Hobbico adds Revell Germany

Transcription

Dealers reveal their most successful retail display ideas Pages 26, 34 & 42
APRIL 2012
THE HOBBY INDUSTRY’S #1 NEWS SOURCE
Hobbico adds Revell Germany
After merging the U.S. Revell brand in '07,
it adds the Euro company to its operation
Hobbico Inc. announced in February it has
acquired Revell Germany.
Revell Germany was spun off as a separate company in 2006, and Hobbico has owned the U.S.
Revell operation since 2007.
“We are pleased to reunite the Revell brand
under one ownership,” Hobbico President Wayne
Hemming said. “Now Revell can proceed with a
worldwide strategy for growth of the core plasticmodel business.
“We also view this as an excellent foundation to
expand the distribution of our other brands and
products into the European market.”
After starting the original U.S. company in 1945,
Mobile
Marketing
Revell founder Lou Glaser established the German
operation in 1956. Since then, Revell Germany has
been a popular brand in Europe for plastic model
kits, paints, tools and accessories. For the last four
years, the company has also been a player in the
European radio-controlled vehicle market.
“Hobbico’s acquisition of Revell Germany creates
an enormous opportunity for our company and
(continued on page 5)
Radio
Command
Control
Members Only
One store has taken a novel
approach to limiting theft, and in the
process struck marketing gold, says
one retail expert. (see page 20)
Stop fighting the Internet and smartphones
and make them allies
instead. (see page 18)
INSIDE
FIRST LOOK
Bachmann B&O EM-1 . . . . . . . . . . 14
Once only the
domain of largescale model train
operators, the batteries and radio gear
are now moving into HO scale. Several
companies are either selling or working
on systems. Find out what it's going
to mean for your customers as well as
your store. (see page 16)
PRODUCT LAB
Blade SR Huey UH-1 Gunship . . . 21
RADIO CONTROL
Traxxas 1:16 Grave Digger . . . . . . 24
MODEL RAILROADING
Athearn GP38-2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
MODELS
Airfix 1:72 Grumman Duck . . . . . 38
DIE-CAST
First Gear 1:25 Barracuda . . . . . . . 40
Slot Cars
Vol. 38 • Issue 4
www.ModelRetailer.com
NSR Porsche 917K Set . . . . . . . . . . 46
Volume 38,
Number 4
EDITORIAL OFFICE
21027 Crossroads Circle, Box 1612
Waukesha, WI 53187-1612
Phone: (262) 796-8776 Fax: (262) 796-1383
Web site: www.ModelRetailer.com
E-mail: staff@modelretailer.com
EDITORIAL AND ART
F E AT U R E S
PRODUCTS
16
14
hobby tech –
Radio command control
The garden guys have been doing it for
years. Now it’s coming to HO scale.
18
Business Basics –
Make the internet an Ally
How to stop fighting against the Web and
smartphones and instead use them to your
advantage through mobile marketing.
DEPARTMENTS
5
INDUSTRY NEWS
Hobbico acquires Revell
Germany; Con-Cor turns 50; Boca Bearings
holds Innovation Contest.
20
Better Retailing
‘Membership’ gets marketing
gold.
W H A T ’ S S E L L I NG
What has been your most effective retail
display idea?
26
34
42
radio control
model railroading
MOdels/
DIE-CAST
FIRST LOOK
Our first impression of five new
products:
Editor Hal Miller
Assistant Editor Nick Bullock
Editorial Assistant Jenny Maaske
Art Director Tom Danneman
Senior Graphic Designer Scott Krall
• Bachmann HO scale B&O EM-1
2-8-8-4 locomotive with tender
Photographers William Zuback,
Jim Forbes
Publisher Terry Thompson
• Piko G scale curved turnouts
ADVERTISING
• Polar Lights 1:8 The Beatles Yellow
Submarine Ringo Starr figure
Ad Sales Representative Paul Steinhafel (x537)
• AMT Slot Stars 1957 Bel Air slot racing kit
Production Coordinator Sue Hollinger-Yustus
• Blade mQX RTF Quadcopter
21
PRODUCT LAB
We review two new products:
• Blade SR UH-1 Huey Gunship RTF
• Autoart 1:32 Porsche 911 (997) GT3
RS slot car
24
30
38
40
46
radio control
model railroading
MOdels
die-cast
slot cars
Ad Sales Manager Rick Albers (x652)
Ad Services Representative Tracy Beardsley
K ALMBACH PUBLISHING CO.
President Gerald B. Boettcher
Executive Vice-President Charles R. Croft
V. P. Editorial Kevin P. Keefe
V. P. Advertising Scott Stollberg
V. P. Marketing Daniel R. Lance
Ad Director Scott Bong
Corporate Art Director Maureen M. Schimmel
Managing Art Director Michael Soliday
Circulation Manager Linda S. Franzblau
Production Supervisor Helene Tsigistras
TO ADVERTISE
Toll-free: (888) 558-1544 x652, x537
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© 2012 by Model Retailer, division of Kalmbach Publishing Co. All rights reserved. Title and tagline registered
as trademarks.
Printed in the U.S.A.
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4
MODEL RETAILER APRIL 2012
INDUSTRY
NEWS
BY THE MODEL RETAILER STAFF
iHobby Expo taking reservations
It’s not too early to start making plans to
attend this year’s iHobby Expo, scheduled
for Oct. 11–14 at the I-X Center in Cleveland.
“The HMA Show Committee has already
lined up an exciting array of hobby competitions, displays, attractions, and educational events that will draw dealers and
consumers from around the country,” HMA
President Fred Hill said in a press release.
Manufacturers interested in exhibiting at
the show will notice booth rates are lower
than last year. For HMA members, Inline
Standard booths are $10 per square foot,
Premium booths are $11 per square foot
and New/Entrepreneur booths (available
to first-time exhibitors or those who have
not exhibited at iHobby for three years)
cost $6 per square foot. Exhibitors who
have already reserved space at the 2011
early bird rates will see a reduction in their
booth balances to reflect the new lowered
rates, according to HMA Executive Director
Pat Koziol.
Retailers selling at the show will be
given one free 10’x10’ booth, and additional booths will be $2 per square foot.
Attendees can also now make lodging
arrangements. The expo has contracted
with five Cleveland-area hotels for discounted room rates: $119 per night at the
Hobbico adds Euro Revell
Cleveland Airport Marriott (the 2012 iHobby headquarters), $109 per night at the
Sheraton Cleveland Airport, $99 per night
at the Holiday Inn Cleveland Airport, $89
per night at the Crowne Plaza Cleveland
Airport and $75 per night at the Comfort
Inn Cleveland Airport.
The official iHobby Expo Shuttle will only
provide service to the Marriott, Sheraton
and Holiday Inn.
For more information, visit www.ihobbyexpo.com or call the HMA office at 973283-9088.
EDITOR’S NOTE
by HAL MILLER
(from cover)
our employees,” Revell Germany President Hans RemKeeping it short
fert said. “With the support of Hobbico as a strong
Let's get right down to business this
parent company, we have a great opportunity to
month. Smartphones are everywhere,
expand our entry into the R/C hobby segment of the
and your customers are using them in
European market.” The overseas move is the second
your store. Some are texting, others
big one in 2012 for Hobbico. In January, it acquired
are looking up prices of products on
VP POWERMASTER
R/C car brands Axial, ARRMA and Team Durango locatthe Internet.
MOD • 03/01/2012 • 4C • 1/3 H
ed in the United Kingdom.
This month's article on mobile marketing will be followed next month
by one dealing with the practice of
"showrooming." Use the tech to your
advantage.
5
INDUSTRY NEWS
NRHSA Table Top
Expo coming up
The annual National Retail Hobby Stores
Association Table Top Expo will be April
29–May 2 at the Orleans Hotel, Las Vegas,
Nev.
In addition to the Table Top Expo itself,
there will be numerous dealer education
seminars. Retail expert and speaker Bob
Negen will run his Whiz
Bang Dealer Boot Camp
from 9 a.m.–4 p.m. Sunday, April 29. He promises the “tools, tactics and
techniques to turbo”
and is offering a “betterthan-money-back guarantee” that attendees
Bob Negen
will feel “totally confident” they’ll be able to increase their sales
by $25,000 in the next year.
Business motivational speaker Jim
Mathis will deliver the event’s keynote
address on Monday and host a seminar.
Other educational opportunities include
meetings on running a successful R/C service department, and estate planning and
asset protection. Lionel, MRC and Traxxas
are scheduled to give manufacturer seminars. The NRHSA membership meeting/
Dealer-to-Dealer Seminar will be Monday
afternoon.
The show will open Tuesday afternoon
and run through Wednesday.
Attendees will have chances to see R/C
products in action with indoor and outdoor flying demonstrations and a driving
session.
Of course, a trip to Vegas is never all
work. Entertainment events include a golf
outing on Sunday, a bowling “tournament”
on Monday and the “Party by the Pool”
Tuesday night.
For more information and a complete
event schedule, visit www.nrhsa.org or call
630-510-4596.
50th anniversary in March 2012.
Founder Jim Conway said it all started
from his interest in model trains. He
received a Marx train set for Christmas in
1950 and began building his first layout
in 1956. By hanging out in hobby shops,
Conway became aware of a popular line of
train kits called Main-Line Models, which
stores never could get in stock. He saw this
as an opportunity to “build a better mouse
trap” and fill that void in the market.
The company began as a part-time
venture with his father and uncle in 1962.
Based in Chicago, Con-Cor’s first kit was a
wood and metal HO craftsman model of
the General American Airslide hopper. The
kit was re-released in a ready-to-assemble
plastic version in 1992. The Illinois warehouse and plant closed in 1999 and moved
to its current location in Tucson, Ariz.
The National Model Railroad Association recognized Conway as an Industry
Pioneer in 2008, and he was inducted into
the Model Railroad Industry Hall of Fame
in 2010.
Today the company offers an extensive
line for N-scale model railroaders and continues to expand its HO line.
As with any business, running a family company can be rewarding and, at
times, frustrating. “The biggest challenge
we face is the government and the rules
and regulations that, in many cases, make
no sense at all,” Conway said. “One of our
bigger issues was changing from solvent-
based paints to water-based paints about
10 years ago (before many other industries
had to change over). It’s virtually impossible to duplicate the paint colors the
railroads used from 1910–1950 with waterbased pigments and paint.”
Con-Cor has never had a staff of more
than 30 employees. Almost half of the
current employees have been with the
company for more than 10 years —
some more than 20 years — and all are
considered to be part of the company’s
extended family. Hard economic times
have made it challenging to retain these
employees, and Conway said it’s an
aspect of small businesses that politicians
don’t seem to grasp.
“Most politicians think every small
business owner is just out to screw the
employees,” he said. “I don’t know where
this attitude comes from, but it exists. Our
company management has been working
long hours to keep product flow moving
to keep these long-term employees working so they can support their families.”
Over the years, some of Con-Cor’s bestselling products have been the N-scale
PA-1 and J-3 4-6-4 Hudson steam engine.
Conway's favorite N-scale product is the
PA-1, which is an icon in the industry and
the first N-scale diesel he helped design.
His favorite HO-scale item is the North
Shore ElectroLiner.
For special anniversary sales, visit www.
con-cor.com. — Jenny Maaske
Con-Cor celebrates
50th anniversary
Model railroad manufacturer Con-Cor
Trains International Ltd. will celebrate its
6
The Con-Cor Trains staff gathers at the company's facility in Tucson, Ariz.
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8
Boca Bearings marks
25th with contest
Boca Bearings Company is ready to reward
technological trendsetters, and radio control enthusiasts are taking advantage.
To celebrate its 25th anniversary, Boca
Bearings, an industry leader in ceramic
bearing and lubrication technology, is
holding the 2012 Boca Bearings Innovation
Contest. And a few of the entrants so far
have even used radio-controlled technology, such as contestant Robert Smith and
his Solar Charged R/C Lawn Mower, or Phil
Jermyn and his Snelflight QuadPod helicopter.
“Every day I come in and countless
people walk through our door and countless people place orders and email us
every day that are just working on the
coolest things I’ve ever seen,” said Jason
Flanzbaum, Boca Bearing Company’s vice
president of marketing and e-commerce.
“Literally people bring things into here and
they’re these mad scientist engineers. You
can see the fire in their eyes as they’re trying to describe what this little component
is ultimately going to do. And we wanted
to celebrate them.”
The company will name a contest winner
each month during 2012. Each monthly
winner receives iPad2 engraved with his or
her name. Boca Bearings employees will
then select an overall winner at the end of
the year, as well as two runners up. Each
runner up will receive a 3D Printer from
Makerbot Industries (worth $2,500), and
the grand prize winner will receive a grant
check for $10,000.
The only contest requirement is that participants use a ball roller or linear bearing,
preferably with a focus on ceramic bearings, Flanzbaum said.
“Our whole goal here is to sort of pull
together all these people that we know are
working in their garage, working in their
backyard, working at universities … and
give them a way to spotlight what they’re
doing and hopefully give them some
money down the line,” he said.
Boca Bearings has received about 15-20
contest entries per month so far, Flanzbaum said.
Personal robotics, which lends itself
nicely to radio-controlled technology,
has comprised many of the entries so far,
he said. Some of the most notable R/C
innovations included several variations of
quad-copters.
Flanzbaum said Boca Bearings found its
start in R/C. His father wanted to get out of
the “rat race” and start a business that was
fun, he said.
Today R/C is only a portion of Boca Bearings’ business, but Flanzbaum still sees the
R/C industry as the company’s launching
point as well as an “incubator for innovation.”
“As those kids grew up,” he said, “each of
those kids who worked in R/C, who played
with R/C, most of those kids became engineers, became scientists, became physicists.” — Nick Bullock
n e w s b riefs
MRN back to print
A release from Model Railroad News indicates it will be returning to print, as the
publication has been added to White River
Junction’s lineup.
The deal, between LampLight Productions, the magazine’s former owner, and
White River was completed Jan. 27.
“This magazine has been an important
voice in the hobby, and White River looks
forward to continuing its high standards
and quality for readers and manufacturers,”
said Kevin EuDaly, White River’s owner.
White River, headquartered in Kansas
City, Mo., also publishes Passenger Train
Journal, Railroads Illustrated and more than
15 railroad historical society magazines.
Tony Cook will be the editor of the
magazine.
Existing subscriptions of the magazine
will be honored by the new owner. The
first complete issue under the new banner
will be the March issue. It will also mark
the return to monthly publication.
Piko reports big sales
Model railroad manufacturer Piko experienced a record sales year in 2011, according to the German website MDR Thüringen. The company, based in Sonneberg,
Germany, reported sales of 10,000 euros
($13 million).
Good export business and the re-entry
into N-scale models were cited as reasons
for the best sales in the company’s 19
years. Sales of trains and accessiories were
especially good in France, the Netherlands,
Switzerland and the U.S. The company has
announced almost 300 new products for
2012 and expects a sales increase of 10%.
Piko has about 500 workers in plants
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INDUSTRY NEWS
located in southern China, Germany and
the U.S.
Wischer retires
Bill Wischer announced his retirement
from Wm. K. Walthers Inc. after 44 years of
service. Wischer's last day was Feb. 24, but
he will continue to provide insight, experience and assistance in a consulting role.
Wischer has held a variety of positions
at Walthers. As purchasing manager, he
established lasting friendships with owners and employees of hundreds of different
model railroad manufacturers, who are still
Walthers suppliers today.
Wischer later put his many talents
to work in new product development,
assisting with the acquisition of the Train
Miniature and Life-Like product lines, and
overseeing their return to production as
Walthers products. In addition, many of
Walthers’ best-known models were introduced under Wischer's guidance, including
the HO airslide covered hopper in 1986,
the first HO-scale H10-44 locomotives in
1991, the first Cornerstone Series structures in 1989, Walthers’ first plastic passenger cars in 2004, the code 83 track line, the
new DCC turntables and many more.
"Bill’s many contributions over these
past four decades have had a tremendous
impact on the growth and expansion of
the hobby,“ said Phil Walthers, CEO of Wm.
K. Walthers Inc. “We’ll miss Bill, he’s truly
one-of-a-kind, and you can bet we haven’t
seen the last of his product suggestions
and ideas!“
With a life-long interest in both trains
and aviation, Wischer will have no trouble
staying busy in retirement. He plans to
work on his HO-scale models and a live
steam locomotive.
Bill Wischer and Phil Walthers
10
Slixx out of business
Aftermarket model manufacturer Slixx
Decals is stopping production.
The announcement came Feb. 1 via the
company’s website and Facebook page.
Slixx is finishing a few final production
sheets before closing, then it will sell off its
existing inventory, owners Gene and Becky
Sisemore said on the Slixx website.
“The market is just declining so much,”
Gene Sisemore said in a phone interview.
“… Five years ago we could sell 2,000 drag
racing decals no problem. Now we can’t
even sell 250.”
The market decline stems from the lack
of interest from younger generations, he
said. “Kids would rather play with their
PlayStation 2s or computers instead of
making something with their own hands,”
Sisemore said.
Despite shrinking demand for Slixx products, many fans expressed disappointment
over the closing on its Facebook page.
“It’s just been an amazing outpouring
of thoughts missing the business going
away,” Sisemore said. “It sounds like it is
going to be a product that’s going to be
missed.”
Slixx, based out of Canton, Ga., was
founded in 1993. — N.B.
H o b b ies i n the Ne w s
Dealer brings back
'ChooChoo Bob'
In the early days of television, local TV stations used to produce a fair number of their
own programs. None were more popular
than children’s shows. Nearly every major
U.S. city had at least one legendary local
kiddie-TV host.
In Minnesota's Twin Cities, those legends
included the stars of long-running programs like “Lunch With Casey,” “Axel and His
Dog” and “Clancy the Cop.”
By the early 1970s, locally produced programming (except for the news) had pretty
much disappeared from U.S. airwaves, a
victim of the increased corporatization of
the TV business.
But a St. Paul filmmaker is hoping to
bring a locally produced children’s show to
stations in Minnesota and its border states.
Bob Medcraft is currently producing 26
half-hour episodes of “The ChooChoo Bob
Show,” a train-themed program that got its
start as a promotional tool for Medcraft’s
hobby shop, ChooChoo Bob’s Train Store.
Medcraft plans to offer the show to local
stations regionally. With financial backing
from an angel investor, Medcraft plans to
buy the airtime, hoping the show catches
on and the stations eventually will pay him
to air it — rather than vice-versa.
What makes Medcraft think that today’s
kids — with their computers and video
games — are interested in a technology
that reached its zenith a century ago?
“Trains are big and they’re fast and
they’re exciting to watch,” he said. “I think
kids are naturally attracted to big technology like tractors and trains and road graders. There are some train shows already.
But they are all CGI (computer-generated
imagery). There’s nothing as old-school as
what we’re doing.”
Medcraft had a 20-year career as a film
producer. But as the new century dawned,
“the whole industry here in town sort of
started falling apart,” Medcraft said. “Videos
collapsed, film work went to Canada.” He
decided to open a retail train store in 2005
after noticing how kids flocked to a Thomas
the Tank Engine play table at a local bookstore he and his sons frequented.
The ChooChoo Bob Show actually began
as a commercial for the train store and
morphed into an idea for a public-access
TV show. Then one of the actors brought
a wealthy train enthusiast into the picture:
Bob Vince, a University of Minnesota chemist who shares in royalties from several
drugs he developed at the U. Vince put a
substantial sum into the project, allowing
production of a full slate of episodes as well
as providing the wherewithal to buy airtime
for them.
The goal is to have the first episode on
the air around June 1. Medcraft admits
that he has dreams of eventually taking
the show national, but he’s not holding his
breath. — John Reinan, minnpost.com
O b it u ar y
Lew English Sr.
Lew English Sr., 93, co-founder of Bowser
Manufacturing Company, died Feb. 3, 2012.
In 1961, Lew and his wife, Shirlee, began
the business in the basement of their
home in Muncy, Pa., after they purchased
the name and several steam engine kits
from Bill Bowser in Redlands, Calif. Lew is a
member of the Model Railroading Industry
Hall of Fame.
Bowser Manufacturing will continue
under the direction of CEO Lee K. English.
MOD • 04/01/2012 • BW • 1/12
MOD • 04/01/2012 • BW • 1/12
W
METAL
DETECTORS
NE
IT
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IN 2 F
CL IG
UD UR
ED ES
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Transportation Depot
Call
OUTDOOR
OUTFITTERS
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824 N Hartwell Avenue
Waukesha, WI 53186
262-542-7772
• Fax 262-542-4435
MIDWEST ADVERTISING
CO
MOD • 04/01/2012 • 4C • 1/2 V
no. 2682
Model Power • 180 Smith Street, Farmingdale, NY 11735 • 1-(800)-628-2803
visit us on the web at www.modelpower.com • facebook.com/ModelPowerUS
SAFARI LTD
MOD • 04/01/2012 • 4C • 1/4 V
Quality Projects Start
with Quality Materials
New e
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At the heart of every project are the fine materials you work with.
When you start with quality, the result is quality. Insist on Midwest
Products’ branded materials for your store. Give your customers
the high quality materials they expect and deserve!
See Us at the NRHSA Show
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Stop by our booth to see our great products.
Be sure to ask about our newest, unique
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Choose Midwest!
When You Care Enough to Sell the Very Best!
(800) 348-3497 | www.midwestproducts.com
©2012, Midwest Products Co., Inc.® 400 S. Indiana St. PO Box 564 Hobart, IN 43642
11
02-12-005 Model Retailers_APR Wholesale Ad_FINAL.indd2/9/12
1
8:23 AM
Pro. Class.
The NEW Spektrum DX18
Extensive programming for three model types. Up to 18
available channels. Built-in telemetry. The unparalleled
speed, reliability and precision of DSMX® technology. The
new Spektrum™ DX18 has everything a pro-class modeler
could possibly want and more.
Powerful Spektrum AirWare™ for Sailplanes
In addition to extensive airplane and heli programming, the
DX18 has every sailplane function an expert pilot could
want. Five wing types, three tail types, two motor types, ten
available flight modes, flap delay with elevator compensation; it has it all.
Sequencer
Users can program a sequence of switch-activated events,
with time delays between each event, using multiple channels. For instance, with a flip of the gear switch they could
have an auxiliary channel open landing gear doors, then
have the retract channel lower the landing gear, followed by
the auxiliary channel closing the gear doors after the gear
is extended.
Balancer
The output of CCPM swash servos or multiple servos on
a single control surface can be precisely balanced using a
7-point curve mix.
X-Plus™ Channel Expansion
The system can be expanded to 18 channels with an
X-Plus8 receiver module (sold separately); perfect for complex scale models and high-performance sailplanes.
Built-In Telemetry with Data Log
The DX18 not only displays telemetry data in real time, but
will log the data to the SD card so it can be reviewed after
the flight.
Dual Diversity Antenna
Essentially two antennas in one, the Dual Diversity antenna
consists of vertical and horizontal arrays mounted perpendicular to each other for superior protection from signal
fades. The horizontal array is housed in the durable carrying
grip on the back.
*Images may be subject to change.
Incredibly the DX18 gives your customers all these capabilities PLUS an AR9020 reciever, 2S Li-Po transmitter battery, SD card, neck strap and a global charging system for just $799.99.
This could be the easiest pro-class transmitter sale you’ll ever make. Call your Horizon Hobby sales representative right away at 800-535-5551 to learn more.
Designed, Built and Backed by Horizon Hobby Two of the most compelling DX18 features aren’t even in
the box; namely the Spektrum Community website and the unbeatable service and support of Horizon Hobby. Through the
Spektrum Community website, registered DX18 customers have access to regular software updates and professionally
programmed model setups for popular E-flite®, Blade® and ParkZone® aircraft. And both you and your customers will enjoy
the peace of mind that comes from knowing Horizon Hobby service center professionals have your back should anything go
wrong after the sale.
©2012 Horizon Hobby, Inc. E-flite, Blade, ParkZone, X-Plus, AirWare
and the Horizon Hobby logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of
Horizon Hobby, Inc. DSMX is a trademark of Horizon Hobby, Inc., registered
in the US. The Spektrum trademark is used with permission of Bachmann
Industries, Inc. US 7,391,320. 29118.T
FIRST
LOOK
information on selected products to help you sell today
HO Scale B&O EM-1 2-8-8-4 Locomotive with Tender
Stock No.: 80404
MSRP: $465
Availability: Various model
railroad distributors
Target consumer: Baltimore
& Ohio enthusiasts and modelers; big steam fans
First impression: I knew
these were big, but I didn't
have a sense of scale until I
took it out of the box.
The locomotives these
models are based on were
some of the last large steam
locomotives built; B&O started taking delivery of them in
1944. They featured "modern"
technology for the time and
ran into the late '50s.
Bachmann's
version of this
simple articulated engine
comes equipped
with DCC and a
factory-installed
speaker.
The locomotive also features
a ball-and-socket driveshaft,
separately applied handrails
and stanchions, as well as
other add-on details.
These locomotives are
pretty massive for the scale
and Bachmann recommends
a minimum radius of 22
inches for them to perform
their best.
Why you should stock it:
These locomotives are not
G Gauge Curved turnouts
Stock No.: 35224 LH, 35225
RH
MSRP: $99.99 each
Availability: Piko America
Target consumer: G-scale
model railroaders
First impression: New from
Piko are these G curved
turnouts. The outer radius is
1243mm, which Piko calls R5,
14
Bachmann trains
only fascinating to collectors
and modelers because of
their size, but because they
were among the last large
steam locomotives to run in
regular service. As such, they
are well documented in photographs and popular among
those who enjoy big steam.
To really bring the locomotive to life, offer your
customer the 16-bit Tsunami
plug-and-play sound module
that goes with this locomotive (No. 44951, $119).
Also, if you have a
customer that's on the
fence about getting a
DCC system, let them
know that this locomotive seems to perform
better with it than with
straight DC. That might
help them take the
plunge.
— Hal Miller
frog is plastic with electrically
live stainless-steel inserts in
the flangeways. A small handle is provided to operate the
points, or you can fit a Piko
switch motor (not included).
The track gauge on
both routes is consistently
between 45.0 and 45.2mm,
except midway through
the points where it narrows
slightly to compensate for
the point flex that’s inevitable
when heavy locomotives
pass through. The flangeways
measure 3.2–3.5mm, and the
frog flangeways are 3.0mm
deep.
Both long- and shortwheelbase locomotives
performed well through the
turnouts, and the turnouts
are well built. It’s good to
have a readily available
curved turnout option in G.
Piko
and the inner is 921mm, or
R3 in Piko-speak. The inner
curve is 52.5 degrees and the
outer 37.5, and the turnouts
come with 7.5-degree R3 and
R5 sections for use when substituting these turnouts for
standard curved sections.
The brass rail is code 332,
and the ties are molded in a
resilient and ultraviolet-light
resistant plastic. The points
are formed from rail and
machined on the ends. The
These turnouts are compatible with Piko, LGB,
Aristo-Craft and USA track.
Plan on helping customers
understand the many options
they’ll have for working these
turnouts into their railroads
and explaining the reason for
the fitter sections. A switch
motor (No. 35271) is a natural
add-on to these turnouts.
— Terry Thompson
1:8 The beatles Yellow Submarine Ringo Starr
Stock No.: POL859; John
Lennon (No. POL860), Paul
McCartney (No. POL 857)
and George Harrison (No.
POL858) also available
MSRP: $29.99
Availability: Round 2
Target consumer: Modelers,
figure collectors, Beatles fans
First impression: This looks
fun and easy to build!
The kit is based on The
Beatles' classic 1968 animated film, Yellow Submarine. Two head options are
included, one regular Ringo
head and one in the disguise
of Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts
Club Band.
The pieces are prepainted
and ready for assembly. All
you need is styrene-compatible cement. The instruction
sheet shows all the parts with
their numbers and is easy
to understand. I was able to
assemble the figure in a little
more than an hour, including
time for the cement to set.
The Beatles are one of
the most popular and
best-selling bands
in history. Fans will
want to collect all
four figures for a
complete set.
Also, the unique and
colorful packaging is
certainly eyecatching.
— Jenny Maaske
Slot Stars 1957 Bel Air Slot Racing Kit
Stock No.: AMT746
MSRP: $54.99
Availability: Round 2
mQX RTF
Target consumer: : Retro slot
racing fans looking to move
into large scale; scale modelers interested in slot racing
First impression:
With its vintage window-box packaging,
customers won’t be
able to resist sneaking at peak at this
slot car kit — one
of four released by
AMT in 2012. At a
glance, customers
will see the unpainted 1:25-scale 1957
polar lights
AMT
Bel Air body, wheel assemblies, metal chassis and 12
volt DC 22,300 rpm GrooveMaster in-line motor.
What’s inside is just as
alluring: The 1:25-scale
kit comes with one-piece,
smoke-tinted, vacu-formed
window unit; optional clear
plastic static kit windows;
a “retro racing” decal sheet
with numbers and stripes;
and a chrome-looking front
bumper, grille bar and rear
bumper, plus taillight housings, headlight bezels and
hood ornaments.
Aside from the spectacular
packaging presentation, the
1957 Bel Air provides customers with the perfect bridge
from scale modeling to slot
cars, or vice versa.
AMT was also smart to
release three similar kits — a
1966 Chevy Nova SS, 1970
Chevy Camaro Z/28 and 2006
Chevy Camaro Concept — so
hobbyists who enjoy a little
construction before they race
may return for additional
purchases.
— Nick Bullock
see on many quad-copters.
The body can also be easily removed and rotated 45
degrees to allow for “X” or “+”
flying configurations.
The simple reason is there
just aren’t too many quadcopters available at this price.
But what aspiring aerobatic
pilots will like is increased
control compared to beginner helis.
The mQX is a great intermediate level product to
improve flying skills before
customers graduate to collective pitch helis, which your
store should certainly have in
stock!
— N.B.
Blade
Stock No.: BLH7500
MSRP: $219.99
Availability: Horizon Hobby
Target consumer: Pilots who
are looking for advanced
control but aren’t quite ready
for the price or skill level a
collective pitch heli
First impression: As the
world’s first quad-copter
equipped with AS3X, the
mQX offers unbelievable con-
trol for a heli that costs
less than $250.
In fact, the mQX’s
movement is so precise,
it makes for a great
stepping stone to more
advanced aerobatic helicopters.
It comes Ready to Fly
with an E-flite 1S LiPo
battery and 1-cell DC
charger. Protective drive gear
guards make the heli plenty
durable, and the stylish
body is much more easy on
the eyes than the pods you
15
HOBBY TECH
Radio Command Control
Battery-powered, radio-controlled trains aren’t new, but at least
two companies are pushing the idea into the smaller scales
By Hal Miller
D
irty track, track with gaps or track
with other conductivity issues is
always a problem for model railroaders. The process of wiring a layout also stops people from building one.
What if your customers could put their
locomotive on any track, without hooking up any wires, and have it run perfectly
because it doesn’t have to pick up electricity from the rails? Even better, what if they
could use digital command control functions to make it go, turn on lights or blow
the horn?
For years, G-scale operators have been
able to do all of this thanks to radio-controlled systems by Aristocraft (Crest), CVP,
RCS of New England, Locolinc and others.
With these and larger trains, users have little
problem fitting decoder-equipped receivers
and batteries large enough to power the
trains in boxcars, steam engine tenders and
sometimes the locomotives themselves. The
systems make running trains much more
convenient, especially when the track is
outdoors, exposed to the elements.
Many predicted years ago these sorts of
systems would find their way into smaller
scales. Aristocraft’s 2.4GHz Revolution TE
system offered a glimpse into this world as
early as 2009, and a couple of companies
are now openly pushing the concept. At
least two others are said to be working on
it, according to industry sources.
One already has this technology in production and for sale and another said its
system will be out by the end of the year.
Both systems fit into HO-scale locomotives.
The S-Cab Radio DCC Control System
is currently available through North West
Short Line and a handful of dealers across
the U.S. Developed by Australian Neil
Stanton, the system includes a hand-held
controller, a receiver, and a choice of a nonsound NCE or sound-equipped SoundTraxx
decoder. More decoder options will be
available in the future.
To power the locomotive, a Battery Power
Supply (BPS) is offered separately (No.
9092-4, $54.95) for use with a 3.7-volt LiPo
battery available from NWSL. That size battery is good for HO; the system can be used
with larger scales, too, but requires bigger
What does it mean for the consumer?
It lowers the bar to entry in terms of starting and expanding layouts.
It offers even more prototypical control of locomotives and other powered
rolling stock due to the batteries, which give an uninterrupted power supply.
It potentially eliminates bad experiences in the area of track power.
RCC locomotives can be more easily programmed “on the main.”
What does it mean for the hobby dealer?
Battery stock can serve multiple segments, like R/C and model railroading.
It offers potential for decoder, receiver, and system sales and installation.
It gives opportunities to engage customers and talk about the product.
It may give hobbyists incentive to expand layouts, leading to sales of associated
products.
16
batteries with more cells wired in series. The
BPS also provides overload protection. Track
power can be used to not only run the locomotives but also charge the batteries.
Tam Valley Railroad is also developing
a radio-controlled system that operates
similarly. It also uses a receiver in the locomotive and can be battery powered. The
receiver is connected to any brand DCC
decoder and can be operated with an existing DCC system.
Tam Valley’s Duncan McRee said his
system is basically two components: the
receiver for the locomotive and the transmitter that plugs into the DCC command
station. He estimates the price will be
about $60 for each of the two components. Each locomotive needs a receiver,
but operating a layout only takes one
transmitter. The DCC decoder piggybacks
on the receiver, and wiring changes are
minimal. Modelers can use existing systems and decoders if they already made a
substational investment.
Both systems use the 916MHz frequency.
Perhaps the biggest leap forward isn’t on
top of the layout, but underneath. “People
don’t want to wire,” McRee said. And with
these systems, they don’t have to. Batterypowered, radio-controlled trains have no
need for track power and therefore no need
for a way to get it there.
Although DCC has made strides toward
eliminating much of the wiring under a layout, simplifying it basically into a 2-wire bus,
there is still wiring to be done in inconvenient places. Additionally, there are things
like switch frogs that are perennial power
pitfalls on a layout. Those issues are eliminated with RCC.
McRee recognized that with advancements in technology, other things will be
replaced or eliminated. “I’m selling the Frog
Juicer,” he said, which automatically controls
the polarity of DCC power on switch frogs.
“So I’m killing my own business, kinda.”
Dream. Explore. Fly.
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• Electronic Virtual Instructor™
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• Interference-free 2.4GHz transmitter
capable of 400 meter range
• Proportional 3-channel control,
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HBZ7700
Wingspan: 42.0 in (1070 mm)
Length:
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Flying
weight:
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Motor:
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Battery:
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Transmitter: Proportional 3-channel,
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Firebird Stratos
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For more than a decade, HobbyZone has been the brand
that publications name, month after month, as the brand
that sells. That’s because all HobbyZone® aircraft are
specially designed with innovative features that not only
ensure flight success, but also the greatest chance that
satisfied customer will return to buy their next project.
A satisfied customer means business. The all-new
Firebird Stratos ™ RTF aircraft was designed by
recognized RC aerobatics world champion Quique
Somenzini to be a modern, beginner aircraft. Loaded
with beginner-friendly features, your customers will
be glad to have, at the heart of the elegant model is
groundbreaking Virtual Instructor ™ technology that
makes it feel like an RC expert is right alongside them.
New pilots will experience the kind of smooth flight
that makes RC simple and more fun than ever.
To learn more about the Firebird Stratos, visit
HobbyZoneRC.com.
©2012 Horizon Hobby, Inc. HobbyZone, Firebird Stratos, Virtual Instructor, Dream. Explore. Fly. and the Horizon Hobby logo are trademarks or registered trademarks
of Horizon Hobby, Inc. The Firebird Stratos design was created by Quique Somenzini in cooperation with Mirco Picorari and George Hicks. Patent pending. 36009.T
BUSINESS BASICS
Make the Internet an ally
How to stop fighting against the Web and smartphones and
instead use them to your advantage through mobile marketing
By Nick Bullock
T
he Internet has changed the way a lot
of businesses work — some for better, some for the apparent worse.
And hobby retailers have not stood
unscathed. Distributors are looking to cut
out the middle man and sell directly to the
consumer. Consumers, in turn, are reacting
as would be expected and searching for
products at lower cost on the Web.
Hobby retailers are perhaps not even the
hardest hit by this phenomenon — when
is the last time you bought a book from an
independent book store? When is the last
time you even saw an independent book
store? In fact, hobby retailers may have an
advantage that other retailers don’t: Hobbyists still want to see, and often hold, a
product before they purchase it. To do so,
they’ll need to enter your store, and once
they do, the “evil” Internet — and specifically, those pesky smartphones — may just
help you keep customers coming back.
“2012 really is the year of mobile,” said
Jon Wuebben, founder and CEO of Content
Launch and author of Content is Currency.
“We’re just coming into the absolute pinnacle. That’s all we’re going to be talking
about for the next 12 months is mobile
marketing.”
potential benefits for your business will
become obvious.
Why should you care?
Get to know the players
For industry experts like Wuebben, the
answer is quite simple: You should care
about mobile marketing because your customers care.
“People are telling us that’s how they
want to communicate,” he said. “You have
600 million people on Facebook, and
they’re raising their hands saying, ‘Hey,
we’re here, we want you to pay attention
to us, we want you to communicate with
us via this channel.’ ”
Wuebben said businesses need to stop
thinking in traditional marketing methods
and embrace today’s digital marketing
trends — many of which can be easy to
learn and very cost-effective. “It’s really not
that hard to connect with people through
social media,” he said. “I think there’s a fear
of they don’t know what it’s about, they
think it’s going to take too much time.”
Although there is a slight learning curve,
Wuebben admitted, after a few days
of experimenting with social media, its
In this day of the Apple App Store and the
Android Market, text messages may seem
outdated and text-message marketing
ineffective. They are not. There are a number of companies — Wuebben suggested
Trumpia and ipipi.com — that offer textmessage marketing solutions.
But, as mentioned above, mobile applications are all the rage, as a constantly
increasing number of consumers use
smartphones.
If text-message marketing draws customers in, location-based social (“lo-so”)
networks like Foursquare and Gowalla
offer ways to ensure their return. These
lo-so apps allow users to “check in” at locations they visit, notifying friends in their
network. By offering simple incentives, you
can convince customers to use their smartphones to check in to your store instead of
looking up prices for online competitors.
There are also the social media staples
such as Facebook, YouTube and Twitter,
Terms to know
Mobile marketing: The use of smartphone services and applications to improve your brand and increase sales.
Twitter: An online social media service that allows users to
share 140-character messages called “tweets.”
Smartphone: A cellular phone that also has a mobile computing platform, which typically allows for Web browsing.
Facebook: An online social-networking service through which
users create a profile to add friends, exchange messages, plan
events, join interest groups, share photos and much more.
Social media: Electronic communication websites and smartphone applications through which users share information
and other media with an online community.
Application, or app: Any sort of nonessential control software
program, but today it often refers to software programs on
smartphones.
18
Foursquare: A location-based social networking website
designed for mobile devices, such as smartphones. It allows
users to “check in” to a location for a potential reward.
Gowalla: Another location-based social network similar to
Foursquare where users may “check in” to locations via a
mobile device.
which Wuebben said every small business should utilize. These social networks
not only allow you notify your followers
of deals or new products, but also allow
customers to provide feedback on their
shopping experience. And since customer service is an advantage held by
every brick-and-mortar store, the positive
reviews should flood in.
How can it can help your business?
The key to success for text-message marketing is that because customers must “opt
in” to the service, they are more likely to
act upon your messages. On top of that,
customers rarely leave their homes without a cell phone these days. “If you can tap
the mobile space, you’re going to be on
the cutting edge of your industry,” Wuebben said. “Especially if your target market
is the under-30 age group, because these
folks, they’re sleeping with their phones.”
For lo-so marketing tools like Foursquare, the strategies are even simpler.
Similar to how coffee shops offer a free
cup of coffee for every 10 purchased, you
could offer a relatively inexpensive product, or even a discount, for a customer that
checks in to your store 10 times.
Foursquare even offers more opportunities for incentive. The social network
rewards one user with the title of “mayor”
of a specific location for spending the
most time checked into that location. By
offering, say, a 10% discount to the current
mayor of your store, you give customers an
even greater reason to return.
Don’t believe this tactic to be effective?
Consider this: according to Foursquare,
in December 2010, electronics retailer
RadioShack ran a campaign offering discounts to Foursquare users with the goal
of driving new customers to stores and
rewarding loyal customers. RadioShack
found that Foursquare users spent 350%
more money than that of the average
customer. This particular social network
has several other case studies that share
similar results.
“That’s one way you can really outshine
your competition is by capitalizing on location-based (marketing),” Wuebben said.
But be aware that other studies have
shown lo-so marketing campaigns to be
ineffective if incentives are not provided
by the retailer. Customers don’t apparently
want to check in just for fun — they want
to be rewarded.
From there, the next step is updating your website and making it mobile
friendly. Depending on the platform you
use, these steps can be relatively simple.
Wordpress, which costs as little as $99 a
year for a fully functional domain name,
has a simple plug-in that turns yours into
a mobile website, Wuebben said. Other
companies, such as Mobify, will design
a complete mobile website to your
specifications. And if you don’t
even know where to start, Wuebben’s company, Content Launch,
can help you populate your website
as well as your social media accounts.
Dos and don’ts
Mobile marketing and social media are
understandably intimidating. After all,
plenty of people have made fools of themselves online. But dismissing these marketing media outright is to squander an
opportunity to advance your business.
There are, however, a few guidelines to
follow:
Stake your claim. At the very least, it is a
good idea to establish your presence, if for
no other reason than clarity. Google your
business. More than likely the location and
contact information is correct, but if you
didn’t personally enter that information,
you can’t always be sure. The same goes
for social networks. Don’t assume that
users have included the correct information. Contact the search engine company
or social network if a change is needed.
This is more common than you think.
Determine your goals. As with any business endeavor, the only way you will find
success is if you take it seriously. Decide
what you want out of a mobile-marketing
campaign. Is it new customers, repeat customers, the promotion of a new product or
something else? Then tailor every mobilemarketing decision to fit your goals. And
don’t do it halfheartedly. That will get you
nowhere.
Don’t abuse social media. If you already
have a personal Facebook account, keep
it personal. Your store deserves its own
account. There is something to be said for
engaging your customers in conversation
via social media, but don’t go overboard.
There is such thing as too much information. And remember, once you post
something on the Internet, it stays on the
Internet. Forever.
Promote your accounts. Most customers
will not know that your store has a Twitter, Facebook or Foursquare page unless
you tell them. Fortunately, all of these
social networks have increasingly rec-
ognizable logos,
or badges. Put up
window stickers or
simple countertop displays with the social
network badge and a message announcing “Follow us on Twitter” or “Find us on
Foursquare.”
Keep tabs on the results. What works
for some retailers may not work for you.
And what doesn’t work for some retailers
may work wonders at your store. The only
way to realize your return on investment
is to track your sales and website traffic
and compare those statistics to your goals.
Many of these marketing services offer
analytics tools, such as Facebook’s Insights
page, that will help your cause.
Understand what you are getting into.
As these are all Internet-based marketing
solutions, they almost all have clean, informative websites that are great places to
find answers to your questions. Wuebben
suggested doing a little research, building
a knowledge base and trying your hand at
mobile and social media marketing before
you even consider hiring an outside firm to
run a campaign.
Jon Wuebben is the founder and CEO of
Content Launch, a web content development
firm. He is also the author of Content Rich:
Writing Your Way to Wealth on the Web
and the new book Content is Currency:
Developing Powerful Content for Web &
Mobile. He can be reached through www.
contentlaunch.com.
Looking ahead
Next month, we look at what you
can do to fight the consumer practice of “showrooming” — looking at
products in a store, checking prices
on the Internet via a smartphone
and buying there to get the item at
a cheaper price.
19
BETTER RETAILING
By anne gusiff, Owner, A.Point.Marketing
‘Membership’ gets marketing gold
On a January weekend I went to a local
hobby store (Dollhouses, Trains & More,
Novato, Calif.) at the urging of my 8-yearold son who still had Christmas money
smoldering a hole in his pocket. When we
drove into the parking lot, I saw the first of
several signs alerting me to the store’s new
“membership only” status.
At first I was confused why they were
doing this and then angry as I read you
had to let them scan your driver’s license
to even peruse the model trains.
Method to the madness
Sure enough, as we walked through the
door I was immediately asked if I were a
member and politely told that I’d need to
provide my driver’s license to gain entry.
Of course, I inquired about the policy.
The associate told me that due to theft
of merchandise and credit card fraud, the
owner felt that she had to make one of
two choices: close the store, or take this
drastic measure. That immediately cooled
my jets and we went to find the rubberband gun that we had come for.
On the way up to the counter, we passed
three model trains sitting on a counter.
Each box had a price tag of $989 or more.
It was now obvious the owner was dealing
with some pretty hefty theft.
I began to wonder how other customers had reacted and how this had affected
business. Then, I became curious as to how
they were using this information about
their customers — every single one — to
reach and engage them.
I later returned to interview Linda Becker, who has owned the store since 1994,
about her decision. She said she was “sick
and tired” of thefts. She truly felt taken
advantage of, and it had clearly gotten
personal. She had planned on closing the
store but then decided instead to take this
innovative membership approach to stave
off crooks while still meeting the needs of
her loyal customer base.
“Most customers come to understand
the position I was in and are fine with joining,” Becker said. Others are not. She said
some people have turned on their heels
20
To deter theft, Dollhouses, Trains & More now requires a store membership.
and left. That’s OK with Linda. Some come
back a few days later; thieves haven’t. She
is saving upwards of $1,000 per month.
Linda is lucky. As owner of one of the
few brick-and-mortar hobby stores in the
Bay Area, she is able to convince people
that there is value with sharing their personal information in order to shop at her
store. Since its implementation last summer, the store has registered more than
5,000 members. For each one, Linda has
an address and for many an email address,
which she wisely asks for on a form each
new member fills out. Customers can also
choose to receive the store's e-newsletter.
The first issue has yet to hit an inbox, but
she still has the beginning of an effective
marketing tool. Combine that with sales
trends, and she’s got a fairly decent read
on what content to put into a newsletter.
Information is power
Linda is kept busy by the store and has no
plans to use the data, even for a newsletter. Hopefully that will change when she
sees the opportunity to engage customers
and give them more reasons to come in to
shop at this very special store.
As a marketer, this is a goldmine of
customer information that is just waiting
to be tapped. Digging further into the
data could uncover statistics such as the
average number of unique visitors during
a month, the average number of transactions over a period of time, or the value of
customers and what they buy.
Opportunity knocks
Because a person’s membership card is
scanned as they purchase, the store can
tie all information to specific individuals.
Linda could answer questions such as:
Are locals more likely to buy of toy brands
such as Lego or the California mission
building supplies for fourth graders? Is
there a correlation between distance and
average amount spent?
There is so much opportunity here.
Opportunity to learn more about customers' habits. Opportunity to engage with
customers via email or mail. Opportunity
to make lemonade out of lemons.
Ann Gusiff is the owner of A.Point.Marketing,
providing simple, effective
and affordable marketing
solutions for small businesses. For a free brand
audit of your business, visit
APointMarketing.com and
look under the Products &
Services tab.
PRODUCT
LAB
REVIEWS AND MARKETING IDEAS FOR ITEMS IN YOUR STORE
Fun ‘n gun with Blade’s new UH-1
Product: E-Flite's Blade series of ready-
to-fly helicopters from Horizon Hobby now
includes the Blade SR UH-1 Huey Gunship.
Based on the established Blade SR mechanics, any pilot who can hover comfortably
can now fly a scale version of this iconic
Vietnam War-era helicopter.
The product box is 24-inches wide,
10-inches high and 9-inches deep. It also
serves as a carrying case for the Huey and
all of its necessary support components.
The box looks like a museum diorama of
the famous Huey gunship with action photos of the helicopter searching out targets
in the jungle. Very appealing!
I confess that I have a very personal connection with the UH-1 Huey as I have flown
the real thing for more than 2000 flight
hours, most of them in Vietnam. The Huey
was truly the workhorse of its era, of which I
am proud to have been a part. The name of
my ship was the Tangellary Smoth, but that’s
a different story for another time.
Performance: Pilots will find a 38-page
instruction manual and DVD. The instructions are well-written and clear.
Everything needed to ready the Huey for
flight is included: a 1000mAh LiPo flight
battery with matching charger; 6-channel,
2.4GHz transmitter; 4 AA batteries for the
radio; and an armament package of simulated miniguns. An optional lighting package was provided for this review (Prod. No.
EFLH2009R; $22.99). It's even equipped with
scale windshield wipers and radio antennas.
The side windows are open for cooling. The
cockpit is held in place by a plastic tab and
two small magnets, making access to the
battery compartment a snap.
The DVD provides an excellent series of
video episodes detailing the disassembly
and maintenance of the Huey’s mechanicals. One episode is dedicated to the installation of the optional lighting package.
Installing it is worth the effort, as it adds to
the overall scale presentation. The DVD also
supplies text documents to allow setup of
other popular transmitters.
Charging the battery using the included
charger takes about an hour. Battery installation is simple with the removable cockpit.
I recommend fastening the pack as far into
the nose as possible for proper balance.
The transmitter is equipped with a functional throttle hold switch. This is an excellent safety feature to avoid unexpected
rotation of the main rotor blades.
Flight testing required only minor trim
adjustments on the main rotor. One blade
was slightly out of track, but this was easily
fixed by adjusting the pitch control link.
The tail rotor was a different story. Some
minor tail wagging has been characteristic
of the original SR, and the Huey manual
instructs how to fix this by lowering the
gyro gain through a hole in the right side
of the engine compartment. The wagging
diminishes somewhat, but completely fixing it requires adjustment of the tail rotor
mixing pot, accessible through a hole in the
bottom of the body just behind the front
VITAL STATS
Product: SR UH-1 Huey Gunship RTF
Maker: Blade
Scale: Micro
Stock number: BLH1700
MSRP: $439.99
Availability: Horizon Hobby
skid mount. The instructions for this are
found on page 52 of the Blade SR manual.
Find it at www.e-fliterc.com/Support/. I
recommend reading and understanding
the Blade SR manual before attempting to
fly the heli.
Marketing: Considering this is a totally
complete, ready-to-fly package, the suggested retail price of $439.99 is quite reasonable. To enhance the scale looks, be sure
to offer the add-on lighting package.
There are plenty of "scale" appearing
RTF helicopters on the market, which, for
the most part, are only vague representations of the real thing. This is definitely not
the case for the Blade Huey. Horizon has
gone to great lengths to offer a truly scaleappearing model. Granted, it does not have
every rivet and access panel, but the overall
shape and markings are spot-on.
— Don Coe
BOTTOM LINE
• Has the scale lines of the Huey
• Proven SR components
• Waggle fixable with SR manual
21
PRODUCT LAB Great looks will lure customers to Autoart's new Porsche
Product:
Porsche is synonymous with racing and its 911-based
racers have been ripping
up sports car series on road circuits for
years. Today the Porsche GT3 RS racer is
one of the more successful racers, and
it has been around for enough years to
have been raced in many liveries and color
schemes.
Autoart has picked up on that and offers
a variety of GT3 slot cars in 1:32 scale. The
test car being a silver Porsche — probably
it’s most popular color and its original
racing color — with orange trim. This
racer looks fast and will catch any slot car
buyer’s eye in Autoart’s attractive plastic
display case with cardboard sleeve.
The key with slots, as with the real car, is
always performance.
Performance: No doubt, Autoart
knows how to create a great-looking
model, both in the die-cast market and
plastic slot cars. This is an awesomelooking racer in silver with orange mirrors,
VITAL STATS
Product: Porsche 911 (997) GT3 RS
(silver, orange stripes)
Maker: Autoart
Scale: 1:32
Stock number: 13213
MSRP: $44.95
Availability: Autoart
22
wheels and striping, along
with the GT3 RS logo on its side.
There’s a rear wing in black with orange
end pieces. Gorgeous!
Likewise, the interior looks sharp with a
detailed dash, roll cage and driver figure,
but he’s not in race gear. That’s a bit odd
for a race car, something that is more racer
than street machine.
The GT3 also shows disc brakes behind
the wheels and offers working front
and rear lights. Underneath is a racy can
motor that makes the car plenty quick in a
straight line. Autoart provides a powerful
magnet too, so the car has good grip in
the corners.
The issue this Autoart car had, unlike
others I’ve tested, was its blade was too
large to work well on my Scalectric track
or a friend’s SCX track. I trimmed off part
of the blade’s nose and filed the sides of
the blade so it would not bind in the slot
on turns. You’ll want to mention that to
customers prior to a sale, but also let them
know it comes with two extra blades.
Once I cut and filed the blade the car
worked as well as most slots, quicker than
some. It handled well with little tail wagging, thanks to that magnet. Its tires are a
BOTTOM LINE
• Great looking
• Value pricing
• High-quality components
soft compound too, which helped its grip.
Overall, Autoart cars are well-made, with
brass bushings on the axles for smooth
operation and less resistance. The blade is
self-centering too, but my test model’s thin
wire that controls the centering was bent.
Trying to straighten it, the tiny wire broke,
so along with it went the self-centering
feature.
Although I had a few issues with the test
model, one that I tested several years ago
was fine right out of the box and remains a
steady performer. Its self-centering feature
and blade were fine.
Marketing: We slot car racers enjoy all
makes and models, but a model that looks
good is what will get us to snag it from
your store. Autoart’s Porsche collection is
a winner on that front. Autoart also offers
an all-white model, white with red stripes
and wheels, white with blue stripes and
wheels, all-yellow, all-red, and orange with
black stripes and wheels.
Push the car’s quality, the zippy motor
and the modest price. Plus if your customers race in groups this would be a good
model to suggest as a race category as racers can each get a distinct looking Porsche
to race. If raced in stock trim, the racing
action should be close too.
Break one out for customers to test on
your in-store track. You do have an in-store
track, don’t you? Also, don’t forget to suggest lubrication products as an add-on sale!
— Mark Savage, American Snowmobiler
editor and Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
auto writer and long-time slot car racer
The I-X Center is located on the property of the Cleveland
Hopkins International Airport. There are NOT any hotels within
walking distance of the center. iHobby Expo will provide bus
shule service to and from The I-X Center during set-up and
show days. Shules will service only the following properties:
Cleveland Airport Marriott
Sheraton Cleveland Airport
Holiday Inn Hotel Cleveland Airport
Each of these hotels will also utilize their own hotel shules to bring
exhibitors and aendees to and from The I-X Center. There will
NOT be iHobby Shule service available at the other iHobby hotel
properties so please plan accordingly.
Cleveland Airport Marriott
Located 3 miles from
The I-X Center
4277 West 150th St
Cleveland, OH 44135
216-252-5333 or 800-228-9290
www.marrio.com/cleap
Reservation Code: iHobby Expo
Room Rate: $119.00/night
Reserve your room online: hp://
www.marrio.com/hotels/travel/cl
eno?groupCode=hmahmab&app=
resvlink&fromDate=10/11/12&toDa
te=10/14/12
Reservation Cut-Off Date:
September 14, 2012 at 5pm EST
• Serviced by Official iHobby
Expo™ Shule for transportation
to and from The I-X Center
• Free Parking
• Free Internet Access in
Guest Rooms
• Free Pool & Health club Access
Explore a recently-renovated
hotel at Cleveland Airport, which
boasts a convenient location,
free airport shule, and premier
accommodations, making it ideal
for business or leisure. Socialize
with colleagues in the impressive
Cleveland, Ohio Airport hotel lobby
or enjoy the award winning AMP
150, boasting locally grown cuisine
in an eclectic environment. Enjoy
free airport shule service & easy
highway access.
Sheraton Cleveland Airport
Located 1 mile from
The I-X Center
5300 Riverside Dr
Cleveland, OH 44135
216-267-1500
www.sheraton.com/
airportcleveland
Reserve your room online: hp://
www.starwoodmeeting.com/Book/
ihobby
September 24, 2012
Room Rate: $ 109.00/night
• Complimentary Hotel Shule
service to The I-X Center
• Complimentary Parking for
iHobby Guests
• Complimentary Wi-Fi for iHobby
Guests
Warm smiles and friendly service
greet you at the Sheraton Cleveland
Airport Hotel. We provide a 24-hour
shule, a flight information board,
and a boarding pass station, as well as
convenient on-site check-in located
at baggage claim.
Splash and relax in our indoor heated
pool and whirlpool, or recharge in our
fitness facility. Unwind over dinner
with family or colleagues in the
comfort of our restaurant and lounge.
Sleep easy under the warm blanket
and cozy duvet of our Sheraton
Sweet Sleeper™ Bed.
Crowne Plaza
Holiday Inn Cleveland Aiport Cleveland Airport
Located 5 miles from
The I-X Center
Located 3.5 miles from
The I-X Center
4181 West 150th St
Cleveland, OH 44135
216-252-7700
www.holidayinn.com/cle-airport
Reservation Code: I-Hobby Expo
7230 Engle Rd
Middleburg Hts, OH 44130
440-243-4040
www.crowneplaza.com/
clevelandarpt
Reservation Code for call-in
reservations: iHobby Expo
September 18, 2012
Room Rate: $ 99.00/night
• Complimentary Hotel Shule
service to The I-X Center
• Complimentary Parking for
iHobby Guests
• Complimentary Wi-Fi for iHobby
Guests
You’ll find that endless fun surrounds
the hotel. In Cleveland, guests enjoy
aractions like the Rock & Roll Hall of
Fame and the Cleveland Metroparks
Zoo, as well as the Cleveland
Browns Stadium and Progressive
Field. Playhouse Square, the largest
performing arts center outside of
New York, is close by, and families
love visiting the beautiful Lake Erie
beaches and University Circle, where
they find everything from museums
and gardens to cafés and galleries.
In addition to our proximity to
the Cleveland airport, our hotel’s
property is five miles from the
International Exposition Center.
While staying at the Holiday Inn®
Hotel Cleveland – Airport, you can
take advantage of the indoor pool and
sweat your stress away in the 24-hour
Fitness Center. There is also an on-site
restaurant and lounge. If you’re looking
for an incredible hotel in Cleveland,
then this is the one for you.
Reserve your room online: www.
crowneplaza.com/clevelandarpt
(use code IHE)
Reservation Cut Off:
September 23, 2012
Room Rate: $89/night
• Complimentary airport shule
• FREE Parking
• Complimentary high-speed
Internet access
• An elegant, remodeled lounge
is available for guests to relax in
a®er a day of meetings
• Refresh in our new indoor pool
and sauna
• Fitness Center
Conveniently located just one free
shule stop away from the airport,
the completely renovated, full-service
Crowne Plaza Cleveland Airport
offers a suburban seing with easy
access to major freeways.
The Crowne Plaza Sleep Advantage®
featuring comfortable new beds with
plush duvets, sleep amenities and a
sleep CD with relaxation tips, plus
Quiet Zone areas and a guaranteed
wake-up call.
To secure your preferred exhibit Space,
email boothsales@iHobbyExpo.com
To receive aendee registration information call:
877-To-Hobby
or visit www.iHobbyExpo.com
For more information about Cleveland visit
www.positivelycleveland.com/ihobby/
RADIO CONTROL
BY Nick Bullock
Surface Vehicles
300 X BNF Blade
features a polycarbonate body, rear wing
and light bucket cases, separately molded
side mirrors made of ABS plastic, and a 540
motor with Tamiya TEU-104BK ESC.
1:16 Grave Digger RTR
Traxxas
The famous Monster Jam truck has been
reduced to 1:16 scale with this new model
(Prod. No. 7202A, MSRP $345) from Traxxas.
The truck features officially licensed Grave
Digger styling, right down to the tombstones. The Titan 12T 550 motor, 2WD
drivetrain and waterproof electronics make
it great for mud and snow. It also comes
with a matching Grave Digger backpack.
Built for 3D performance, this compact
300-size heli (No. BLH4580, $499.99) is
small enough to fly indoors. It features a
Spektrum AR7200BX Flybarless Control
System with integrated BeastX technology,
an E-flite 320H 4500Kv brushless motor
and a high-output 3S 30C LiPo battery.
Segad C1 rtr gas boat
with clutch
Venom
Upgraded to include a clutch standard,
this boat (No. 1813, $1349.99) now allows
for easier tuning, and safer starting and
launching, since the propeller is not spinning. Bringing your boat to the dock is also
easier, since the boat can be slowed without fear of stalling the engine.
Aircraft
P-40B Warhawk 50
Hangar 9
This recreation of the P-40B (No. HAN2595,
$314.99) is modeled after Warhawks flown
by Lts. Ken Taylor and George Welch during the attack on Pearl Harbor. It features
scale details, simple assembly, and the
hardware necessary for glow or electric
power.
Engines & Parts
DXR8-E 1:8 Brushless 4WD
Race Roller Havoc Pro SC/
Ballistic 540
Brushless systems with
X-Drive Duratrax
Designed for intermediate to expert offroad drivers, the DXR8-E (No. DTXC0078,
$549.99) features an indexed motor mount
cam, ball bearing sway bars and easy
access diffs. It requires a radio system with
a minimum of two channels, a 1:8-scale
brushless motor and compatable ESC, one
4S or two 2S LiPo batteries, and a charger.
The DXR8-E comes with an clear body and
a molded white rear wing.
1:10 Mini JCW Coupe (M-05)
Tamiya
Built on the popular M-05 M-Chassis platform, this kit (No. 58520, $235) was based
on the new two-seater Mini Coupe. It
24
Novak
F-86 SABRE BRUSHLESS EDF MICRO
Great Planes
This electric micro plane (No. GPMA1771,
$179.99), with a 15-inch wingspan, offers
genuine ducted fan performance and a
scale appearance. It includes a factoryinstalled brushless motor and ESC, as well
as a LiPo battery and charger. A 30mm
HyperFlow ducted fan unit — and ducting
that runs the length of the aircraft — is
also included.
Perfect for short
course truck racing, these motors (No. 3122-3125, $345)
now feature X-Drive for enhanced throttle
response, smooth power delivery, higher
top speeds and cooler operating temperatures.
HS-5565MH and HS-5585MH motor servos
Hitec
These coreless
motor servos
(estimated street
price of $69.99
each) are rated at
7.4V for 2S LiPo
operation. The
HS5565MH (No.
35565S) is made
for 1:10-scale touring cars, buggies and
short course vehicles; helicopters up to
.90-size; and sport to high-performance
aircraft up to 25%. The HS5585MH (No.
35585S) is made for 1:10 monster trucks,
1:8 buggies and truggies, and high-performance airplanes up to 35%.
up to a receiver; if a plane or heli is lost,
simply turn off the transmitter and the
alarm will sound. The alarm has a range of
more than 55 yards and is compatible with
2.4GHz, PPM/FM, PCM/FM and AM TX/RX
radios.
CR Brands Inc.
Well suited for removing paint from R/C
bodies, Mean Green (1 gallon, $6.99; also
available in 20-, 32- and 40-gallon sizes)
can also clean mud and debris from offroad R/C vehicles, and remove gas spillover
from gasoline powered R/C planes.
.10-size brushless aircraft motor O.S. Engine
This electric aircraft engine (No.
OSMG9510, $89.99),
features a patent-pending ventilation
system that boosts efficiency and allows
the motor to generate extra power. It also
includes a thicker can that resists distortion and a stainless steel prop shaft.
Accessories
Mean Green Industrial Strength Cleaner & Degreaser Sand Paw 2.8-inch
Sand Truck Tires Pro-Line
This pair of Sand Paw 2.8-inch (Traxxas
Style Bead) Paddle tires (No. 1186-00,
Finder Alarm
$22.45) is made for sand and snow. A perCommon Sense RC
fect fit for your Stampede or Stampede
This compact finder alarm (No. FINDALRM,
4x4, these tires feature split paddle tech$15.95) works for lost planes and helis KBDD LLC
give
and takes seconds to install.MOD
It hooks
right
• 04/01/2012nology
• 4C •to1/4
S you greater traction.
X4-Eighty, Four-Port Multicharger Hitec
Featuring four identical and independent
80-watt power outputs, this microprocessor-controlled charger (No. 44169, $169.99
street) has a total output of 320 watts.
Each port is capable of charging all types
of rechargeable batteries up to 6 amps.
KBDD International goes PINK
GET OUR
NEW
CATALOG
Faster
Quicker
Announcing NEW MCPX 3D Pro hot pink main blades!
KBDD is donating to the National Breast Cancer Foundation through
November, 2012 with no cost increase to Dealers.
All KBDD InternaƟonal products are made in America!
12
NEW
ITEMS
BUILDING TRUST FOR OVER 50 YEARS
www.dubro.com
Toll-Free: (800) 848-9411
25
What’s selling: RADIO CONTROL
?
COMPILED BY JENNY MAASKE
Now on ModelRetailer.com
What has been your most effective
retail display idea?
A video display of R/C vehicles centered in
the middle of R/C vehicle products.
Henry Redekop
Redline Hobby Ltd.
Regina, Sask.
We make sure the first look in the store
is new and fresh. If a customer comes in
once a week, we want the front endcaps
and shelves to at least have different items,
and preferably, new ones. As an example,
today we received our first shipment of
AnyLink modules and they are being put
out up front as I type this.
Larry Bennett
RC Hobbies Plus
Lafayette, Ind.
Having an R/C helicopter and airplane display in front of the store. Letting customers
fly the aircraft. I have a large parking lot in
front of the shop, so I let customers test-
WIN THIS PRIZE!
drive my R/C cars, trucks and motorcycles.
Clarence Ragland
ABC Fly Before You Buy Hobby
Lockport, N.Y.
I don't have one most effective, but several. The demo displays around the store
seem to get customers interacting with
the product and normally result in sales
that day. We have a Blade Scout display
with demo; HO layout; Thomas & Friends
wooden railway play table; Traxxas 1:16
Rally Car, Summit, Mustang and Ken Block
Rally; SCX 1:32 digital slot car demo track;
and R/C flight simulator. All of these can be
demonstrated in the store. The Revell end
cap display that shows all the new models
for that month allows the customers to
look at what's new without having to look
through all the plastic models. Normally
when a new R/C vehicle comes out, I set it
on the display case for a week. The same
W RTH
MORO
E THAN
30
RETAIL0
!
$
"I face as much product as possible," says Jeph Coppley, ZNZ
Hobbies, Lexington, N.C. "I treat
all shelves and walls as endcap
displays." Visit www.ModelRetailer.
com to read more of his response.
goes for R/C planes and boats. I think the
more "hands on" you allow the customer
to be with products, the better your sales
are.
Chris Bercaw
Phil's Hobby Shop
Defiance, Ohio
The big pile of helis in the center of the
floor, and the fact that I land an mCX2 on
that pile daily. It sells a heli 95% of the
time.
Wes Turnbull
R/C Pitstop
Langley, B.C.
We moved our HobbyTown logo knives to
the checkout stand for impulse buys and
saw a big spike in sales of these items.
Tim Foster
HobbyTown USA
College Station, Texas
Win this Losi Mini 8ight 4WD
brushless buggy in our next
quarterly drawing. All you have
to do is participate in the What’s
Selling survey. E-mail Jenny
Maaske at jmaaske@modelretailer.com or call 262-796-8776 ext.
260 for more information.
Congratulations
Clarence Ragland of
ABC Fly Before You Buy
Hobby in Lockport, N.Y.
He received a Tamiya 1:10
Sand Rover off-road car.
Thanks to all the retailers
who returned the survey!
26
MOD • 04/01/2012 • 2C • 1/12
Boaters everywhere have come to rely on Octura Models for
the best RC Model Power Boating needs such as:
PROPELLERS - METAL & PLASTIC
MOTOR MOUNTS
UNIVERSALS
RUDDERS
THRUST BEARINGS
STRUDDERS
WATER PICK-UPS
DRIVE DOGS
PROP SHAFTS
TAIL NUTS
PROP BALANCER
STRUTS
FLEXIBLE SHAFT HARDWARE & MORE
Why spend more for less...insist on
genuine Octura Model Marine Supplies!
OCTURA® MODELS, Inc.
7351 N. Hamlin Ave. • Skokie, IL 60076 • (847) 674-7351 • FAX (847) 674-7363
WE SELL DEALER DIRECT
Missing these titles in your store?
FineScale Railroader Special Issues
3 issues/year
US $19.99
CN $23.99
6 issues/year
4 issues/year
US $6.95
CN $8.25
US $13.50
CN $13.50
P16032
Contact us to start carrying these magazines
Phone: 1-800-558-1544
Monday – Friday, 8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. CST. Outside the
United States and Canada call 262-796-8776, ext. 818.
Fax: 262-798-6592
Email: tss@kalmbach.com
27
What’s selling: RADIO CONTROL
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Accessories
RC Pitstop
Langley, B.C.
Wraith
Axial
mQX
Blade
Aeroboat Water Jet
NQD
Anything for the Axial Wraith
Various makes
Bandit's Hobbies
Darlington, S.C.
TEN-SCTE Short Course Truck
Losi
P-51 Mustang PTS RTF
Hangar 9
Widowmaker BL RTR
Pro Boat
LiPo batteries, chargers
Nexxus, Imex
Phil's Hobby Shop
Defiance, Ohio
Slash
Traxxas
Scout CX
Blade
Impulse 31 Deep-V BL RTR
Pro Boat
Surface and air radios
Spektrum
Redline Hobby Ltd.
Regina, Sask.
Revo
Traxxas
Electric helicopters
Various makes
No trend
2.4GHz radios
Spektrum
ZNZ Hobbies
Lexington, N.C.
Slash
Traxxas
Scout CX
Blade
No trend
Batteries
Various makes
RC Hobbies Plus
Lafayette, Ind.
Stampede 4x4
Traxxas
mQX
Blade
Rio
AquaCraft
2.4GHz radios
Spektrum
Turn 4 Hobbies
West Boylston, Mass.
T-Maxx, Slash 4x4, Stampede 4x4
Traxxas
mSR X, Scout CX, Champ
Blade, HobbyZone
No trend
LiPo batteries, Onyx chargers
Duratrax
HobbyTown USA
Dominus 10SC RTR
Helion
Ultra-Micro MD 500D CX 100
Ares
No trend
NiMH batteries
Venom
River Eagle Hobbies
Boonville, Mo.
Stampede
Traxxas
mCX2
Blade
No trend
Parts
Various makes
Loose Caboose Hobbies
Napa, Calif.
No trend
CX2
Blade
Zig Zag Racer
HobbyZone
Blade CX2 batteries
E-flite
HobbyTown USA
Sioux Falls, S.D.
Slash, Rustler, Stampede
Traxxas
Super Cub
HobbyZone
Blast
Traxxas
Various items
Traxxas, Duratrax, Futaba, Integy
Don's Hobby Shop
Bothwell, Wash.
Lightning EPX PRO Drift Car
Redcat Racing
No trend
Blast
Traxxas
Servos
Savox
ABC Fly Before You Buy Hobby
Lockport, N.Y.
T-Maxx
Traxxas
SuperStar 40
Hobbico
No trend
No trend
Train Town Toy & Hobby
Ashland, Va.
No trend
Super Cub
HobbyZone
No trend
Heli parts
E-flite
location
manufacturer
manufacturer
manufacturer
manufacturer
HORIZON HOBBY DIST INC
MOD • 04/01/2012 • 4C • 1/3 H
Lists are based on retailer reports of hot-selling items in each category. Survey was taken in February.
A Blade-Quality Experience
for Just 50 Bucks!
Blade‰ Scout CX™ Heli (BLH2700)
•
•
•
•
Just $49.99
Designed by Blade heli experts
2.4GHz control and heading hold gyro
Easy enough for anyone to fly
Put one of the season’s hottest sellers to work on
your bottom line. Call your Horizon Hobby Sales
representative right away at 800-553-5551.
Designed, Built and Backed.
Horizon Hobby is a world leader in
innovative RC fun. Every one of our products is backed by unbeatable service and technical support that lets you sell with complete confidence.
© 2012 Horizon Hobby, Inc. Blade, Scout CX and the
Horizon Hobby logo are trademarks or registered
trademarks of Horizon Hobby, Inc. 35986.T
28
Back in Stock
Scan with your
Smart Phone
for more Informaton
www.TamiyaUSA.com 36 Discovery Suite #200 Irvine, CA 92618 800-826-4922
MODEL RAILROADING
by JENNY MAASKE
locomotives
HO EMD GP38-2 diesel Athearn
All new tooling! This model features new
single-speed 48-inch “Q” fans, a Nathan
P-3 horn and operating headlights using
microbulbs. Models with sound are
$279.98; without sound, $179.98. Delivery
is expected in November.
interior window blinds. Versions include a
dome-style car ($79.99), non-dome style,
($74.99) and 11-car set ($799.99). August
arrival is expected.
N EMC Gas Electric Doodlebug with Trailer coach Bachmann
New from Bachmann’s Spectrum line is a
DCC-equipped Doodlebug with a trailer
coach, featuring a dual-mode, NMRA-compliant decoder; precision can motor with
flywheel drive; and E-Z Mate Mark II magnetic couplers. Available paint schemes
include an unlettered version (No. 81465),
Baltimore & Ohio (No. 81466), Boston &
Maine (No. 81467), Maryland & Pennsylvania (No. 81468), Seaboard (No. 81469)
and New York Central (No. 81470). MSRP
is $250.
operation; Bühler motor; 6 electrical pickups; a smoke generator; headlights that
change over automatically with the direction of travel; and a locomotive engineer
figure. Available from Walthers.
Ho, N PPTX F89-J flatcar BLMA
This new model features accurate details
for pipe hauling and is available in 10
road numbers. N-scale models ($28.95)
are equipped with body-mounted MicroTrains couplers. HO-scale models ($39.95)
have Kadee No. 156 couplers. Delivery is
expected in the fourth quarter of 2012.
HO GE ES44AC Diesel InterMountain Railway Co.
HO Pennsylvania M1a/b 4-8-2
steam locomotive New fictional paint schemes on this model
include Chessie System, Chicago & North
Western, Great Northern, New York & Central, Southern, and Western Pacific. Two
road numbers are available per road name.
Standard DC models are $179.95; with
SoundTraxx DCC, $259.95. August/September arrival is expected.
Broadway limited imports
Broadway is offering the M1a/b in Paragon2 for the first time with full sound, DC,
DCC and autopilot. Six road numbers and
two unlettered versions are available, with
delivery expected in July. MSRP is $399.99.
Rolling stock
G 0-4-0T PORTER STEAM
LOCOMOTIVE
LGB
This detailed and weatherproof model
(No. 426-24771, $349.98) features a factory-installed, multi-train control system
decoder onboard for analog and digital
30
N Flatcar with two trailers
Atlas Model Railroad Co.
New paint schemes include Canadian
National (Nos. 37607, 37608), Cotton Belt
(Nos. 37609, 37610), New York Central
(Nos. 37611, 37612), Northern Pacific (Nos.
37613, 37614), Rock Island (Nos. 37615,
37616), and Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe
(Nos. 37617, 37618). Standard models are
$19.95; undecorated, $14.95. Arrival is
expected in the second quarter of 2012.
HO california Zephyr passenger cars
N freight, passenger cars
Broadway limited imports
Micro-Trains line
These cars feature detailed interiors with
lighting, prototype-specific details and
New cars include a paired-window, 78-foot
heavyweight coach car lettered for Great
october 11 & 12 [ Trade ] • october 13 & 14 [ Trade & Consumer ]
The I-X Center • Cleveland, OH
2012
“The Cleveland area has always been a HoTBED oF MoDELing anD HoBBy aCTiViTy. The opportunity to
display and demonstrate our products to consumers and retailers in a new region of the country is very exciting.”
—BiLL JERiC, LoSi DiViSion oF HoRizon HoBBy
DiD you know:
» There are MoRE HoBBy SHoPS wiTHin a 100-MiLE RaDiuS oF
CLEVELanD than there are surrounding Chicago?
» Hotel and restaurant CoSTS aRE ExPECTED To BE aT LEaST
20% LowER than in Rosemont?
» The i-x Center is CLoSE To THE aiRPoRT and
10 minutes from downtown Cleveland, which has
gREaT MuSEuMS (including the
Rock & Roll Hall of Fame), and is
EaSiLy REaCHaBLE By CaR from metro areas
like Pittsburgh, Buffalo, Detroit, and Chicago?
» SEE oVER 300 DiSPLayS of “nEw”radio control,
model railroad, plastics & die cast, toy, and general
hobby products.
» Source products for
CHiLDREn anD aDuLTS
oF aLL agES anD SkiLL
LEVELS.
» attend valuable
EDuCaTionaL
SEMinaRS to help you
increase sales.
» nETwoRk with your
industry peers.
» MEET FuTuRE HoBBy
EnTHuSiaSTS—
more than 20,000 in 2011!
To secure your preferred exhibit Space,
email boothsales@iHobbyExpo.com
To receive attendee registration information call:
877-To-Hobby
or visit www.iHobbyExpo.com
“with proximity to more hobby
retailers, a brand new
consumer base, and
a facility with room
to gRow, Bachmann
is excited about the move to
Cleveland. we’re signed up and
ready to go for iHobby 2012!”
—Doug BLainE,
BaCHMann TRainS
MODEL RAILROADING
ExactRail’s all-new P-S 5344 boxcar is available in Rock Island; Bangor & Aroostook;
Minneapolis, Northfield & Southern Railway; Milwaukee Road; Sandersville; and
Texas Mexican Railway paint schemes for
$38.95. Six road numbers per scheme. An
undecorated kit is available for $32.95.
electronics
Northern (No. 14500020, $22.70) and
Pennsylvania (No. 14500050, $24.30); a
Missouri Pacific/Union Pacific two-bay
Centerflow hopper (No. 09200270, $27.35);
a Chesapeake & Ohio 40-foot standard
boxcar (No. 07300130, $17.85); a Soo Line
50-foot rib side boxcar (No. 02700340,
$21.90); and an Atchison, Topeka & Santa
Fe bay-window caboose (No. 1300100,
$36.55).
32
ho 16-bit universal DCC decoders
model rectifier Corp.
HO P-S 5344 Boxcar Exactrail
MRC has released six 16-bit sound decoders, each with one specific prime mover
sound, two bells and four horns. Offerings
include EMD 645E (No. 0001611), EMD 645
(No. 0001612), EMD 710 (No. 0001613),
Alco 244 (No. 0001614), Alco 539T (No.
0001615) and EMD 567 (No. 0001616).
Each is $64.98.
Structures
scenery
HO Sceniking roll Outs
BPH Enterprises
New from BPH Enterprises, SceniKing Roll
Outs are 1-piece photo-backdrop scenes
printed on non-glare, 24-lb. paper. Twelve
scenes are available; 10 of the scenes link
to other scenes and four connect to themselves. MSRP is $49.95.
vehicles
1:43 Coca Cola 125th anniversary trucks
atlas O
Offerings include a Kenworth T300 beverage truck (No. 820006, $19.99) and Peterbilt 387 long hauler (No. 820007, $24.99).
Both models have interior cab details and
rolling rubber wheels. Delivery is expected
in the second quarter of 2012.
Accessories
HO Hickson Depot Monroe models
This laser-cut wood kit (No. 2210, $44.95) is
based on a Milwaukee Road prototype and
includes peel-and-stick trim and shingles, a
cast chimney, a train-order signal, and station and advertising
signs.
BLAIR
LINE
MOD • 04/01/2012 • 2C • 1/12
E-mail Jenny at jmaaske@modelretailer.com.
Unless otherwise indicated, contact information for all companies mentioned can be
found in Model Retailer’s Hobby Industry
Directory at www.ModelRetailer.com.
CALIFORNIA HOBBY
MOD • 3/1/12 • 2C • 1/12
California
Hobby Distributors
102 years of our family serving yours...
Over 200 lines including:
Revell, Estes, Testors, Woodland Scenics,
Midwest Wood, K & S, Plastruct, Mascot,
Excel, Zona, Guillows, Novus Polishing
Products, Hobby Gear, Modelcraft Tools,
Academy, MRC, Kato, Bachmann, Minicraft, Alpha Precision
Tools, Flex-I-File, Atlantis Model Co., Moebius BLMA, Atlas,
Details West, Floquil, Tamiya…We are your supplier not your
competitor & support brick & mortar stores only.
No minimum requirements!
.calhobbydist.
www
com
415 South Palm • Alhambra, CA 91803
Go to our website for new
P: 800-242-4440
GARGRAVES TRACKAGE
CORP
dealer information
- sign up for our
monthly
& specials!!!
F: 626-289-3882
MOD • 12/01/2011 • 2C newsletter
• 1/6 H
HO texture sheets
Noch GMBH & Co.
Noch’s laser-cut cardboard-texture sheets
($19.99) can be used as roofing or flooring
material. Offerings include old roofing tile
(shown, No. 56002), Spanish tile roof (No.
56004), old wood shingles (No. 56006),
slate roof (No. 56010), corrugated Eternit
(No. 56012), slate (No. 56102), brick wall
(No. 56104), and cobble square in brown
(No. 56202) and gray (No. 56204). Prices to
be announced.
33
What’s selling: model railroading
?
We are devoting one of our store windows
to a "theme window" each month, rotating
all engines and buildings, etc. This seems
to get better interest and attention than
mixing things in the window.
Bill Longcor
Feels Like Home LLC
Newton, N.J.
We redid our counter area by putting the
Woodland Scenics buildings on an upper
shelf, which is very visible now, and it
has drawn much interest and praise from
customers. We also rearranged an area to
show all the new arrivals, which also has
created interest. I don't know if this is a
contributing factor, but our sales from the
Christmas season have continued — track,
buildings, people and vehicles.
Dennis J. Stephen
Ye Olde Train & Christmas Shoppe
Boyertown, Pa.
WIN THIS PRIZE!
A space at the front counter to display
things like craft knives, Lego mini figures,
Silly Putty, small puzzles, brushes, baseball
cards, marbles and the latest model kit. It
could be the most important part of the
store. If you don't have space by your cash
register, make room! You won't regret it.
Roy Ballard
Napa, Calif.
Ongoing building projects in HO and
three-rail O-gauge layouts.
Donald Johnson
Don's Hobby Shop
Bothwell, Wash.
My best success has been having the items
located in areas that the customer can see
well. I have a small store, so I need to make
the best of my display area. I have the
newest items out front or on the wall. This
“A four-tier train window display,"
said Jim Donlon of Train Town Toy
& Hobby, Ashland, Va. Visit www.
ModelRetailer.com to read his and
other retailer responses.
has worked well for me.
Allen Fenton
Al's Trains & Hobby
Bedford, Ohio
Having operating layouts in the store has
been the best advertising tool. We can
show people how to operate and do scenery. We can highlight products by changing up what we put on the layouts, even
change for the seasons.
Colleen Dobie
The Doll House & Train Emporium
Port Hope, Ont.
Using arrow tags on new arrival and sale
items. They stand out and customers are
drawn to them.
Mike Niedzalkoski
Niedzalkoski's Train Shop
Jeannette, Pa.
W RTH
MORO
E THAN
30
RETAIL0
!
$
Win 20 Micro-Trains N-scale cars
and two Digitrax HO decoders in
our next quarterly drawing. Just
participate in the What’s Selling
survey. E-mail Jenny Maaske at
jmaaske@modelretailer.com or
call 262-796-8776 ext. 260 for
more information.
Congratulations
James Pentifallo of Ridgefield Hobby Center in
Ridgefield, N.J. He received
an assortment of HO-scale
structures and figures.
Thanks to all the retailers
who returned the survey!
34
MOD • 02/01/2012 • 4C • 1/6 H
EMERY
EMERY stocks the entire line
0/0-27 GAUGE 3 -RAIL Trains
... Best Selection – Prompt Service
CALL
FOR DEALER
PRICING
EXCLUSIVE
CUSTOM RUN
FLATCAR w/load
IN STOCK NOW
Features:
Family owned since 1962
• APPROX. 12 IN. LONG
• TRUE O-SCALE dimensions
• 4 Different Flatcar ROADNUMBERS
• Removable BEEP bodyshell load
• YOUR CHOICE BEEP shell from available RRs
• DIECAST METAL TRUCKS/COUPLERS
NEW ACCOUNTS WELCOME • Separate BEEPeople Standing Figure
3800 GLOVER RD. • EASTON, PA 18040
PHONE: 610.258.3651 OR 800.221.6178
VISIT WEBSITE FOR MORE INFO + COLOR PHOTOS
www.emerydistributors.com
FAX: 610.258.7736 OR 866.591.6029
CMW HOLDINGS LTD.
MOD • 03/01/2012 • 4C • 1/6 H
ATLAS MODEL RAILROAD COMPANY
MOD • 04/01/2012 • 4C • 1/2 H
ATLAS MASTER® O 40’ 1937 AAR DOUBLE-DOOR BOX CAR
Cotton Belt
CP Rail*
Great Northern
New York Central*
AN
Chicago and North Western
-O
R
D
ER
Baltimore & Ohio*
NOUNCEMEN
T
PLACE YOUR PRE-ORDERS TODAY!
The Atlas Master O scale 40’ 1937 AAR Double-Door Box Car features prototypical painting
and printing, wire grab irons, die-cast ladders, weighted chassis, etched metal roofwalk, and
Bettendorf trucks.
R
E
Available in 2-Rail and 3-Rail. Two road numbers available per road name.
P
www.atlaso.com/o1937aarboxcardd4.htm
*CSX Licensed Product. Products bearing Chicago & North Western
(CNW) or Cotton Belt (SSW) marks are made under trademark
license from Union Pacific Railroad Co.
Atlas Model Railroad Co., Inc. • www.atlaso.com
35
What’s selling: MODEL RAILROADING
Store
Scale
Locomotives
Rolling Stock
Accessories
Bandit's Hobbies
Darlington, S.C.
HO scale
N scale
Other
Atlas NRE Genset
Life-Like E8/9 locomotive sets
MTH SD60MAC diesels
Athearn 50-foot FMC boxcars
InterMountain Frito Lay 3-bay hoppers
MTH, Lionel boxcars
Walthers Cornerstone buildings
Bachmann E-Z Track
MTH, Lionel track
Hobby Depot
Tempe, Ariz.
HO scale
N scale
Other
Athearn SD45
No trend
No trend
Athearn ATSF boxcars
No trend
No trend
Atlas Flextrack
Bachmann E-Z Track
Lionel O and O-27 track
The Doll House & Train Emp.
Port Hope, Ont.
HO scale
N scale
Other
Kato CP AC4400
Kato SD70, C-630
Lionel CN S2/4
Athearn CN 40-foot reefer
Atlas tank cars, InterMountain hoppers
Lionel CP flatcar with pipe load
Athearn UPS tractors and trailers
UPS box vans
LGB track, Lionel FasTrack
Niedzalkoski's Train Shop
Jeannette, Pa.
HO scale
N scale
Other
Athearn SW1500
Atlas VO-1000
Lionel SD70M-2
ExactRail Evans boxcars
Athearn bay-window caboose
MTH Civil War cars
Xuron tools
Kato Unitrak
Midwest cork roadbed
Napa, Calif.
HO scale
N scale
Other
Atlas Genset
Bachmann Plymouth Switcher
Lionel O-27 4-4-2
Mantua Classics freight cars
Flatcars
AMS Jackson & Sharp cars
Grand Central Gems Redwood trees
Norscot Mini CAT Dump Truck
Mike's Trains & Hobbies light bulbs
Phil's Hobby Shop
Defiance, Ohio
HO scale
N scale
Other
Bachmann GP7
Kato
Williams O-scale GP39, Dash 9
Walthers 23,000-gallon tank cars
Micro-Trains boxcars
Atlas boxcars
Woodland Scenics
Bachmann E-Z Track
Lionel FasTrack
Train Town Toy & Hobby
Ashland, Va.
HO scale
N scale
Other
Athearn GP40
Atlas GP9
MTH, Williams
Bachmann
Bachmann
Lionel hoppers
Model Power buildings
Model Power buildings
MTH buildings
Kelly's Kaboose, The Railway Store
Kamloops, B.C.
HO scale
N scale
Other
Bowser C-630
Atlas
3rd Rail/Sunset Models CPR D10
True Line Trains, Athearn
InterMountain
MTH cars
Atlas track
Atlas track
Lionel FasTrack
Ye Olde Train & Christmas Shoppe
Boyertown, Pa.
HO scale
N scale
Other
Athearn Genesis
Kato, Atlas
Weaver steam engines
Athearn, Atlas
Micro-Trains
MTH, Weaver, Atlas
Woodland Scenics figures, buildings
Woodland Scenics Auto Scenes, buildings
Woodland Scenics O-scale buildings
AAA Hobbies
Magnolia, N.J.
HO scale
N scale
Other
Bachmann
Atlas
No trend
Model Power
Bachmann
No trend
Model Power
Bar Mills
No trend
Al's Trains & Hobby
Bedford, Ohio
HO scale
N scale
Other
Kato, Athearn
Kato, Bachmann, Model Power
No trend
Bachmann, Walthers
Micro-Trains, Bachmann
No trend
Atlas, Walthers Cornerstone buildings
Walthers Cornerstone buildings
No trend
Don's Hobby Shop
Bothwell, Wash.
HO scale
N scale
Other
Atlas
Bachmann Spectrum
Bachmann Thomas the Tank Engine
Mantua cars
Micro-Trains
USA Trains four-bay Centerflow hopper
Atlas track
Atlas track
Track
location
MARKLIN INC
Lists are based on retailer reports of hot-selling items in MOD
each category.
Survey•was
• 04/01/2012
4Ctaken
• 1/3inHFebruary.
Building Customer Loyalty is Easy with LGB
Getting — and keeping — customers is vital, a job made easier when you stock and sell LGB
trains and accessories. Perfect for first-time buyers looking for durability and value, LGB is a fan
favorite with serious modelers and collectors, too! Offering everything from complete starter
sets to indoor-outdoor track (perfect for garden railways and a great source of Summer sales),
LGB has exactly what you need to
bring customers to your store.
Available to retailers exclusively in
North America from Walthers,
call us today at 1-800-877-7171
for more ideas on how to build
customer loyalty with LGB!
"Bluebonnet" F7A (#426-20576) with
matching F7B (#426-20586) loco, each sold separately.
www.walthers.com/lgb
36
Walthers is the exclusive distributor in North America for LGB, Märklin and Trix products. ©2012 Märklin, Inc.
For product availability and updates, please visit walthers.com.
MODELS
BY Jenny MaAske
aircraft
fighter based on the Soviet-designed Sukhoi Si-27 and incorporates various Chinese
modifications to the airframe, in addition
to the inclusion of Chinese avionics and
weaponry. This kit (No. 01662, $35.95) consists of more than 100 parts and is available from Stevens International.
cars & Trucks
contains more than 630 parts on 12 sprues
plus the hull and deck, a metal chain, and
photo-etched handrails and deck details.
An SH-60J helicopter and MSC-681 minesweeper are included. Available from Stevens International.
1:72 Grumman J2F-6 Duck
Airfix
Used by every branch of the United States
armed forces from before WWII to just
after, the J2F Duck was a rugged and
dependable utility floatplane. It could carry
bombs, act as a transport, and be used for
photo-reconnaissance and rescues. This kit
(Prod. No. A03031, MSRP $11.99) contains
68 parts and is available in the U.S. from
Hornby America.
1:700 Seta/Hira IJN gunboats 1:25 Meyers “Manx” dune buggy
AOshima
AMT/Round 2
This kit (No. 045473, $32.95) includes parts
to build two complete models, one each of
the IJN gunboats Seta and Hira. Available
from Dragon Models USA.
The Meyers Manx Dune Buggy can be built
four different ways and is packaged in a recreation of the original box art. The kit (No.
AMT651, $22.99) includes a reproduction
of the bonus cardboard display stand that
came with the first issue of the kit.
1:72 Apollo 10
CSM + LM + LES
1:144 Braniff INternational 747-127 “Flying colors”
Dragon
Dragon
Part of Dragon’s new Project Cutaway line,
this prepainted model comes as a handful
of separate parts that can be assembled in
minutes. The cockpit, wings and engines
feature cutaway sections displaying the
interior details of the plane. This kit (No.
DRP47011, $99.95) includes a display stand
and is available from Dragon Models USA.
1:25 Dirty Donny’s Vantasy
AMT/Round 2
This 1970 Chevy van kit (No. AMT691,
$20.99) is molded in white and features
five different mural options, custom parts
and a bonus Car Kulture Deluxe magazine
article reprint on Dirty Donny Gillies.
ships
1:72 Chinese J-11B Fighter 1:350 JMSDF Murasame
Destroyer
Trumpeter
Trumpeter
The J-11B is a single-seat, twin-engine jet
New tooling! This kit (No. 04537, $79.95)
38
spacecraft
Dragon’s latest spacecraft kit (No. DRA11003,
$44.95) represents key
components of the
Apollo 10 mission — the
LM, CM and nosecone
of the rocket. The transparent cone allows modelers to see the LM
installed inside. A display stand is included.
Imported by Dragon Models USA.
1:144 Space
Shuttle Airfix
The Space Shuttle is the
first orbital spacecraft
designed for reuse. It carries different payloads to
low Earth orbit and provides crew rotation for
the International Space
Station (ISS). This kit (No. A10170, $49.99)
includes parts and decals for seven differ-
ent versions with multiple names. Available from Hornby America.
armor
transport vehicle that can carry up to
eight fully equipped troops. This kit (No.
80-3093, $26.95) is modeled in the driving
position. Features include a detailed chassis, movable FLW 200 weapons platform
with optional 12.7mm machine guns and a
40mm machine grenade launcher, a movable driver’s hatch and four decal options.
$29.99) includes an
alternate head so
modelers have the
option to build the
figure in Beatles or
Sgt. Pepper personas. Also available
are Paul McCartney
(No. POL857), George
Harrison (POL858),
and Ringo Starr (No.
POL859).
accessories
1:35 Jagdpanzer IV L/70(V) Aug 1944 Production with Zimmerit Dragon
This model of the Jagdpanzer IV L/70(V)
(No. DRA6589, $54.95) features a newly
tooled superstructure molded with Zimmerit, newly tooled fenders with Zimmerit,
and a newly tooled rear plate with spare
tracks and a detailed exhaust pipe. Available from Dragon Models USA.
1:35 Israeli M51 tank
Tamiya
Tamiya’s Military Miniature Series Israeli
M51 tank (No. 35323, $65) features an
accurately reproduced 105mm gun, bustle
counterweight and muzzle brake, and realistic HVSS suspension and T80 tracks. The
kit includes commander and loader figures
and three types of markings.
pop culture
1:8 The Beatles Yellow
Submarine John Lennon
Universal Dome Base Display
Stand Polar Lights/
Round 2
Now available
is a Universal
Dome Base (No.
MKA006, $6.99)
suitable for
displaying most
medium and small aircraft and spaceship
models. The PVC dome base supports a
sturdy metal rod, which can be inserted
directly into a model or attached to the
included ball joint to allow the model to
be angled as desired.
Polar Lights/round 2
Modelers and Beatles fans can build this
John Lennon figure in 30 minutes or less!
The pieces are prepainted and ready for
1:35 GTK Boxer (GTFZ)
assembly. Styrene-compatible model
Revell
cement is required. The kit (No. POL860,
The 2011 Boxer is a motorized armored
MOEBIUS MODELS
MOD • 03/01/2012 • 4C • 1/6 H
ROUND 2 LLC
MOD • 04/01/2012 • BW • 1/12
Look for our
incomparable
value added
programs!
®
USS
SKIPJACK
SSN-585
1/72 scale
plastic asSembly model kit
customerservice@moebiusmodels.com 386-734-3599
©2012 Moebius Models, P.O. Box 229372, Glenwood, FL 32722.
Extras. Exclusives.
Reproductions. Art Prints.
round2models.com
39
DIE-CAST
BY JENNY MAASKE
Cars & Trucks
comes with a rear trailer oversize load billboard sign, chains and a newly-designed
yacht load with a boat cradle. Available
from b2bReplicas.
model (No. 5557-2, $22.98) comes with the
aircraft’s history and a display stand.
1:25 1970 Plymouth Barracuda 1:64 County Roads Series 7
First Gear
greenlight collectibles
This die-cast replica of the 1970 Plymouth Barracuda (Prod. No. 40-0264, MSRP
$49.95) features opening doors, posable
front wheels, an opening hood with complete 426 Hemi engine detail and an opening rear hatch with spare tire.
County Roads Series 7 includes a 1969
Chevy C-10; 1969 Dodge Charger Daytona;
Boone County, Mo., Sheriff’s Dept. 1975
Dodge Monaco; McMurphy Lawn Care
1977 Chevrolet G20 Van; 1991 Ford Mustang 5.0 with racing stripes; and Kikmiller
Construction 2011 Ford Explorer. The cars
retail for $4.99–$5.99 (No. 29730).
1:400 Virgin Galactic Spaceshiptwo IDT Jets
IDT Jets’ replica of the Virigin Galactic
SpaceShipTwo suborbital space system
(No. VG0400, $45) features detailed printed
graphics, landing gear and a display stand
with the Virgin Galactic logo. For more
information, call (732) 200-0330 or email
galactic@idtjets.com.
1:43 Bentley S1 Continental Fastback
Oxford diecast
The Bentley S1 Continental Fastback was
introduced in April 1955, but Oxford’s version (No. BCF001, $20.95) is based on a car
launched in 1956. The bodywork features
the famous Mulliner Fastback styling in
shell gray with a black interior.
1:43 Iveco Glider Cab Eligor
The Iveco Glider has numerous fuel-saving
features, including an energy-recovery
system built into the exhaust, photovoltaic cells on the roof and an extra-sleek
exterior. This replica (No. 114404, $130)
includes working front and rear lights and
is available from b2bReplicas.
aircraft
1:400 AL-1 Airborne Laser Dragon wings
1:163 B-24D ‘Sub Hunter’
1:64 Peterbilt 379 Tractor with lowboy trailer and yacht load Diecast promotions
This unique offering (No. 32605, $79.99)
40
Model power
The Consolidated B-24D Liberator was a
long-range bomber that reached a top
speed of 290 mph, and was armed with
ten 12.7-mm machine guns. This die-cast
This replica (No. DRW56346, $39.95)
depicts the prototype that first flew in
2002. The aircraft features the requisite
USAF markings, as well as the massive
nose-mounted turret housing the laser.
Available from Dragon Models USA.
Armor
bright yellow bands. Markings on the
hull suggest this tank was sponsored by
members of the Japanese public, with the
characters translate to “patriotic.” Available
from Dragon Models USA.
Spacecraft
1:400 AriAne 5G with Launch
Pad
Dragon wings
1:72 IJA Type 97 “Chi-Ha” early
production, co. 4, 34th tank
regiment, north china 1945
Dragon Armor
Dragon’s early production variant of
the Japanese Type 97 Chi-Ha tank (No.
DRR60432, $29.95) has a camouflage
scheme consisting of three colors and
The Ariane 5G is the European Space
Agency’s (ESA) primary space rocket. This
detailed replica (No. DRW56230, $29.95)
includes a launch pad for easy display and
is available from Dragon Models USA.
KPC
MOD • 4/1/12 • 4C • 1/2 H
Enthusiasts For Life
M O D E L R A I L R OA D E R ’ S H O W -TO G U I D E
Rebuilding a Layout
from A-Z
Building a better layout the second time around
Rebuild a layout
with Pelle Søeborg
Pelle Søeborg completely reconstructed his Daneville model railroad with dramatic results.
Now he shares the lessons he learned along the way in Rebuilding a Layout from A to Z.
Pelle K. Søeborg
#12464 • $21.95
How-to instructions and detailed photographs guide hobbyists through benchwork, laying track,
scenery, and more. Practical tips on adding sound-deadening roadbed, creating a photographic
backdrop, and scratchbuilding trackside industries can be applied to any enthusiast’s layout.
P15950
Make sure you have this title in stock! Contact your distributor or order direct:
Phone: 1-800-558-1544, press 3 • Monday – Friday, 8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. CST. Outside the United States and Canada
call 262-796-8776, ext. 818 Fax: 262-798-6592 E-mail: tss@kalmbach.com Trade Website: Retailers.Kalmbach.com
Mail: Kalmbach Publishing Co. 21027 Crossroads Circle P.O. Box 986 Waukesha, WI 53187-0986
41
What’s selling: models/DIE-CAST
?
Building a display of The Walking Dead
graphic novels and board games timed
to the premier of the first two seasons
of The Walking Dead television series. We
sold several hundred dollars of product off
those displays.
Scott Thorne
Castle Perilous Games
Carbondale, Ill.
I display new kits with aftermarket decals,
detailing sets and related reference books
in my "new release" section. I usually tape
the decals to the kit and use a book easel
to display reference materials.
Gary Emery
Hill Country Hobby
San Antonio, Texas
The endcaps on our plastics department
shelving. We have a great number of discontinued model kits in stock that seem
WIN THIS PRIZE!
to always get overlooked. We have found
that by moving these kits to the endcaps,
we can feature these old models and it
has resulted in additional sales. We rotate
the models every week or so to keep the
modelers' interest piqued. Since we have
been doing this, one comment we often
hear from a customer is, "When did these
model kits come in?" When we tell them
they came in sometime back in 1995, they
don't believe us.
Bryan Howle
Bandit's Hobbies
Darlington, S.C.
One thing always works: the old merchandise shell game! Keep moving items
around the store, changing location, angle,
position in relation to other items, and
lighting. Watch the customers say, "Wow!
New stuff!" no matter how long it's been
there. Try not to chuckle as your cash
W RTH
MORO
E THAN
40
RETAIL0
!
$
“Put as much as you can by the
door!” said William Romanowski of
AAA Hobbies, Magnolia, N.J. Visit
www.ModelRetailer.com to read
his and other retailer responses.
register says "ching" and everything old
becomes new again. Now, if I could only
follow that ball under the red Solo cup on
the street corner.
Carl Dann
Smoky Mountain Trader
Cleveland, Ga.
Two years ago I created a dedicated 4-foot
bookcase section with pegboard backing and put all NASA and space-related
items together. All kits are faced out and
interwoven with books and die-cast. This
has created great revenue and an excellent impulse area. We have more than 100
items total. Space is the "in" thing now,
with the anniversary reissues and the
5-foot Dragon Saturn V kit.
Paul Scopetski
The Spare Time Shop
Marlboro, Mass.
You can win 12 plastic tank and
armor models our next quarterly
drawing. All you have to do is
participate in the What’s Selling
survey. E-mail Jenny Maaske at
jmaaske@modelretailer.com or
call 262-796-8776 ext. 260 for
more information.
Congratulations
Michael Magee of Hub City
Hobby LLC in Hattiesburg,
Miss. He received eight
plastic model kits from
Trumpeter. Thanks to all
the retailers who returned
the survey!
42
2012 TRAVEL INCENTIVE PROGRAM
YOU CAN GET 100% OF YOUR TRAVEL PAID....ASK HOW!
Custom travel program designed just for you!
Up to 2 nights at a local hotel and we'll take you to dinner...on us!
Free freight on your purchases at the time of visit!
Special payment programs!
Why visit us?
Our huge warehouse inventory. Products and brands never seen before!
Significantly increase your sales & customer base by adding more variety!
Informative personnel to guide you to the best selling product lines!
We are an hour from the Jersey beaches and Atlantic City casinos!
And 20 minutes from historical Philadelphia. Stay a little longer & enjoy!
Come visit and shop with us!
Contact our office to confirm your dates and we'll do the rest.
IMPORTERS AND DISTRIBUTORS OF HOBBY SPECIALTIES
WHITE HORSE PIKE & MARION AVE., MAGNOLIA, NJ 08049
PHONE: 800-922-0758 FAX: 800-435-1554 E-MAIL: INFO@STEVENSHOBBY.COM
Visit our website www.stevenshobby.com for complete listings
What’s selling: Models/Die-Cast
Store
Vehicles
Aircraft
Ships/Die-Cast
Accessories
The Spare Time Shop
Marlboro, Mass.
1:35 M1070 HET
HobbyBoss
1:72 Handley Page Halifax
Revell
Shuttles, rockets
Dragon Wings
Natural metal finish
Alclad
Napa, Calif.
1:35 models
Tamiya
1:48 F6F Hellcat
Revell
Green Lantern
Moebius Models
Styrene sheet
Evergreen
Uncle Bill's Hobby
Calgary, Alta.
1:35 M1 Super Sherman
Tamiya
1:48 T-6A Texan II
Ibex
1:350 Yamato
Tamiya
Glue
Tamiya
CRM Hobbies
St. Louis, Mo.
1:35 Israeli M51
Tamiya
1:48 PV-1 Ventura
Revell
HMS Warspite
Academy
Sanding sticks
CRM
Hill Country Hobby
San Antonio, Texas
1:25 Meyers Manx Dune Buggy
AMT
1:48 T-6A Texan II
Ibex
1:35 Vosper Motor Torpedo Boat
Italeri
Paint, primer, pigments
Acrylicos Vallejo
AAA Hobby Supply
Marietta, Ga.
1:35 T-90
Zvezda
1:48 PV-1 Ventura
Revell
1:72 spacecraft
Dragon
Paint
Tamiya
Hobby Depot
Tempe, Ariz.
1:25 Meyers Manx, 1976 Gremlin
AMT
1:48 PV-1 Ventura
Revell
1:72 Mercury-Redstone rocket
Dragon
Paint
Tamiya, Testors
Bandit's Hobbies
Darlington, S.C.
Paul Goldsmith 1964 Plymouth
Model King/Lindberg
1:32 Messerschmitt Bf 109G-6
Trumpeter
No trend
Paint, glue
Testors
Elm City Hobbies
Hanwell, N.B.
Israeli M51, M1070 HET
Tamiya, HobbyBoss
1:48 PV-1 Ventura
Revell
USS Freedom
Trumpeter
Paint
Acrylicos Vallejo
Smoky Mountain Trader
Cleveland, Ga.
1:25 Tractor Trailer Series
AMT
1:48 B-1B Lancer
Revell
1:1000 Enterprise
AMT
Model Master Liquid Cement
Testors
ZNZ Hobbies
Lexington, N.C.
1:35 Mongoose Rail Dragster
Revell
No trend
No trend
Model Master paint
Testors
Don's Hobby Shop
Bothwell, Wash.
1:72 tanks
Airfix
1:48 SR-71 Blackbird
Testors
Battleships
Various makes
Model Master paint
Testors
HobbyTown USA
Armor
Revell
WWII planes
Revell
No trend
Glue, paint
Testors
Redline Hobby Ltd.
Regina, Sask.
1:16 General Lee
AMT
No trend
Wood ship kits
Billing Boats
Paint
Various makes
location
manufacturer
manufacturer
manufacturer
manufacturer
Lists are based on retailer reports of hot-selling items in each category. Survey was taken in February.
B2BREPLICAS.COM
MOD • 02/01/2012 • 4C • 1/6 H
KPC ADVERTISING ACCOUNT
MOD • 04/01/2012 • 2C • 1/12
Reach
&
grow
qualified retailers
your B2B sales!
Don’t wait, call today!
Paul Steinhafel · 1-888-558-1544, ext. 537
44
HY82489
1:35 Scale French EBR-10 Wheeled
Reconnaissance Vehicle
HY80357
1:48 Scale F8F-1B Bearcat
MMD Directly Imports
Both HobbyBoss and
Trumpeter Products
Profit + Lines
50% Off
TR02291
1:32 Scale Messerschmitt Bf 109E-7
TR04539
1:350 Scale JMSDF Takanami Destroyer
No Minimum Orders
There are no minimums; you
can order as much as you like.
e
Get thes
and
s
t
c
u
d
o
r
fine p
y
b
b
o
h
r
e
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all ot
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i
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n
a
merch
MMD!
1-800-527-0674
Tel: 972-323-0525 Fax: 972-242-3775
e-mail: mmdsales@militarymodel.net
www.militarymodel.net
SLOT CARS
BY Nick Bullock
Sets
sive drop-arm-type guide flag holder. It is
available from Professor Motor dealers in
North America.
American
Speedway
Figure 8
Race Set 16,000 rpm NC-11 motor and is equipped
with the N-Digital chip already installed.
This model is also available for analog
tracks (No. 755034, $54.98). It is available
from Model Rectifier Corp.
Ninco
Equipped with
two 1:32-scale
Z06 GT3 Corvette race cars, this 19-foot
banked circuit (Prod. No. 20147, MSRP
$229.98) measures 101 inches by 33
inches. The cars are built for casual drivers.
The track comes with two 55 Plus hand
controllers, an AC Power Supply, crash barriers and complete bridge supports. It is
available from Model Rectifier Corp.
Cars
Porsche 917K Daytona 1971
Gulf Livery Limited Edition
Two-Car Set Lotus Exige “Vallejo”
NSR
Ninco
This set (No. NSRSET06, $234.99) features
the cars that finished Nos. 1 and 2 in the
1971 Daytona 24 Hours Endurance Racing
Classic. These 1:32-scale cars are presented
in a collector’s edition display box and
each feature 20,000 rpm Shark motors. The
set is available from Professor Motor dealers in North America.
The Lotus Exige “Vallejo” (No. 50540,
$69.98) is small and light-weight, but fast
enough to challenge a racer’s skills. It
includes a 20,000 rpm NC-9 Sparker motor
and anglewinder configuration. It is available from Model Rectifier Corp.
NSR
Audi R18 White, Unpainted Kit Lightning Lamborghini Murcielago Ampres Despite its new high-torque, high-performance Magnetic Effect motor, this kit (No.
NSR1096IL, $86.99) weighs in at only 85
total grams with a decorated body weight
of 17 grams. It also features an inline powertrain configuration with an adjustable
HORNBY
AMERICA
pivoting motor
pod and
an industry exclu-
This 1:32-scale Lamborghini (No. 50592,
$84.98) features low-profile 17.5-by-9mm
front tires and 20-by-10mm rear tires, a
springless guide and a 23,500 rpm NC-12
Crusher+ motor. It is available from Model
Rectifier Corp.
MOD • 04/01/2012 • 2C • 1/12
Ninco
Camaro “SSX” N-Digital Ninco
This slot car version of the new Camaro
(No. 755052, $69.98) joins the Ninco 1 stable of entry level sports cars. It includes a
Always with you in Mind!
WE SHIP FAST! Dealers only!
We Specialize In:
PLASTIC MODELSESTES, TESTORS PAINT
1/24 & 1/32 Scale SLOT CARS
R/C PRODUCTS & CARS
1010 N. Van Buren, Unit B
Enid, Oklahoma, 73703
1-800-543-5743 / (580) 234-3433 Fax
MasterCard
46

Hobbico adds Revell Germany

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