back to article LOHAN and the amazing technicolor spaceplane

Cue the traditional portentous drumroll and fanfare of trumpets as we reveal today the finished livery of our Vulture 2 spaceplane – a provocative combination of paint job and vinyl wrap which is, frankly, the mutt's nuts. Fans of our Low Orbit Helium Assisted Navigator (LOHAN) project will recall we asked readers back in …

COMMENTS

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  1. Uffish
    Pint

    Splendid

    Congratulations and beers (and one milkshake for A) to all the designers and workers. And more beers if the wonderfully pointy nose of the plane manages to impale anything on its descent and landing.

  2. Elmer Phud

    A.N.D.

    "So good, in fact, that we rushed mob-handed down the pub "

    The Crick and Watson method - tested and approved.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: A.N.D.

      We tried repeated visits to that pub when I was a student, but never worked out the structure of anything interesting. The effects must get weaker with time.

      1. Fink-Nottle

        Re: A.N.D.

        When I was a student, a quick drink at lunchtime invariably led to a downwards spiral ...

  3. Vulch

    And Ariadne gets to keep the banner after the flight?

    1. Lester Haines (Written by Reg staff) Gold badge

      There's actually more stuff for Ariadne. All will be revealed in due course...

      1. ukgnome

        You see, that's what I like about El Reg - it may be an embittered meany at times, but Lester's comment shows that underneath the vultures feathers beats a heart of fluffy loveliness.

  4. Martin Gregorie

    Finish weight?

    Assuming that you weighed the aircraft before and after covering, how much did it weigh plain and fully covered?

    Enquiring minds need to know!

    1. Euripides Pants
      WTF?

      Re: Finish weight?

      Who cares what it weighs in Finland!

      1. Martin Budden Silver badge

        Re: Finish weight?

        Obviously it's European, not African.

  5. JimW

    Perfect

    Looks really good. Congrats to all...

    1. Peter Simpson 1
      Thumb Up

      Re: Perfect

      Absolutely!

      And all parties involved appear to have been thoroughly enjoying themselves throughout the entire process!

  6. Pypes
    Pint

    Said pints.

    To be delivered in person to our registered address please.

    But seriously, the whole thing was a great laugh and Lester is the nicest bloke you could care to meet (in the pub)

  7. MrT

    "Proper job!"...

    ... and you can't go wrong with one of the team smoking a pipe, brilliant designs and a job done in a serious hobbyists dream workshop like that.

  8. Mark 85
    Pint

    Looks great

    Just the livery alone should guarantee success. Very well done. Have several for this effort.

  9. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    However...

    Isn't "les noix du chien" the hazelnuts of the dog?

    I think you mean "les couilles du chien" in literal translation.

    Nice plane, by the way.

    1. Peter Simpson 1
      Holmes

      Re: However...

      These little details are important!

      Bravo!

      1. Uffish
        Headmaster

        Re: little details

        Nuts = testicules boules, burnes, coucougnettes, couilles, roubignoles, valseuses, yecous, yocs,balloches, claouis, glaouis.

        BUT

        noix = walnut. A hazlenut is "une noisette".

        I am ashamed of myself, I truly am, but details, details, ah the lovely details.

        And the plane IS the mutts nuts.

  10. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Pedant alert: on the lower side all the white diagonal stripes are the same width which is clearly incorrect for a union jack

    1. VeganVegan
      Pint

      Artistic license

      Most of the Union Jack is missing, as well.

      It's the thought that counts.

      Beers to all for a splendid outfit for LOHAN.

    2. Fizzle
      Flame

      Union flag

      Aaarrrgghhhh!

      It's a Union flag!

      how many times more...??

      Let's hope some enterprising airline pays meeellions for the wonderful livery.

      1. HippyFreetard
        Pirate

        Re: Union flag

        Union Jack and Union Flag are both correct (at sea and on land), and have been interchangeable throughout the history of the flag.

        I think the alternate side of the plane should be our new flag. It's a lot nicer and has a cheerful sunshine on it...

    3. Tweetiepooh

      If "the scotish vote" goes YES

      Then surely the flag will need to change too.

  11. Will Godfrey Silver badge

    Jolly good show, what!

  12. Tom 7

    Cant resist urge

    to take it outside and fill it full of bangers and then shoot it up with the air-rifle!

  13. ecofeco Silver badge
    Pint

    Cheers!

    Looks great!

  14. Stevie

    Bah!

    Two points:

    a) With all those layers of spray paint it's a good job none of you lot worked for NASA during the days it had a proper spacecraft.

    2) The upper surfaces are brilliant, the work of a graphic design genius. Why this imaginative livery was not implemented for the underside instead of that hideous god-knows-what-inspired stripes 'n' triangles scheme is beyond me.

    Ariadne should be allowed to design the Playmonaut's space suit too.

    OK, three points.

    1. PC Paul

      Re: Bah!

      Well at least with all that heavy paint and vinyl it won't flutter down like the first one did...

      I wonder what it's glide ratio will be once the rocket cuts out and it gets back to a thicker atmosphere?

  15. phuzz Silver badge
    IT Angle

    No mention of the Roland SP540 printer used to print onto the vinyl??

    (I don't work for them any more so I feel I can give them a plug)

  16. Rick Brasche

    hopefully not like it's namesake

    sure it's real pretty, but will it crash and burn? is there enough tail authority with the vertical stabs to handle any sort of off center thrust, wind shear, or to correct spin on launch, especially at altitude? If this goes into a flat spin any time after thrust cutoff, can it recover?

    Or will it fall mostly flat like PARIS with the glide slope of a whale and a pot of petunias?

    The art of flying means actually going forward farther than going down. it's really the landing where you throw yourself at the ground and try to miss most of the impact.

    1. Lester Haines (Written by Reg staff) Gold badge

      Re: hopefully not like it's namesake

      To answer your questions: yes, no, yes, yes and no, but not necessarily in that order.

  17. Stelios Zacharias
    Thumb Up

    Looking good

    Ariadne herself hasn't seen this yet, but her daddy is loving it.

    1. Lester Haines (Written by Reg staff) Gold badge

      Re: Looking good

      Excellent.

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