WORLD'S BIGGEST RC SCALE MODEL HELICOPTER

IT'S AMAZING HOW MUCH enthusiasm there is for radio control (RC) in all its forms. Here's a great little vid showing what's claimed as the world's largest of the breed.

ULTIMATE ELECTRICS - MODEL AIRPLANE NEWS FLYING SPECIAL

WE'RE GETTING REALLY turned on to radio control (RC) electrics these days. It just seems such a good idea to build something that will actually do stuff - like flying - after it's been built.

RC FANS FLY HIGH WITH THE MX2 - RED BULL FLIES LOW ALONG THE CORINTH CANAL

The MX2 RC radio-control (RC) plane is a big beast sporting a 1.4m wingspan - more than four and a half feet across the wingtips. And taking a similar type of full-size plane along the Corinth Canal, Greece, is ace Hungarian pilot, Peter Besenyei.

TEST FLIGHT: IN THE AIR WITH THE WORLD'S LARGEST SCALE RC MiG-25 FOXBAT

We don't do too much in the way of radio-control gear at SMN, though maybe we should if an amazingly huge model is anything to go by. In flight, it looks pretty much like the real thing (above) so be impressed with how they fly the mighty MiG-25 down under, in New Zealand.

UK MODELZONE STORES BEING CLOSED: RIPMAX BUYS WHOLESALE SIDE AMERANG

Modelzone had up to 47 stores across the UK, but ran into trading problems in 2012, moving into administration in June 2013.

AMAZING ‘SAND FLEA’ ROBOT CAR LEAPS INTO THE AIR

SMN report:

Sand Flea is a four-wheel robotic vehicle with an extra ace up its sleeve - on top of its normal radio-control (RC) mode, at the flick of a switch it can hunker down and leap high into the air - up a cliff, onto a roof, even over a wall!

SUMMER SHOW FOR YOUR DIARY - WINGS & WHEELS MODEL SPECTACULAR

SMN preview:

The ‘Wings & Wheels Model Spectacular’ (W&W) will be held this year over the weekend of June 23-24. The radio control (RC) show’s organizers describe it as: “A Modellers’ Paradise." And that’s fair enough, as W&W is reckoned to be the biggest UK event of its kind, and what’s more it’s now 26 years since the first show made its debut at North Weald airfield in Essex, north of London.

NUREMBERG TOY FAIR 2012 - A LOOK AT REVELL’S CRYSTAL BALL

Nuremberg report:

The last few days have been busy ones in Germany, as the huge Nuremberg Toy Fair roared through its 62nd annual event. Closing the doors yesterday to more than 80,000 visitors and 70,000 new product announcements, the organizers reckon the show has once again been a big success.

INCOMING - GREAT PLANES F-86 SABRE RADIO-CONTROL JET

SMN report:

We’re not radio control (RC) experts here at SMN, but a chance meeting last weekend with the charming lady organizer of the UK’s biggest RC event had us thinking on the subject. So we had a look around to see what’s new in the world of RC stuff, and this Great Planes F-86 Sabre certainly looked the part.

WALKERA RADIO-CONTROL HELICOPTER GETS A FUTURISTIC LOOK

SMN report:

A new arrival on the radio-control scene is the great-looking Walkera LM400Q. The design make a real change from the usual RC helicopter, its development team apparently taking a hefty hint from seminal sci-fi movies such as The Matrix and Terminator. And that’s a compliment, because there’s no real reason why an RC chopper should take its appearance slavishly from the real world.

THREE HOT 1:10 SCALE RADIO CONTROL CARS FROM TAMIYA

SMN report:

Radio Control is a mega-popular hobby-cum-sport, with the widest possible range of models to choose from - helicopters, combat planes, ships, subs, tanks, cars - you name it, there’s a wealth of choice.

RADIO-CONTROL BIGGIES FROM TAMIYA - RUSSIAN KV-2 TANK AND ITALIAN 500 RACER

Tamiya’s choice to model the KV-2 tank (‘KV’ was short for Kliment Voroshilov, a defence commissar of the time) is quite unusual, as it was one of the rarest tanks of World War II - only about 255 were made. It was a 45-tonner, and massively armoured, but these were downfalls for a fast-moving battle. The KV-1’s turret was so heavy it needed flattish ground to even turn properly, on top of which the tank was quite slow and unreliable.

However, the Tamiya model shows off the ‘Gigant’ well. It’s made to 1:16 scale and is some 443 mm (17.4 in) long. It’s packed with working features, including forward and reverse, steering, gun elevation and target tracking. Even better, there’s recoil action on both the gun and the KV-2’s hull, with recorded engine sounds to bring digital audio into RC tanking.

Coming right up to date with model choices, Tamiya’s 1:10 scale RC Fiat 500 Abarth is a fine replica of one of the best cars to come from this Italian automaker in many years. The real thing is a hoot to drive, and is only marginally outpointed in the handling stakes by the BMW Mini. The Tamiya model is made of ultra-lightweight plastics, and is less of a ‘scale model’ than the KV-2 - it’s an XB-series ready-to-run racer - but even so, it’ll look great on a display shelf until it’s collected some dings and dents on RC race circuits.

Pictures show, from top to bottom:
1 KV-2 Heavy Artillery tank 1:16 scale RC model.
2 World War II KV-2 picture, courtesy German Federal Archive.
3 Fiat Abarth 500 Assetto Corse 1:10 scale RC model.

Both these models will be available shortly from model stores and online suppliers. Meantime, here are some options:

The 500 RC is available now as a factory-fresh street machine here.

The KV-2 is available as a very neatly produced 1:48 scale kit here.

GIANT RADIO CONTROL SPITFIRES

For World War II radio control (RC) fans, here are two ace videos featuring the beautiful Spitfire. The flying shots (top) were made at the Southern California 2009 Scale Fly-In at Prado Air Park, earlier this year. The 1:4 scale Spit was built by Don Reno over the course of two years, and looks to be well worth his time and effort. The only thing we need now is for someone to make a noise-converter that will make an RC fuel engine sound like a Rolls-Royce Merlin!

The second video shows an Australian Spitfire Mk Vb RC project in the making. It has a 2.4 m (96 inch) wingspan, and is an ongoing build. We look forward to seeing this biggie in the air sometime soon.

Where RC is concerned, there’s been huge progress from the manufacturers over the last few years. Rather like computers and other tech products, you get far more for your money, which is a great place to be.

Among the available ready-to-fly Spitfires is the excellent electric-motor Parkzone Mk II (bottom). Inside the box is everything you need to fly, and the RC system has two switchable modes - easy for beginners, max for combat vets. There’s no undercarriage, but at this level that’s no bad thing.

The Parkzone Spitfire is widely sold, with various offers available, including this £109.99 GBP ($180.00 USD) price from online outfit Wonderland Models, here.

MODELZONE WEEKEND SALE

There’s a nice little gift from the UK model retain chain Modelzone, in the form of a 10% discount on all Radio Control products. Check out the Modelzone RC offers - from battle tanks to helicopters - here.

It’s important to enter the promo code at the Modelzone checkout - it’s MBHRC10. This will automatically take 10% off your RC purchases, but does not include any shipping costs.

The offer is for this weekend only - May 23, 24, 25.