After building a 78" Spy in the Sky using a GP Spirit Elite wing and parts from GWS Slow Stick kits and logging over 100 flights as it usually goes I wanted bigger! So here is the new version which has many features of the first one but incorporates some different ideas I have thought about recently.

One thing that is obvious is the vtail. This is a full actuating flying stabilizer that will provide some extra lift at the rear portion of the plane. The wing is 100" tip to tip and has both flaps and ailerons. The entire fuse is aluminum and has a steerable nose wheel.

The camera is a Sony Bloggie which will be linked to two servos that will allow wider panning and up/down views. I will also be adding a FPV set up after flight testing has been completed.

I wanted the ability to fly this one at night so I added lights. I wanted the lights on this one to look more like real aircraft lights with strobes. I found some very lightweight strobes and controller on Ebay that will flash the left and right tip strobes at a high rate for a couple seconds and then flashes the tail and belly strobes when the ones on the wing switch off and vice versa. They look really neat when they are in operation. I will post a video of them soon! The nav lights will run off a separate circuit and can be shut off and turned on from the transmitter while the strobes will flash as long as power is supplied to the escs.

Motors in this one are EMP 3536 1400kv and the escs are 60A. Props are 11x8 and spin opposite directions to eliminate motor torque. I decided to point the motors forward to keep from having to modify the wing flaps like I had to do on the first one. The wing attaches to the fuselage and motor cages at six points(no rubber bands).

This one is a bit heavier than the first one but is built like a tank. I hope it flies like #1 does because this one was built to last!!!

I will post more pics soon as she progresses and then some taxi test and flight video thereafter. Thanks for looking and happy flying~

Here are other pics of the progression.

the build and the pics look great. Love your mods on some of your other planes as well. What kind of battery are you going to use with this bigger plane? What do you expect your flight times to be?

Thanks for the kind words, It will fly on twin 3s 5000 lipos and I am anticipating 20+ minutes of flight.

Here is a couple videos of the strobe and nav lights. About a week or so from being ready to fly~

Spy in the Sky Nav and strobe light test #1 (1 min 18 sec)

Spy in the Sky VII Strobe and Nav Light test #2 (1 min 59 sec)

Next videos should be in the air flying, I hope!!!

Those lights are bad ass. ill have to come up and see that fly. Nice job. That has to be the best Diy lighting system ive seen.

Originally Posted by FpvBob

Those lights are bad ass. ill have to come up and see that fly. Nice job. That has to be the best Diy lighting system ive seen.

Thanks, lots of work but the finished looks made it worth it.

I flew the 91" Fox today in the 20mph winds we had today, very interesting to say the least. Two perfect flights, very fun sailplane and looking forward to many more!!! Hope to get out and fly with you soon Bob...

Crappy weather this weekend kept me indoors. I was able to get the wing finished and work some on the camera mount. Here is another video showing the camera panning.

It is ready for taxi and ground testing, the maiden flight will be coming very soon.

I will be creating a cover that will attach to the top to cover the nose to just past the servos aft of the wing.

Sony Bloggie set up on my Spy in the Sky VII (1 min 28 sec)