Flasback 1942: A tale of two Kloggs

[dialNforNinja]

I continued straight on from modeling the FW-190 and roughing out a possible Toggel (Zzard command mecha) to the alien mook suit, the Klogg, but found the thing a real fight to figure out all the mechanisms for, and kept switching back and forth between two basic designs as one of the parts cleared up... then I discovered that I had two workable designs, intended for the same unit but related only in that they have two main engines and three omnidirectional vector fins, and use the same super parts.

Which one is better, do you think?

The Klogg Naro is based directly on my original paper sketches, though the torso and shoulder transformation ends up completely different. It'll have to have a narrower head than planned, but not too badly so, (and that doesn't make the origin of the subtype name obvious AT ALL.)

bare - red patches are for texture mapped missile racks


with the space version super parts, that are mostly engine and fuel/remass


the Klogg Jau, based on "a flying saucer would be cool, but I have to keep the cockpit ball in one piece this time."


the Jau with atmosphere type super parts, which include a smaller engine and about the same amount of fuel as the space type, but have more mass due to the wings and swing hardware. Having aerodynamic lift and control surfaces more than makes up for the mass, as long as you are in fact inside an atmosphere, though the mecha can operate fairly well in its base configuration.


The Jau is 2-3 components ahead of the Naro, able to transform the torso and shoulders. The barely-opened flap on the side of the shoulder is to let the arms hang down in its hybrid mode, or lift them up to the sides in full humanoid form.


The super parts also include a part that straps onto the outer surface of each leg vector fin with chaff/flare launchers and another micro-missile rack on the top, each also including a fuel tank, though the top one is small and only meant to feed the vector fin microturbine, since they usually just run off small tanks built into the center part of the fin. The robot toes provide some vectoring for the main engines and there are small reaction thrusters distributed across the unit as well for fine adjustments, but most attitude control is intended to be done with the fins, which can swing 180 degrees forward for reverse thrust and have butterfly paddles in the exhaust ports on their tips to control yaw, pitch, and roll inputs. They also provide atmospheric stabilization like the feathers on a badminton shuttlecock if it's flying in base configuration.

All of which is true for both of them. The main difference, aside from outline, is that the Naro's cockpit section has to tip down at the nose, how far I've not yet determined but hopefully only 15-20 degrees, during transformation, requiring an internal gimbaled pilot seat, while the Jau keeps the cockpit pod level, like all of the variable WW2 planes I've made. That alone is tipping me in favor of the saucer design, but I like the other one too... So I'm asking for opinions to help decide.

Yes, again.

Despite hardly getting any responses the other times. The replies I did get were useful, so I'm running a new one up the flagpole to see if anyone will salute.

Edited September 25, 2013 by dialNforNinja

[Mommar]

The Naro kinda reminds me of a Y-Wing's cockpit.