Airsoft Gunship - The Kraken

by FliteTest | October 14, 2013 | (34) Posted in Projects

The Kraken is a giant wing scratch built swapple project that we created for our Kickin' it with Kenny TV appearance.  We had so much fun with the foam board flying wing that we took it to NEAT Fair 2013.
We equipped The Kraken with a semi-auto airsoft gun for an air to air combat challenge.
The Kraken is a 180% enlarged FT Versa wing featuring two motors which gives the airplane differential thrust.Flying FPV Josh and Josh plan to shoot down David who is flying his wing equipped with a marker.This is the FPV view that Josh has for aiming and shooting the gun.David's FPV viewpoint, his goal is to try and mark on Josh's giant wing. Please don't try this at home!  We do stuff like this, so you don't have to :) We'd like to also thank ChickenSushimi.com for the cool FPV shirts! 

You can learn more about the great FPV and R/C related swag they have available HERE

Thanks again for all of your support!

Join in on the discussion in the forum HERE

 

 

 

COMMENTS

ADHDWald on October 15, 2013
Thanks for doing this kind of stuff again guys! I really started missing the "old" FliteTest" fun. This kind of episodes is what got me hooked to the show in the first place!

A tip to the hat to you, kind sirs!
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Hell2Go on October 16, 2013
the biggest danger of an airsoft on an airplane is when the velcro releases and the gun falls 40 feet and hits the pilot!
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Hell2Go on October 16, 2013
oh yea, that reminds me, when you velcro or mounting foam tape your wifes video camera too your plane to take those really cool videos... tape the battery cover in place cause when you attach the camera to the plane by the (not realizedat the time) battery cover and fly inverted, the camera slides off the battery cover and falls a 100 feet at 32 ft per sec per sec resulting in a broken camera and an angry wife!!
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gtfan1 on October 20, 2013
what engine/prop combo would you recommend for this setup?
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criznach on October 17, 2013
Congrats, you made hackaday.com!
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iangates on October 17, 2013
I just saw that myself. Flite Test just got a huge boost :)
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cholfeltz on October 15, 2013
HAHAHAHA! "It's like shooting swedish fish in a barrel" - Josh Scott haha! YES!
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lazyb4 on October 20, 2013
How soon can we expect a build video for the Kraken? Also I would like to know the proper size motor and prop for a single pusher Kraken.
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91shadowrider on November 4, 2013
Still impatiently waiting for the build video....... Come on people ! Today already! Today! We don't need gliders or a FT Trainer Until the Kracken is released. Today! Keep up the great work guys.
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jrbemis on October 15, 2013
Awesome, as always! I am clearing the table off...
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Seamus on October 15, 2013
makes me wanna dismantle my airsoft ak-47
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Nodd on October 15, 2013
THIS IS A REALLY BAD IDEA!
You're encouraging guns on RC airplanes? You don't see a problem with this?
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GFergy on October 17, 2013
Toy guns are not guns at all, they are toys. The airsoft projectile did not even have enough volocity to dent Dollar Tree foam board. No one could be harmed from this.
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onemoreflite (John Michaels) on October 16, 2013
Guns on RC airplanes don't kill people... People kill people.
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aurc on March 4, 2014
Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahah!!!!!!!!
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RoyBro on October 15, 2013
Boys will be boys. We've had discussions like this in the forums. At least they do it in a controlled environment, and stress safety. This was probably safer than the boys shooting airsoft at each other down at the school yard.
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lracnolip on October 17, 2013
Another great show, thats the same gun ( $19.99 ) I bought for my quad, but I striped off all the plastic and used a servo to touch the contacts and fire.
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tomy2gunn on October 28, 2013
When can we EXPECT a BUILD video????...My kitchen table is empty and needs a large mess on it right before thanks giving...tomy2gunn
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moofidelity on October 15, 2013
I'm sure David knows if he would use his brai

Actually, the muzzle velocity in relation to to the target aircraft will be the same shooting backwards as forwards as long they travel at the same speed. However, shooting forwards the projectile will experience a lot more drag because of the airspeed, and since their density is so low that would probably make a significant decrease in kinetic energy. Ok now I have to go do some calculations..

Using a muzzle velocity of 120m/s (about 400 fps) and a Ballistoc Coefficient of 0.005, both probably optimistic. With a 0.26 gram bb (lowest value Chairgun would accept) this is what I get. 1 joule is about 0.7 ft/lbs.)

The kinetic energy @ muzzle: 1.9J

With no wind (stationary in the air) @10m:
1.1Joule

With 24km/h (15mph) wind (airspeed) shooting forwards/backwards @10m:
1.0 / 1.15 Joule

With 48km/h (30mph) wind (airspeed) shooting forwards/backwards @10m
0.95 / 1.2 Joule

With 72km/h (45mph) wind (airspeed) shooting forwards/backwards @10m
0.9 / 1.3 Joule

Ok, you get the picture. So the faster you go the bigger the difference, that's a no brainer. The power used for the calculation is probably more like soft air sniper rifle rather than the handgun you would be most likely to use. The Ballistics Coefficient is probably also too high. Finally, 10m is probably stretching is as far as accuracy goes.

I'm sure you could modify these to give some more power an mount them neatly inside the wings. Now that's what I want to see! With the low mass and BC of airsoft BBs they will become harmless very quickly so as long as keep your altitude it should be fine to give them a little extra power.

Note that I don't really know anything about airsoft guns, I shot REAL AIRGUNS! Field Target mostly and some Benchrest. I love my Weihrauchs!
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rcspaceflight on October 15, 2013
I was going to say that I don't think shooting backwards was the problem. Both planes are going about the same speed. Even if you just released the bullets instead of shooting them it would hit David's plane, just without any force.

I think the real problem was that Scott was trying to hit such a small target. He was trying to hit the leading edge of the wing for the majority of the time. Plus with the air going over the wings, it kind of pushes the small piece of plastic that is the bullet up and out of the way. The two hits looked like direct hits that just skimmed the wing due to turbulence.

Having two planes actually dogfighting with front facing guns would be a lot better. You can dive at the other plane and shoot. Giving you a much bigger surface area/target to hit. The Kraken can be a mighty big target when you're looking at it in the right orientation.

Oh, and I might try this, but with water guns instead of air soft guns. No clean up that way and with some added food coloring, it will be clearly visible if I hit. I just might end up with a lot of marks that look like hits, but are just over spray.
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aurc on March 4, 2014
Paintball!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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aurc on March 4, 2014
I fly RC to get AWAY from math class
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helidog12 on October 17, 2013
ok I like the larger size wing. When would the plans be ready? I want to make it EDF powered....
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Crashpilot1000 on October 19, 2013
No FPV Crosshair, No tilt, just pan? Well a flamethrower with a deodorant/bug spray and a lighter would have been effective to keep a foamie away on close range.... than use "Shot down in flames" (ACDC) as filmmusic....
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gr1999 on October 15, 2013
Wow. I am really impressed by this... makes me wanna do sumthing like this, but with a nerf gun...
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Battershell on October 18, 2013
David. I'm not sure if anyone else has said this yet so her goes..... Your comment on the loss of trajectory from the air soft firing backwards and canceling the bullets velocity . Not entirely correct, because as your plane was heading towards the bullet, therefore your own airspeed would act like it was increasing the velocity again of the bullet. Like a car hitting a still bug on a highway with its windshield! That's a crude description but accurate.
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wingspan100 on October 15, 2013
Speed build kit for the Kraken?
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santiago404 on October 15, 2013
Fun!
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JasonEricAnderson on October 15, 2013
LOL "Give'em the face."
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mbradford278 on November 24, 2013
We want a Kraken build video...and a speed build kit! Josh said it would cost $80 or $90. I'd pay that for the kit. At least put out plans and a video!
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jjm390 on December 29, 2013
Is the Kraken build video and plans going to up soon? I am really looking foward to the build...
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kleo on January 5, 2014
Were did you found the airsoft ?
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petedotnl on December 21, 2013
YESSss... we need plans. and t-shirts with THE FACE (so i can scare my mother-in-law) great job guys. thanks
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Kevinjt4 on January 9, 2014
Yes like everyone else here - PLANS!!!!
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scratchbuilder101 on December 11, 2013
I'd pay 20.00 just for a set of plans!!!! PLANS PLANS PLANS PLANS!!! Great job guys....
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Timebom on February 3, 2014
Plans Please
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Woodland Airsoft on May 11, 2017
Can you please make an how to build video for this?!?!? Its so amazing and I want to make it SO BADLY ITS RIDICULOUS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Airsoft Gunship - The Kraken