Zero Point Inline Fairings

NOTE: These fairings don't properly shield their contents in the stock aerodynamics. Should only be used with FAR/NEAR.

Supports TweakScale and AVC. Appears to be friendly to FAR/NEAR so far.

VERY IMPORTANT NOTE:

0.7 and later versions ARE NOT COMPATIBLE with 0.6 and earlier! If you are upgrading from 0.6 or earlier, be sure to delete the mod's folder from GameData before installing the new version. Savegames with active ships using the fairings will not be compatible across this transition (you could do a lot of hand-editing if you wish, as the same sizes still exist). Upgrading should be safe if no ships are currently using the fairings.

IMPORTANT NOTE:

This is an EARLY BETA -- That means there's a good chance that the parts will change significantly, and may break your save-games. We're looking for feedback, and have released version 0.1 of this pack after working on it for less than 2 days.

Information:

This parts pack is intended to supply an alternate means of using payload fairings in KSP. It's meant to be somewhat stock-alike, and also provide the capability of having inline payloads, with a second vehicle ahead of the fairing section. As a real world example, the Apollo Saturn V had the lander inside a fairing, with the command/service module exposed and ahead of it in the stack.

These fairings use the stock game's fairing jettison module, functioning like the LV-N engine's ejectable fairings.

All of the models and textures were made 100% from scratch, using Blender, Photoshop, and Unity.

Advantages and Features:

All fairings support INLINE use, meaning that you can continue the rocket stack above them (such as an exposed command section, or another fairing + payload).
Contains only three texture files (base, panels, and cone) shared by all models, so memory usage is light.
Contains no mod code, instead relying entirely on the stock engine-fairing modules. This means the mod is unlikely to break when new KSP versions are released, or introduce any new bugs.
Ejected panels are non-persistent debris (meaning they are deleted when you move out of physics range or use timewarp).
Low additional part-count for your ships. Fairings are created by placing a single part (the base), and possibly a second (nose cone).
Stock-alike appearance.
Cooperates with other mods, including TweakScale, FAR/NEAR, and AVC.

Disadvantages: (to be fair)

Adds a large number of parts to the Aerodynamics tab
Not as "pretty" as KW Rocketry
Not as "easy" as Procedural Fairings.
Fairings are restricted to the included sizes (unless you use TweakScale)

Known Issues:

Placing an engine as the first part above the fairings (at the "floating node", not the base) will result in a "ghost shroud", when the fairing panels are decoupled. This is just how the stock decoupler/jettison modules work in KSP. Don't worry, those shrouds are non-colliding. If you're using an engine that leaves behind a shroud and this bothers you, the recommended work-around is to place a stack decoupler/separator at the top of the fairing, instead of the engine directly.

Usage instructions:

1. Build your internal payload first.

2. Don't forget a decoupler on the bottom of the payload!

3. Attach one of the fairing bases beneath the decoupler. (Be careful to choose one that is both wide and tall enough)

4. Build your second vehicle above the fairing, or cap it off with a nose-cone. (Do so by placing your parts on the "floating" attachment node above)

5. If you are stacking an engine right above the fairing (at the "floating node", not the base), you might consider placing a stack-separator here first, to hold the engine-shroud upon decoupling. Otherwise you will get a "ghost shroud" that hovers in place (due to how the shroud jettison works in stock KSP).

6. Your fairing panels will appear automatically upon stacking a part on the floating node.

7. Build the rest of your lifter stages as normal.

The fairings will act as a decoupler for the top of the rocket stack, and will separate at the "floating node" where you continued the stack above (or capped it with a nose cone).

Installation:

Simply copy the "0PinlineFairings" folder into your GameData folder. If upgrading from a previous version, be sure to delete the old one from GameData first (this is the cleanest option).

NOTE: ALWAYS backup your save-games when changing mods! If any parts fail to load (including the stock parts, which can fail to load due to a typo in a mod config), entire ships can be deleted out of your game.

Image Gallery:

(Note that the stats, appearances, and descriptions of the parts shown below are subject to change, or may be out of date)

Gallery: http://imgur.com/a/s5K4K#0

More pictures and info: Forum Thread

Zero-Point Inline Fairings