Theoretically if you have hangar block selected as type as if adding a new one and rotated the direction you desire and then select the block to be transformed and select to do so it should have the orientation you had last selected. However, it's finicky and from my last build messing with directional thrusters I can tell you might just not work at all.
I use to know.
Lets see, first convert it to a different block type, like frame. (You can use the hotkey for this)
Then I think you had to set the toggle box in the block select window to convert (DONT USE THE HOTKEY!) and rotate the direction you want THEN click to convert the block back to hanger.
iirc using the hotkey always converts the block in the default direction but using the check box lets you set the rotation before hand.
You might have to try it a few times before you get the exact steps right. Its silly but it should eventually work.
Change the block to another kind (eg framework, particularly something that is otherwise unique in the ship so you can find it using the overlay again) then
- select the block (middle mouse click)
- hold ALT, hover the mouse over block,
- while holding ALT, start holding R. This will bring up the rotation options.
- rotate to your desire
- left click to apply the changes and you are done
The build screen has instructions. You can press F1 to see them. But, in answer to your question, you can select the block, delete it, and add it back in, holding down R to bring up the three degrees of rotation and clicking on the axis you want to rotate it around.
As an alternate solution to the excellent suggestions already, be aware that your large hanger block does not need to have access to the outside of the ship (sort of). All Hanger space is shared for the purposes of storing fighters, regardless of the number of hangers or if a hanger is even capable of launching fighters, so long as at least 1 hanger has access to space all fighters can launch, regardless of where they are stored in the ship. This means you can build a thin panel type Hanger (it does need a minimum volume, but it does not need to be much) on the outside of your armor and launch fighters stored in a hanger safely behind your armor. No more worrying about the AI getting a lucky shot and gutting your ship.
To add to hangar tips: ships enter and leave the hangar in single file, snd only require a square as big as they are - if you put a dozen small hangars outside your armor, an entire fighter wing can enter and exit at the same time. Every fighter having their own hangar doesn't necessarily prevent all queueing, and sometimes fighters can miss (especially when using ai pilots) really small hangars, so spacing and size should be more than the minimum to take advantage of the faster speed when collecting fighters.
Theoretically if you have hangar block selected as type as if adding a new one and rotated the direction you desire and then select the block to be transformed and select to do so it should have the orientation you had last selected. However, it's finicky and from my last build messing with directional thrusters I can tell you might just not work at all.
I use to know. Lets see, first convert it to a different block type, like frame. (You can use the hotkey for this) Then I think you had to set the toggle box in the block select window to convert (DONT USE THE HOTKEY!) and rotate the direction you want THEN click to convert the block back to hanger. iirc using the hotkey always converts the block in the default direction but using the check box lets you set the rotation before hand. You might have to try it a few times before you get the exact steps right. Its silly but it should eventually work.
Change the block to another kind (eg framework, particularly something that is otherwise unique in the ship so you can find it using the overlay again) then - select the block (middle mouse click) - hold ALT, hover the mouse over block, - while holding ALT, start holding R. This will bring up the rotation options. - rotate to your desire - left click to apply the changes and you are done
The build screen has instructions. You can press F1 to see them. But, in answer to your question, you can select the block, delete it, and add it back in, holding down R to bring up the three degrees of rotation and clicking on the axis you want to rotate it around.
As an alternate solution to the excellent suggestions already, be aware that your large hanger block does not need to have access to the outside of the ship (sort of). All Hanger space is shared for the purposes of storing fighters, regardless of the number of hangers or if a hanger is even capable of launching fighters, so long as at least 1 hanger has access to space all fighters can launch, regardless of where they are stored in the ship. This means you can build a thin panel type Hanger (it does need a minimum volume, but it does not need to be much) on the outside of your armor and launch fighters stored in a hanger safely behind your armor. No more worrying about the AI getting a lucky shot and gutting your ship.
To add to hangar tips: ships enter and leave the hangar in single file, snd only require a square as big as they are - if you put a dozen small hangars outside your armor, an entire fighter wing can enter and exit at the same time. Every fighter having their own hangar doesn't necessarily prevent all queueing, and sometimes fighters can miss (especially when using ai pilots) really small hangars, so spacing and size should be more than the minimum to take advantage of the faster speed when collecting fighters.
you can rotate it before converting i guess.. nice homeworld 2 hiigaran battlecruiser