Red Scholefield

My Feedback: (9)

Has anyone noticed? The RC Modeler Magazine has dropped about 32 pages since November 03.

May 05 128 pages
Feb 05 152 pages
Dec 04 152 pages
Nov 04 160 pages
Oct 04 152 pages
Nov 03 160 pages

FOD MAN

/

MinotRich

Maybe there is a shortage of... "Never been seen/done before"..." this thing is the cats meow"... "Wow! All I can say is WOW! WOW! WOW!" products to review. Have you noticed that there has been a trend of late for product reviews in the major magazines just as the products are released? And that the "UNBIASED" reviews have very little (if ANY) BAD things to say about these products? Is it also "JUST A COINCIDENCE" that these same reviewed products are advertised prominently in the pages of the magazines (usually in the pages immediately following the UNBIASED REVIEWS?) Coincidence? I THINK NOT! I guess it's pretty hard for a publisher to say anything bad about a product that was "supplied" to them for a review by the manufacturer. The phrase "Don't bite the hand that feeds you" comes to mind. I have bought kits that have been "talked up" in some of these reviews, after comments such as..." The best thing since sliced bread"..."this thing flies like a dream" etc, etc, ad nauseum. In reality, MOST of these products fall well short of the UNBIASED reviews and are nothing short of a TOTAL DISAPPOINTMENT and a total waste of money.
These are the very reasons that I buy R/C Report Magazine. These guys don't pull any punches when it comes to reviewing things. If there is a shortfall or a product is a total major disappointment, they call it as they see it. Of course, they don't have the glossy pages or the full color ads, but I'll take an unbiased, reality based roduct overview ANYTIME over the "Excessively fluffed" one from the other magazines.
I do, of course, still buy R/C Modeler and Model Airplane News magazines for the "eye candy" appeal of the new product introductions and to keep up with technology and to just generally drool over some of the things that I can only imagine of ever owning. "READ: WOW ,THAT IS SOOOOOOOOO COOL, I wish I had one of those to play with!!!)" Yeah, I'm a magazine junky! lol
Whew! Thanks for bringing this up Red, I've been meaning to get this off my chest now for quite some time! I feel much better now! Rich

campbec

Hi,

I couldn't agree more. This appeard earlier following Jeff's untimely deathbut if you haven't seen it before it is a brilliant article.

http://jef.raskincenter.org/humor/ho...ne_review.html

Cheers,

Colin

Ed

RC Modeler Magazine on a diet?

Yep, you got that right. It's turned into a pamphlet. I dropped MAN because it turned into a Park Flyers magazine, looks like RCM is next.

MinotRich

Colin,
Thanks for the great laugh! I'd never seen that "review" before, so I went to the article and had a good laugh. Seems right on the money to me. The author said everything I was trying to say, and more. But, he put it so eloquently.
I would recommend that article to everyone!
Hmm, I'm going to have to think of something new to ***** about now, since I've got this off my chest. Thanks again! Rich

scottrc

I quit buying RCM abuot a year ago. It seemed they changed hands and when they did, went to being nothing but fluff articles and ads.

It seems all their good writers either quit or have died.

Red Scholefield

My Feedback: (9)

RCM is still under the firm rule of the Editor in Chief, Patricia Crews-the same person that has run it since Don Dewey passed away and left it in her complete control in 2000. She struck me as a person that does not seem to accept suggestions or ideas for improving the magazine with much enthusiasum. Several of the staff members are her family members.

LSP972

My Feedback: (13)

You bet, Red. I had thought the editorial content had improved a bit, and then it began to have less pages. But the reviews still have some meat to them. As far as I'm concerned, Fly R/C is a joke. MAYBE a half-page, total, of text, and lots of glitzy pictures that don't tell you much about the model's construction or details, but sure do show the model in a provacative attitude, intended to fill you with desire, etc., etc. The term "review" should not even be applied to Fly R/C articles. "Overview", perhaps. I've seen MAN "reviews" with more substance. To see what a REAL review should look like, check out the EF Yak 54 review on this site.

MAN started the "fluff" revolution, IMO. I've been in this hobby since 1987, and remember when MAN was chock full of informative articles and just enough pictures to get the point across. I also remember Model Aviation, the AMA magazine, to be about as dry and drab as a professional medical journal back then. My, have times changed.

MAN (and Fly R/C) are pretty much a waste of paper these days, as far as I'm concerned; unless one is into pretty pictures and drivel for editorial content. But Model Aviation got a face lift a while back, and I now actually look forward to each issue. RCM? I've been a subscriber since 1987, and I'm on the fence about whether or not to renew this time.

And I agree with Jim; I'm DAMNED tired of seeing park flyers on every page.

JDHammer

My Feedback: (1)

My two favorites, RC Scale International and Scale RC Modeler, dropped out. (The latter one taking the money and running). RC Report is the only magazine left that fulfills my requirements-Intelligence, articles on building kits, and humor. Thanks Gordon!

Ed

I aggree, R/C Report is King, Model Aviation is mandatory ( no choice ), and the IMAA's High Flight magazine isn't bad either. Sorry Red, but I enjoy the pictures in the Chapter Reports, in spite of Eloy's misleading comments.

> Jim

Red B.

I too miss R/C Scale International. It was a very good magazine.
In case you haven't seen it try Flying Scale Models, a British magazine that caters for those who actually build their model aircraft rather than assembling ARFs. Here is a link:

[link=http://www.modelactivitypress.com/fs-monthly.htm]http://www.modelactivitypress.com/fs-monthly.htm[/link]

/Red B.

FOD MAN

/

AgCat1982

I enjoy most of the mag's. I am able to sort thru the info and pick out what is fluff. I understand there is a very limited market for advertising and if you spent every article chopping up everybody's products there would not be any mag's left out there. No profit, no mag. I do get a lot of useful information about products that I would otherwise have to guess at.

I'm glad there are finally some parkfliers in them now! Parkfliers are growing in numbers everyday!

To each, his own!

I like my mags. The throne wouldn't be the same without them!

RCPAUL

My Feedback: (1)

I started flying UC in 1949 and RC in the late 50s. From that time I've had most of the mags on the market - including several of the British pubs. The mags that are produced today reflect the majority of current modelers - or they would not exist. They just don't reflect my interests. I now get RCM (maybe for not too much longer and I've been getting it since Issue 1), MA (no choice but do not like it) and FM - still find it interesting, even areas I do not participate in.

The hobby is changing and has changed. I still scratch build, plans build, and do a kit once in a while. Don't do ARFs!

Paul

RandahlR

My Feedback: (3)

For my money, Flying Models is the only " old-school" mag. that is still in print. This mag. is still, for the most part, meant for people who still build their planes. I've even learned alot from the articles about stuff I'm not into. But it is depressing when at times they put the latest and greatest ARF on the cover. I like to know how other guys are doing things, I don't get mags to see glittery crap. Randy

P-51B

My Feedback: (5)

I miss the British scale magazines also. I cancelled MAN last year, and RCM may be in its last season. RC report is still doing OK.

NitroWoman

YES, Flying Models. Still one of my favorites. I learn from almost everything written there. I really miss American Modeler, oops, now I'm dating myself[X(]. As far as RCM goes, to me it has always been an advertisers magazine first and a modelers magazine second. It could shrink into nothingness and I wouldn't notice until someone mentioned it here.

jongurley

My Feedback: (29)

I personally like Model Airplane News, it seems alittle bigger than the others,,, except for maybe RCreport, but it is mostly Black/White not much color, if it was alittle more colorful it would be the best IMO hands down,,,

RCVFR

My Feedback: (7)

MAN and RCM both generally have excellent photographs. I subscribe to RCM because MAN has more that I don't like about it than RCM. I also subscribe to RC Report for the excellent writing and content. I think the formula is simple: get one mag for the pictures and RC report for the content. Works for me.

jongurley

My Feedback: (29)

3D flyer,,, I love it but it needs to be about 50 pages longer, it is expensive also, can't exactly remember how much,,

StephenT

Guys


Have you notced that RCM is also the least expensive! Fly RC is the mag I sub to because it has a good blend of electric and glow.