Mode One

Just got ahold of several Radio Control Modeller (RCM) magazines. I subscribed to this magazine from the mid 70s to the early 1990s. The issues I just got are from 1989 and I likely owned these in the past. Looking through them, they are filled with construction articles and advertizements from all the many kit manufacturers there were back then. It is sad to see that the hobby is no longer like this anymore. The skill and patience learned from building has been replaced by a slap together-must have it now mentaility. I have arfs and think they fit a purpose, however, I stll love to build.

It appears RCM is down for the count, why I do not know. The last RCMs I got in the beginning of 2005 were still better then anything availble today. Anybody know what really happened to RCM? I miss it!

TexasAirBoss

My Feedback: (22)

Just guessing, but I think the "USA TODAY" style of short stories and bright color photos was used effectively by MAN to steal market share away from RCM. It was good, wasn't it . I miss it too.

dignlivn

Those were days, when a LHS actually had Kits, parts
and anything else you needed. Now the LHS says " I
can order that for you". I don't have a LHS near me,
so the on line guys get my $$. I was so proud when I
bought my first kit (Bob Martin ET trainer)and AM Futaba
radio around 1984. lol I have just gotten back into the hobby a year or
so ago, so i'm having to re learn almost everything, Except
patience lol.


Bob


I'm new at getting old.

dignlivn

Gary L.

I had a sub. to RCM also, and I really liked it to.

Flying Foot Doc

My Feedback: (2)

Don't forget to look at R/C Report. it's a great full of useful stuff, articles and editorials, like visiting with a freind when I read it. I've been a reader for 10+ years. Doc

HighPlains

My Feedback: (1)

I think the problem was that all the guys that made RCM have all past on. A year's worth of the early RCM's taught how to build and fly RC models. However, the later ones were little more than catalogs.

tailskid

My Feedback: (34)

And don't forget that 'Bible' from them....everything you need to know about R/C airplanes: Flight Training Course!!!

Mode One

I'm a recent subscriber to R/C Report. It's good, but it's not RCM.

somegeek

My Feedback: (2)

This is the all too common answer at my local Hobbytown store. The really good LHS is 45 minutes away. Nine times outta ten this LHS has it in stock but the cost of gas out there and back can easily pay for the shipping on an order to Tower Hobbies. Sometimes I head out there, sometimes not.

Also agree with the comment about wanting it now vs building. People don't have the time to build, etc, etc. It's unfortunate they don't make the time to build as it's damn enjoyable and that much more rewarding when you put said plane in the air.

somegeek

tailskid

My Feedback: (34)

The "I don't have time" excuse is just that - an excuse....last I heard there are still 24 hours in a day and it all boils down to your personal priorities....me, I'd rather be doing something along the lines of this hobby as opposed to sitting watching the Boob Tube - which is VERY tempting

OldScaleGuy

My Feedback: (2)

I agree with HighPlains. RCM became a monthly catalog and who wants to pay for a monthly catalog. The earlier days of RCM were great. I am going to drop MAN too this year and just stick with MA (of course) and RCR.

FLYBOY

My Feedback: (11)

I miss the girls on the covre!!!

Adonis

Scale RC Modeler had the best women of them all, both on the cover and in the magazine. I miss that magazine the most, Edwin Schnepf should not have messed with Frank, remember that mess? Anyway RCM had great content, even up into the 80’s and early 90’s. I was inspired by several of the plans articles and built more than a few over the years. The 70’s mags were much thinner and had fewer adds, but I liked all the adds in the later mags also. We didn’t have the internet back then, so it was a great place to see who had what.

Masonhornet

I remember I couldn't wait for the latest issue if RCM to show up in the mailbox. The magazine was actually an asset back in the 80's... Somewhere you could pick up honest knowhow, good information on building and flying the latest kits and techniques that made this hobby even more enjoyable. After being away from R/C for most of the 90's i picked up an issue in 2002 and was greeted by page after page of loud ads screaming for my attention, with nothing of any value amidst all the noise... I think I bought one more issue and never picked up another after that. It just had nothing to offer anymore.

HighPlains

My Feedback: (1)

132 pages in 1974. It got really bloated toward the end, but content was less and less. The first issue only had 48 pages and there were only about 7500 copies printed.

Here, send in the subscription card. Postage paid by Don Dewey. From issue 3 in December 1963. Only $4.50 a year!

NoOneFlysAtMyClub

My Feedback: (32)

Gas was only $.25 a gallon at one time too!!

HighPlains

My Feedback: (1)

Well for the cost of about 125 subscriptions to RCM, you could buy a 4 channel proportional radio in 1963.

Today, you can get a much better radio for less than 4 subscriptions to Flying Models or 5 of Model Airplane News.

Mode One

I hear people complaining about RCM being nothing more then a catalog and think two things, what magazine out there isn't and even so, RCM had far more content then anything available today. R/C Report (to me) is on topic, but seems to lack the depth RCM had.

The lack of time thing is pure B.S. I know, I've been around long enough to remember. There was the same amount of free time then as there is now. Probably more now, because people no longer build model airplanes. For people to complain about a lack of time is a slap in the face of their fathers and mothers as what there saying is their parents had more free time then they do, which is hog wash! Simply put we are a instantinious society, now. How we elect to use our time is all that has changed

Gray Beard

My Feedback: (-1)

I didn't bother with RCM or MAN the last year RCM was still going. It became as much A throw away as MAN. I found RC Report at that time and have been with them ever sense.
In Depth?? How in depth can you get with an ARF?? RCR has done A better then fine job of keeping up with the times and the lack of products.
For $20 bucks A year it can't be beat. And if you have A question on A product they are right there for you with A quick answer.
They even have girls on the cover once in A while!!!!!!!

Mode One

It's the lack of depth that I miss. We all have opinions on what it is we want from our magazines. That's just fine. I like depth and feel for my interests there really isn't any good magazines anymore.

Masonhornet

Most magazines have become simply a medium to print more and more ads. I have found the most valuable sources if information to be forums such as this one. If you have a question or some difficulty help is literally a few minutes away (You just have to be able to filter through the bad info you may get..[8D].) I think the lack of time thing is B.S. as well. You choose how to spend your time, and if you're sitting there watching "American Idol" then you have no excuse...

Mode One

Certainly there are people who do not have time because of work and/or family commitments. But, by and large, I think it really boils down to what you want to do with the time you have. I think the swing to ARFs is more about their price in comparison to kit prices.

When a contributor spoke in a magazine, I gave for more value to their opinions then I give to contributors here. People here can come across like they are experts. Then, when given a little scrutiny, sometimes you will find that they have only been involved in R/C only a few years. It's very hard to trust in the information given here. Also, it seems people can be more interested in getting into arguments here then really trying to help out. Over time, however, you do get to know who knows what they are talking about and who doesn't

Jim_Purcha

My Feedback: (8)

I just throw out most of the magazines I purchased in the last few years. Clipped out the articles I wanted. Keep older issues of RCM and MAN which actually construction articles and plans you could read. Not the "Postage Stamp" with a line saying "Order the full size plan". I really enjoyed reviewing the plans in the magazines, it is still part of the building process. Saw an Ultra Sport 60 go on the bay for $87.00 this weekend. The plans are still $20.00 from RCM.

Gray Beard

My Feedback: (-1)

I still buy the MAN with the plans section in it every year just to keep updated with what they have but even that is getting thin.
RCR depends on NO paid advertising so when they review anything new they aren't afraid to tell us if it's just junk or something worth the money. Did I mention the girls on the covers??
The I Don"t Have Time Thing, I made most my modeling money assembling ARFs for people that said that and they are retired too. Go figure??????
RCU advice?? Some of it is good, some of it is bunk. I watched A 15 year old kid that built one trainer kit and one old Kaos kit sounding like he has been doing it for 50 years, yep, we are related and he didn't know I was following his posts.
When I see builds by someone like Bipeguy and he is showing photos I'm more then willing to borrow his ideas and make them my own. I have no pride at all!!

tailskid

My Feedback: (34)

"RCR depends on NO paid advertising so when they review anything new they aren't afraid to tell us if it's just junk or something worth the money"

Not so! In fact all mags 'live' on the advertising dollar!