Originally Posted by Prof100

No, just one at a time. Some high density EPP foam and hot glue gun and voila, I have a very geeky hat.

Looks great! It should work out quite well.

Originally Posted by elequin

Thanks for the welcome, guys. Here are some quick photos of the Czech version. The wings are held with two screws and a carbon spar. Unfortunately the screws are phillips head, so I need to try to find some hex replacements.

Thanks for the photos elequin, is this how the Czech version comes or are they mods you performed? Is it available as a kit or just ARF and RTF?

I know we have a bunch of very experienced guys on this thread, so I'm going to ask this question here:

This morning I flew my Great Planes Syncro (A close resemblence to a Sky Surfer but with EDF power). This was the second flight for it. I maidened it on Saturday logged 7 minutes, but was rained out for the next two days. This morning the launch was normal, got to altitude and pulled the power back to about 1/3 power. Flew for approximately 7 minutes and then all of a sudden black smoke and complete electrical failure. The plane was balanced pretty well so it glided quite a ways until it hit a tall cotton wood tree. Not much damage except it tore the wing off and broke a servo horn on one of the ailerons. The ESC which was a Hobby King 35amp was toast. This is the first time I've experienced complete and total electrical failure. Boy there isn't any more helpless feeling than watching your plane go where ever it wants too.

My question is this: Can you have too big of an ESC? The Great Planes manual says it will run off a 25amp ESC. I have their recommended motor installed and I used my watt meter to measure 13.3 amps WOT well within the capability of a 35amp unit. Why did it burn up and not at WOT but almost at idle? I'm stumped. This is the third Hobby King ESC to burn up this summer. The first two died during the bench check when I applied power. I thought they were just flukes. (different planes each time and different purchases from Hobby King, however two were the same 35amp.) I'm wondering if its me or bum quality control from the ESC manufacturer? I've never had a Castle or a HeadsUp Rc ESC go bad on me. Some of them are over 6 years old now with tons of flights on them.

Thoughts anyone?

Jack

Sounds like a bad ESC more than anything else, especially if you ran it within specs. Could possibly a BEC overload issue but you would have to be running your servos like mad for it to kill the BEC, which would in turn kill your ESC.

Originally Posted by ozair

Thanks for the photos elequin, is this how the Czech version comes or are they mods you performed? Is it available as a kit or just ARF and RTF?

This is how it came from the hobby store. They had RTF and ARF available, but no kit.

Originally Posted by elequin

This is how it came from the hobby store. They had RTF and ARF available, but no kit.

There appears to be some major differences between this version and the V1 & V2 of the SS. From the photos you supplied I noticed the following:

1/ Different wing mounting method
2/ Underside of wings have streamlined protrusions in front of the servos to assist with airflow
3/ New nacelle for motor mount
4/ Paint instead of decals

There may also be other differences, but all seem to be improvements IMO.
Maybe this is the much talked about V3.

Originally Posted by ozair

There may also be other differences, but all seem to be improvements IMO..

The Czech's build great airplanes!

Originally Posted by ozair

There appears to be some major differences between this version and the V1 & V2 of the SS. From the photos you supplied I noticed the following:

1/ Different wing mounting method
2/ Underside of wings have streamlined protrusions in front of the servos to assist with airflow
3/ New nacelle for motor mount
4/ Paint instead of decals

There may also be other differences, but all seem to be improvements IMO.
Maybe this is the much talked about V3.

It's actually decals, and pretty poorly applied, unfortunately. The decals on top of the wings were put right over the ailerons, and I had to cut them to free the ailerons. But yes, definitely a new wing mounting method, and some okay servo protectors. I think the control rod sleeves are new, too.

I also didn't see any weights in the nose.

Originally Posted by erkq

The Czech's build great airplanes!

Yes thats for sure erkqy, but I wonder if its Czech built or built by J-Power, maybe elequin can answer this for us.

Originally Posted by elequin

It's actually decals, and pretty poorly applied, unfortunately. The decals on top of the wings were put right over the ailerons, and I had to cut them to free the ailerons. But yes, definitely a new wing mounting method, and some okay servo protectors. I think the control rod sleeves are new, too.

I also didn't see any weights in the nose.

Thanks elequin, hard to tell from photos but I thought it was paint, and given you say poorly applied it must be from J-Power, yes?
No the control rod sleeves are standard on V1 and V2

Originally Posted by ozair

There appears to be some major differences between this version and the V1 & V2 of the SS. From the photos you supplied I noticed the following:

1/ Different wing mounting method
2/ Underside of wings have streamlined protrusions in front of the servos to assist with airflow
3/ New nacelle for motor mount
4/ Paint instead of decals

There may also be other differences, but all seem to be improvements IMO.
Maybe this is the much talked about V3.

My thought exactly, & was gonna say "Gents, I think we have seen the real V3", but was reading all other posts first.
I had even thought of re-finding that 'awards' tape & get the name of that guy who Pete said won a V3, seeing if I could find him in one of the RC fora & try contacting him to see what he had to say. No reply yet from BH........so what else is new?

Originally Posted by healthyfatboy

Sounds like a bad ESC more than anything else, especially if you ran it within specs. Could possibly a BEC overload issue but you would have to be running your servos like mad for it to kill the BEC, which would in turn kill your ESC.

+1. Nice analysis.
But, jpgcag- one question-what battery were you using (name, model#, specs)?
AJ

Originally Posted by elequin

Thanks for the welcome, guys. Here are some quick photos of the Czech version. The wings are held with two screws and a carbon spar. Unfortunately the screws are phillips head, so I need to try to find some hex replacements.

Spotted something else I didn't recognize, in that first photo. Looks like something to do with the wing, securing? Also that lead peeking out from rear cockpit bulkhead - like a servo plug, beside the bullet connector. Looks like maybe the servo lead-in system from the wings is remarkably different too? Here's screen cap of the 'stuff' I'm talking about:

Hi folks,
Having looked on here for members mods i've noticed my bixler looks different to some of the others. V1 and V2 maybe
Mine has the control rods for the rudder and elevator routed outside the fus yet i've seen others with it routed inside. What version have i got and what version is considered better ??

Originally Posted by Jam1e

Hi folks,
Having looked on here for members mods i've noticed my bixler looks different to some of the others. V1 and V2 maybe
Mine has the control rods for the rudder and elevator routed outside the fus yet i've seen others with it routed inside. What version have i got and what version is considered better ??

Yours is a V1 which is considered better for FPV uses since there is more room in the inside of the cabin. I am not into FPV (yet) so I prefer the V2 SS for the cleaner look and clear canopy with pilot. It depends on your wants, needs, etc which is better. The Bixler is available in only V1 as far as I know now.