I dont like the way tower is sliming down its choices.Is busness getting bad or something? They seem to have a very skimpy push rod selection now along with outher stuff.

Its all about what sells and what doesnt

You think Tower is sliming down, try a visit to your local hobby shop. I'm back to the RC hobby after about a 30 year layover. I started with a scratch built, that was the way we did it back then. I ended up ordering balsa on the web. One hobby shop near me, only two, doesn't even stock balsa anylonger. I told them it was like a grocery store not stocking bread. Everything now is ARF, RTF, Electric, Paint Ball Guns, and cars.

As much as I like supporting the local stores, almost all of my shopping is now online, and even then, it is a chalenge to find what you want. Kind of like trying to find parts to restore your 1937 chevy coupe.

Me, I kind of like the thought that I glued a bunch of sticks together and put in a radio and it flew.

Don

PS, I read a month or so back that Hobbico, parent company of Tower and Great Planes was sold to it's employes. That explains why things look a lot alike, but with different colors, all the way from parts to planes. To top things off, yesterday, I ordered an ARF (the club won't try to teach me with the plane I built) trainer from Omnimodels. It was my first order from them. I had to do the standard open an account, etc. When the order processed, it said the plane was shipping from NV. Kind of curious, that is where Tower shipps from. I then looked at my "new" customer number, and what a strange coincidence, it was the same as my Towers customer number. Hummmm. More mergers? The Wall Mart of Hobbies? The best selection of cheap Chineese goods in the USA??

In the mean time, they had what I wanted, or as close as I could get to it. The locals didn't.

Don

It can be explained in one word: ARF (if ARF is a word?)

Omni Models is a wing of Tower Hobbies, always has been.

As for the original question, why not contact Tower themselves and ask them directly?

I hear ya Campgems, My local shop has alot of balsa but scarce on the rest of the gamut.
I want to ask him if he would let teach balsa building mabey a few hours a week to promote this great hobby. I want him to let me use Guillows laser cut kits ,just ti give a good example how easy these planes are to build. But with what Tower has now It must be a two or three person operation....lol
When I didnt like one product I would try anouther next time but its getting sparce with there inventory.
anouther problem I have is;I would like to sell some of my planes on Ebay.But no one makes a 24" x 24" box. for shipping them ,unless I buy a big TV box and cut it down. But there 13.00 each and a pain to cut down. BUt anyways VIVA LA Tower...lol,Im doing my first scratch built plane.4 foot wing span ,my biggest plane so far.which reminds me,Towers tail wheel is skimpy now too. well just thought Id ask,just worried if they were on the verge of Bankcrupcy.

Hmmm...interesting. I checked a search and found nine pages of items listed for control hardware. ALL of the major manufacturers of R/C model control hardware (pushrods, links, clevises, etc.) are listed. If you can't find what you want, then you're likely looking for something very specialized and of very limited application.

As far as tailwheels are concerned, again, a search under "tailwheel" brings up two pages of manufacturers of tailwheels and tailwheel mounts, retracts, etc. Again, ALL the major players are represented.

As far as products go, Tower currently hasover 50,000 different items listed on their website.

Tower has multiple ship points. They use the one closest to the buyer, or the one that has product if another location is temporarily out of stock. That prevents holdups if one location is out of stock.

Nevada Shipping works darn near like overnight express for me here in NM, however it would be nice if they had a better selection of planes. They keep discontinuing all the good ones

Im a tower customer I think they are one of the best in the business. I dont do a lot of
mail order from other places but from what I have seen few ship as fast as tower does.

Tower has almost everything.. for anything else check Horizon hobby.

The question I have is why wont the club let you fly your plane?

We built my setp son's Eagle II from a kit and it's a great flying little plane.
Club trainers didn't have any problems with it.

Im with you sscherin, I have Tower and Horizon saved in my favorites. Tower always seams to win out because they always offer discounts. Usually, if I have a big order I use Tower and split it into $200.00 fragments so I get the $20-$25 off of merchandise.
I like Horizon because they have Zenoah supplies and Hanger 9 planes.

Ever look at Horizon and Hobby Towns inventory? Wonder if the same company owns both.

I suspect it's due;

1. Demand. ie: The overwhelming majority of even established IC R/Cers are buying ARFS today, and supply of what are now superfluous ancillary items for the majority exceeds demand. eg: hardware, covering, etc. No doubt compounded by the predominent segment of the electric demographic who prefer RTF OOTB in 30 minutes, and simply aren't interested in anything which requires more than 2-3 hrs assembly. They are pretty much no hardware required. Even where hardware might be required, it's likely to be tape and carbon than push rods or full size clevises, IC engine mounting hardware or fuel tanks etc. - ie: their toys generally don't utilise the same hardware.

2. China. Do a bit of probing around and you will see the PRC is now just starting to emerge directly marketing via e-tail iin addition to the already established avenues of regional distribution with and without rebranding. Sites are fairly crude at present, but present nonetheless. And given their pricing, who really cares if they're crude? Few have actually noticed this yet, but as consumer awareness grows, PRC sites will become increasingly effective until they have the sort of impact on and share of the market their ARFs do now. Within a couple of years, their sites will be a lot slicker. Right now, the world shops from Tower. Thats all gonna' change, and Tower are undoubtedly smart enough to recognise that they have to alter their inventory and perhaps business model to survive the onslaught.

We live in interesting times. [8D]

I still wish they would keep their superfluous ancillary items for those who are dedicated customers and who are acquainted to the web site and know that their credit imformation is craddled in loving arms of
Tower. When my credit Imfo crosses the ocean,I feel so insecure.Like Ive just sent my wife to the getto to buy some banana's LOL I see what you mean though. Thanks.

I can empathise with your yearning. Won't hold back the tide though - any more than mine.

While I enjoy ARFs myself, by the same token they are having the same impact here. There are aspects of the ARF R/C 'culture', particularly surrounding the 'electric toy' phenomenon with all the retail and distributor current push sell hype surrounding it because it's easily promoted to an easily exploited demographic into a market willing to accept being gauged with monster margins for a bit of foam and plastic in a cleverly decorated box specifically intended to create the necessary impulsive McFlyer excitement.

nicely put sigrun !

I must admit that if I can buy an ARF for the same price as a kit, it makes them so appealing. I love Tower and Horizon but I have been looking for Asian hobby shops to buy planes and engines. I can't help it. It's like crack. More planes for A LOT less is good!
I had to buy a Japanese truck to get a really high quality vehicle so why should RC equipment be any different. I am as big a patriot as anyone but I am a single dad and I go the direction that my money goes the furthest.

I don't own an ARF. Don't have the desire to own one either. There's still just something about building it myself. And, of course, with the decline of kits why should Tower stock all those things like pushrods?

That says it, right on the money!

"McFlyer" . I wish I had thought of that!

And, Toyota announced Friday, Recalls affecting 500,000 vehicles. Gee, if the quality is there in the Japaneese imports, then why do they lead the world in recalls, especially safety related recalls? Of course, as an automobile dealer, I am somewhat biased in my opinion. But, the media has been bought, and another World War II battle is lost in the marketplace. It has just taken Japan 60 years to win the war. Thanks, folks.

Bill, AMA 4720

Well, Bill, I tried to do the patriotic thing last time my wife was ready for a new car. We bought American. After that POS had left her on the side of the road for the third time (in less than 20,000 miles), I traded it in on a Toyota Solara.

I've heard all the arguments about how the quality is so intermixed now (many Japanese brands being built here, etc.) that there really is no difference. But the bottom line is what I see; and I don't buy that. I get a new US-made fleet car every few years. My current 2005 Impala is rattling like a wagon, sounds like a jet at highway speeds due to the air leaks, has had the a/c repaired twice, etc., etc., ad nauseum; and has just over 30,000 miles. I'll spend my money where I think I'll get the most bang for the buck, thank you; and that is NOT with a "Big Three" product.

The media has been bought? That's a news flash? Anyone who takes their word as gospel deserves what they get.

McFlyer... that's a hoot. GREAT adjective for "park flyers". And that's definitely where the vendors think the money is right now.

Getting back to the premise of this thread, one certainly has to "go off the beaten path" these days to find many of the specialty r/c items. But those vendors are out there and can be easily found with just a bit of effort. Some do not offer on-line merchandising. If you are too lazy, or too cheap, or too pressed for time, to invest in a long-distance phone call, well then... there's not much I can say to that.

FWIW, I agree that Tower's selection of accessories/goodies is shrinking. They have probably decided upon an arbitrary number, a cap if you will, on how many items they carry overall. Gotta have room for all the McFlyers and their assorted goodies...

"And, Toyota announced Friday, Recalls affecting 500,000 vehicles."

I wonder where they were built!

Hmm, here?

I too just got the latest 'TowerTalk' and have to admit the selection isn't as 'exciting' as it used to be......but that may be the result of already having MOST of the items they have for sale!!!! [X(]

Jerry

From what I can tell the Tower Talk's sales items are the same every month. I usually don't even look anymore. I toss it in my truck so I have it to give to new people that show up at our field.

Ken

I guess vehicles running for 300,000 miles don't speak for themselves. My decision has nothing to do with what the garbage any of the media puts out. [sm=thumbdown.gif] It was an informed decision with years of quality to back it up. I was speaking of Toyota trucks specifically BTW. I have yet to talk to one person that disagrees with me, except for car dealers of course. That Tundra XSP sure does look good sitting in front of my house.

You are right Ken Tower Talk is always the same. I wonder what they will do in the coming years with China flooding the market with their planes?