do dish them since I am not exactly having that much time to do anything. This time, I am not going to put pictures of all entries, but instead put gifs of those that are equal or above 70 points.
Let's begin

MFAL E-4B-SA

Flight Characteristics and handling:
5/25
Take-off/Landing distance:
0/20
Ease of storage:
5/10
Appearances and details:
0/20
Gear strength, low stall speed:
0/15
How well does the plane functions in that role:
0/20
Creativity and cool features:
0/30

One of the two worst entries. This plane barely performs the function of a plane, let alone as an alpine craft. Everything is just... Not good. Handling, positioning of the propellers, weaponry... Everything

Total of 10/140

Falken FK-23 C Lucky Eighteen

Flight Characteristics and handling:18/25
Take-off/Landing distance:
18/20
Ease of storage:
6/10
Appearances and details:
8/20
Gear strength, low stall speed:
8/15
How well does the plane functions in that role:
8/20
Creativity and cool features:
20/30

Alt Text
This one is already a huge step-up. One of the best entries, it performs very well once airborne. Take-off is tricky, and so is landing. The propellers are way too close to the ground to be an efficient mountain aircraft, making landings delicate, but otherwise, the plane performs very well. Bonus points for the creative retraction of the gears!

Total of 86/140

BSA-2A Condor

Flight Characteristics and handling:5/25
Take-off/Landing distance:
3/20
Ease of storage:
0/10
Appearances and details:
1/20
Gear strength, low stall speed:
3/15
How well does the plane functions in that role:
4/20
Creativity and cool features:
0/30

Like the first one, this airplane really has nothing to bring it to a higher score. Unlike the first craft though, it sort of functions in its intended role, and does possess some... Okayish landing capabilities. This is because the mass is centered between the tail and front gears, making it stable when pulling the breaks.

Total of 16/140

I-1

Flight Characteristics and handling:
20/25
Take-off/Landing distance:
10/20
Ease of storage:
4/10
Appearances and details:
0/20
Gear strength, low stall speed:
3/15
How well does the plane functions in that role:
8/20
Creativity and cool features:
0/30

This one's not too bad. It handles itself well in flight, has good speed, and even if it has terrible looks, it's a decent plane. Firepower and fuel efficiency are lackluster though, and it doesn't perform at all like a mountain craft.

Total of 45/140

P-47ish

Flight Characteristics and handling:
15/25
Take-off/Landing distance:
18/20
Ease of storage:
0/10
Appearances and details:
0/20
Gear strength, low stall speed:
0/15
How well does the plane functions in that role:
6/20
Creativity and cool features:
0/30

Another case of propellers being too close to the ground. The plane has the same issue as all low-scoring entries. It handles sort of okay, but the appearance, the landing capabilities, and overall performances are not up to standards.

Total of 39/140

F67 Mygga

Flight Characteristics and handling:
4/25
Take-off/Landing distance:
0/20
Ease of storage:
0/10
Appearances and details:
4/20
Gear strength, low stall speed:
0/15
How well does the plane functions in that role:
12/20
Creativity and cool features:
0/30

Good speed, armament is fine, but that's it for this plane. The main issue is that most people here don't have any form of suspension or very ineffective ones. This is a mountain craft challenge , so there is a certain empathy on how well it lands, handles itself at low speeds, landing distances, weight placement, etc.

Total of 20/140

A-37 Heron

Flight Characteristics and handling:
8/25
Take-off/Landing distance:
14/20
Ease of storage:
10/10
Appearances and details:
9/20
Gear strength, low stall speed:
0/15
How well does the plane functions in that role:
15/20
Creativity and cool features:
10/30

Not bad. It's a good step-up actually. Powerful weapons, good handling, and all the good stuff! It has good acceleration, but it has very little going on with gears, stall speed, and other factors such as the ease of storage. Plus, looks need refinement.

Total of 66/140

Yakran I152 A1

Flight Characteristics and handling:
20/25
Take-off/Landing distance:
15/20
Ease of storage:
0/10
Appearances and details:
12/20
Gear strength, low stall speed:
10/15
How well does the plane functions in that role:
14/20
Creativity and cool features:
10/30

Alt Text
Despite using stock wings, I love the looks. It's clean, smooth, and not too clunky. It works, and I prefer it over the fuselage wings that have no custom surfaces, or ugly-looking ones. Other than that, it meets everything. It flies well, it has good weapons, lands nicely, and has some form of suspensions. It clearly has the idea of this challenge in mind and deserves the rightful score it has. The only pity is how much space it takes, and the concept of a heavy fighter, while cool, is not exactly the most original. Awesome entry!

Total of 81/140

Pegasus Alpine Fighter

Flight Characteristics and handling:
20/25
Take-off/Landing distance:
10/20
Ease of storage:
6/10
Appearances and details:
10/20
Gear strength, low stall speed:
2/15
How well does the plane functions in that role:
16/20
Creativity and cool features:
5/30

I prefer the first entry from Snazzu. Follows the issue of the propeller being too close to the ground, having an overall worse performance, appearances, and honestly feels like a downgrade. It's not a bad aircraft, but it's neither excellent

Total of 69/140

Niko Koskinen's T - 50 raider

Flight Characteristics and handling:
20/25
Take-off/Landing distance:
10/20
Ease of storage:
2/10
Appearances and details:
6/20
Gear strength, low stall speed:
2/15
How well does the plane functions in that role:
8/20
Creativity and cool features:
20/30

This one, is quite good for a bronze, actually. It handles well, but the lack of real suspensions is kind of bringing it down. It's not the best thing, but I really like the idea of taking the cockpit away to replace it with cameras. While quite unrealistic for a WW2 aircraft to have cameras, I left the two jet fighters pass despite clearly being too modern for this time. Good job

Total of 68/140

Aero Mk-110 B

Flight Characteristics and handling:
15/25
Take-off/Landing distance:
8/20
Ease of storage:
0/10
Appearances and details:
10/20
Gear strength, low stall speed:
0/15
How well does the plane functions in that role:
4/20
Creativity and cool features:
5/30

Example of wasted potential. Could have been the winning entry, but it lacked everything to do so. The details were clearly rushed in some bits, the bombs blow up when launched, and the turret doesn't even move! Cannons don't work well, and the propellers are almost scraping the ground. Perhaps next time, take more time to perfect your craft.

Total of 42/140

F4U CORSAIR

Flight Characteristics and handling:
20/25
Take-off/Landing distance:
15/20
Ease of storage:
8/10
Appearances and details:
16/20
Gear strength, low stall speed:
10/15
How well does the plane functions in that role:
16/20
Creativity and cool features:
15/30

Alt Text
Aaaah. A naval fighter in a mountain challenge. It's honestly a clever choice, and how the idea was executed came out well. My only complaints are in the custom surfaces, and how the paint job was done. The blue is too intense, and some refining could be done. However, very good aircraft. Excellent work!

Total of 100/140

AMM ARC-01D Firefly

Flight Characteristics and handling:
20/25
Take-off/Landing distance:
6/20
Ease of storage:
8/10
Appearances and details:
14/20
Gear strength, low stall speed:
6/15
How well does the plane functions in that role:
16/20
Creativity and cool features:
15/30

Alt Text
This is proof that Atlas needs to work more on Ww2 airplanes. By barely getting in the top 8, I will say that despite how well it performs in its role, and as an aircraft, the gears and landing distance need reworking. It just takes too long to take off, and it lacks proper suspension. Sure, there are in-built ones in the wheels themselves, but it's not enough. It's a good plane, but it needs a lot more honestly.

Total of 70/140

CI-67 Griseo Crucis

Flight Characteristics and handling:
10/25
Take-off/Landing distance:
8/20
Ease of storage:
0/10
Appearances and details:
8/20
Gear strength, low stall speed:
0/15
How well does the plane functions in that role:
10/20
Creativity and cool features:
10/30
No. Just. No. It follows the same issues of every low-scoring craft, with the addition of these damn fuselage wings lacking control surfaces, and how roundish and ugly the shape of this plane is. I am sorry, but whoever made this really has to see again what the challenge was about. Plus, cannons are not effective AA weapons in this game.

Total of 46/140

AR-635A Alpine Airship

Flight Characteristics and handling:
15/25
Take-off/Landing distance:
20/20
Ease of storage:
6/10
Appearances and details:
8/20
Gear strength, low stall speed:
15/15
How well does the plane functions in that role:
10/20
Creativity and cool features:
30/30

Alt Text
Two words. Hell yeah. LieutenantSot knew very well what the challenge was about because the performances of this blimp are outstanding. No take-off or landing distance, the gears are perfectly fine for what it does, it handles moderately well, and most importantly, it's unique. Sure, it's not very effective to use Airships as aerial bombers, because of how vulnerable it is, but surely makes an appearance. Amazing performance

Total of 104/140

Hippogriff Alpine Interceptor

Flight Characteristics and handling:
20/25
Take-off/Landing distance:
15/20
Ease of storage:
8/10
Appearances and details:
10/20
Gear strength, low stall speed:
5/15
How well does the plane functions in that role:
10/20
Creativity and cool features:
15/30

Alt Text
This is the ideal "Looks okay, does exceptionally". The fighter has a clean look, it performs very well, and the design is unique. Gears perform sufficiently well, and it's nice to see folding wings here. All in all, this is a good fighter, if only Snazzu didn't use goddamn cannons. They are very hard to use against fighters. Projectiles are too small.

Total of 83/140

Taikav T-1 scout

Flight Characteristics and handling:
10/25
Take-off/Landing distance:
5/20
Ease of storage:
8/10
Appearances and details:
12/20
Gear strength, low stall speed:
0/15
How well does the plane functions in that role:
16/20
Creativity and cool features:
10/30

Damn it, Kernels, I trusted you. The plane itself is actually not bad, having some good details and featuring a proper canopy opening, plus some crude internals. It flies... Well, decently, but the performance with landing distance and take-off is comparable to the low-scoring entries. But the worst part for me were the gears. They have suspension, but it's practically inexistent, and whenever I landed, they'd make the plane pitch forward and blow up. The landings need to be so delicate, that even a regular airfield like Bandit is honestly not enough. A discrete plane on its own, but terrible at performing in rough terrains, which defies the purpose of the challenge

Total of 59/140

HA FA3G-IIA Model 35

Flight Characteristics and handling:
25/25
Take-off/Landing distance:
10/20
Ease of storage:
6/10
Appearances and details:
20/20
Gear strength, low stall speed:
15/15
How well does the plane functions in that role:
14/20
Creativity and cool features:
30/30

Alt Text
Now we get to the juice. This, in my personal thoughts, is the best entry in the whole challenge. It has amazing appearances, very well-made details, custom control surfaces, and the best part, very functional suspensions. The plane struggles to take off normally, needing to constantly pitch up, and while it's not the best fighter I've seen, the plane performs realistically, which is why I gave the maximum score for handling. It's not a super high-performance fighter, it's a realistic one, which honestly makes it that much better to fly. Furthermore, landings are amazing, and I just absolutely love this plane. Very well done, congratulations

Total of 120/140

Piper L-4 Grasshopper "Rosie the Rocketer"

Flight Characteristics and handling:
25/25
Take-off/Landing distance:
15/20
Ease of storage:
10/10
Appearances and details:
17/20
Gear strength, low stall speed:
7/15
How well does the plane functions in that role:
15/20
Creativity and cool features:
30/30

Alt Text
Here we have another great entry that really surprised me. If you have watched Yarnhub, you'll see where this is coming from. And this replica to the Grasshopper is honestly very well done. The internals, the structure, decals, everything is built very nicely. My only complaint is the airfoil, having that crude "fuselage wing" appearance, but other than that, this is really good. Landings can be a little rough because the suspension doesn't work properly, and hitting the propeller is very likely, but otherwise, this proves to be a very good entry. Maybe next time, make the springs more functional than aesthetical

Total of 114/140

So here's the podium!

1st place, @Js01 with his Fa3G

2nd place, @nafeij with his Grasshopper

3rd place, @LieutenantSOT with his Airship

(I decided to swap appearances with creativity.)

Best performer goes to @Opaitaon with his F4U/Corsair

Best mountain aircraft goes to @Js01 with his Fa3G

Creativity award goes to @LieutenantSOT for his Airship idea

Thank you everyone for participating

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    I aint a very good builder in the firat place.

    +1 3.5 years ago
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    60.4k PapaKernels

    @AntiAirNuri next challenge I'll blow your mind! ;)

    +2 3.5 years ago
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    @AntiAirNuri thanks!

    3.5 years ago
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    5,199 AntiAirNuri

    @LieutenantSOT Yeah, you did well!

    +1 3.5 years ago
  • Profile image
    5,199 AntiAirNuri

    @JS01 gagaha, I'll give the rewards this weekend

    3.5 years ago
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    5,199 AntiAirNuri

    @PapaWii Hey. You tried, so I see nothing wrong with that!

    +1 3.5 years ago
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    60.4k PapaKernels

    @LieutenantSOT yep! ;)

    +1 3.5 years ago
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    @AntiAirNuri holy crap, I actually won something!?!?
    .
    Thank you so much!!! I had a blast building this Airship, and I'm so happy you enjoyed it.
    @PapaWii and thanks, buddy :)

    +3 3.5 years ago
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    19.6k JS01

    Hot stuff. A really great review. worth the waiting thou I won smh.
    panik

    +3 3.5 years ago
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    60.4k PapaKernels

    O damn, well I was in a rush to finish it as I wanted to move on to other things, and I really hated the look, it wasn't what I was really hoping to create, sorry it wasn't what you were looking for, honestly wasn't what I was looking for either. In my opinion I took a step back in quality, and was not up to my current standards, I thought to redesign it a few times but I was just so far into the project that it would be a lot of time wasted on that, probably should have in hind sight. Congrats @lieutenantSOT, glad at least a friend got on the top! ;)

    +4 3.5 years ago
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    5,199 AntiAirNuri

    @TrojanAircraftSystems
    @PlaneBuilder262
    @Whatseatoya
    @BigDoot
    @MooseMan8223

    3.5 years ago
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    5,199 AntiAirNuri

    @Betovenoob21
    @Simplememes
    @Jabuticaba23
    @Ductwind589

    3.5 years ago
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    5,199 AntiAirNuri

    @Snazzu
    @AtlasMilitaryIndustries
    @PapaWii
    @HauneBull

    3.5 years ago
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    5,199 AntiAirNuri

    @Js01
    @LieutenantSOT
    @OPaiTaOn
    @nafeij

    +1 3.5 years ago