A modeler's mecca: Toledo Expo 2007
Stan Alexander [[email protected]]
Unlike some AMA members, I still have to work for a living, unfortunately. But that isn't so bad considering the company I work for gives me a liberal amount of vacation each year — at least in its eyes — but it still isn't enough!
The first week of vacation my wife and I made the long trek to a place every modeler should go at least once in his or her life: the Toledo Expo.
When we left the house Wednesday, April 11, the garage door opened and the rain was pouring down. As we drove through Tennessee and Kentucky we thought it had to stop sometime. Not so! We traversed different interstates onto I-75, and it continued to rain just north of Dayton, Ohio. I had had enough, so we stopped at a motel for the night. Although the Toledo Expo was two weeks later than usual this year (April 13–15), it snowed there. There was not much—just a dusting—but it doesn't take much to get us excited about the whole thing.
Tips for first-time visitors
First-time visitors to the show should know that you don't need to try to see everything in one day. There are auctions at night and the swap shop upstairs where you can find the most amazing things, many of which you may not have seen since you were growing up.
The first purchase I made this year was a resupply of epoxy brushes. Shop around and you can find them for roughly a nickel each. Anything you can find in a hobby shop and more is around the corner at Toledo. There are old magazines, books, engines, kits, and even junk.
New kits and trends
There were a few new kits for scale modelers this year. As at past Toledo Expos, many manufacturers gave discounts if you purchased whatever item they had for sale at the show. Some vendors sold items and others did not.
Some of the new kits were ARFs and others, to a much lesser degree, were those you had to build. If you think ARFs aren't in favor along with electrics, going to Toledo or other shows can change your mind fast.
Many manufacturers are changing gears with the surge of electrics instead of selling only "wet" power, as engines are sometimes called. Sorry, but I still enjoy the smell of castor, wet grass, and hot coffee in the morning at the flying field.
Skyshark R/C
Skyshark R/C was at the show with several new items; most notable were its motors, speed controllers, and full electric conversion packages. Those packages help take the guesswork out of converting from glow or gas to electric power, and it appears to be one of the best-thought-out ways to go electric.
For example, if you start with a 40- to 46-size sport-scale model, the electric conversion includes Skyshark's Lightning 50 motor, Ultra 60 speed controller, and a four-cell, 5,000 mAh battery. This setup will provide approximately eight to ten minutes of flight time. Skyshark's catalog lists different motors with the equivalent size and type for glow engines. Its largest motor is the Lightning 150. This table would be a huge help for new electric-power modelers. Although it doesn't include every application out there, it covers many types and power needs. In addition, the company's technical support offers help to modelers who are trying to get started in electric power.
Skyshark displayed a unique new you-build-it kit—not an ARF—at Toledo: an Me 109Z (a twin using two Me 109G fuselages, complete with four main gear legs and tires). The model spanned 87 inches, and two .60–.75 engines were recommended for power. Equivalent electric power was also listed.
Skyshark also had its P-40 on display; it is available in three color schemes. One is the Chinese 3rd Army version, another is the British Kittyhawk scheme, and the third is covered but unpainted, which is great for those who want to apply a custom paint scheme to the World War II veteran aircraft.
Scale Pursuit Models
Scale Pursuit Models is a new company that had an interesting T-34C Mentor at Toledo. The 89-inch wingspan aircraft comes as what the company describes as a quick-build kit for the giant-scale market.
The T-34's fuselage, wing, and tail surfaces are precut and shaped with a CNC machine, and they are made from polypropylene foam. It's tough stuff—you could use it for a bat if you wanted—but it's also light. The model is covered with highly detailed molded polycarbonate skins with rivet and panel-line detail already included.
When checking out new models I always ask the manufacturers if they have the scale drawings used to design the aircraft. To my surprise, Scale Pursuit Models has the three-views and scale drawings that were used to design the Mentor in the show packet of photos. Having that information with a scale model is great for competition purposes. Nothing can turn off a scale modeler quicker than asking about a kit and having a designer tell you he or she used three different three-views to draw the airplane and doesn't have a drawing.
Hobbico
Hobbico had a professionally designed area with several new kits, engines, and Futaba radio systems. Many of the kits were scale ARFs, which has been the trend with our ever-increasing, speedy lifestyles here in the States.
One model that stood out was the electric-powered Fokker Dr.I ARF. It was a built-up, all-wood airplane with a 29.5-inch wingspan. It looked nice, and it would be a good model to strip the covering off of and refinish in other color schemes. The Dr.I retails for roughly $99.
A Hobbico model that caught my wife's eye was its beautiful Beechcraft Staggerwing. With a 72.5-inch wingspan, it was designed for 1.60 cu. in. engines or 25cc glow engines. My wife liked it so much because a few years ago we flew in a Staggerwing on the West Coast that was painted the same as the Hobbico version. The inside of the full-scale aircraft was finished in gray mohair and was loud in the air; you couldn't hear yourself talk.
As do almost all Staggerwings, the model had retracts and its own unique look. The outer doors actually folded out away from the wing center section. Scale landing gear, dummy engine, cockpit, Robart retracts, and many scale details were present. The model had a fiberglass fuselage with the rivet and panel lines molded into the airframe. The fit and finish were excellent. Other highlights from Hobbico were its new RV-4 ARF and Cessna 310.
Sig Manufacturing
Sig Manufacturing had its new WACO ARF at Toledo, and it really stood out in a scale yellow-and-black paint scheme. It sported the N-number on the rudder. There are some beautiful WACO color schemes out there on the cabin and open-cockpit versions of the aircraft.
The YMF had a 69.5-inch wingspan and weighed roughly 10 pounds. Recommended engines were the .70–.90 two-stroke or the .90–1.20 four-stroke. I didn't see any specifications for electric motors for this model.
Micro Fasteners
I stopped at the Micro Fasteners booth several times while I was at the show and made a list of the different nuts and socket-head bolts I wanted. They came in plastic bags with different quantities of fasteners in them.
I ended up spending more money at that stand than at any other, restocking my supply and in some cases adding different sizes and types of miniature screws and other items to my shop. I wish somebody would supply handheld baskets at Toledo for purchases. But then you might not be able to get down the aisles! There might be a good advertising gimmick there!
Closing notes
I have much more to report from the Toledo Expo. There were new radio systems, many other great models, and scale competition. The Weak Signals club had a heck of a show. I'll have more about it in this column in the next few months.
My wife and I made it back home Monday. We took our time, and I actually didn't break the bank while we were there. However, the Balsa USA booth was very tempting!
If you plan to go to the Toledo Expo next year, make your reservations early. There are plenty of hotels and motels within a 15- to 20-minute drive or you can pay for the privilege of being closer; there are two hotels at the show site.
Hannan's Runway has stopped supplying the Albatros Productions World War I documentation booklets. The company has sold out its supply by now, and the Hannans are in the process of retiring. That is great for Bill and his wife but bad news for scale modelers!
Nobody has picked up the distributorship of the books as far as I know. Does anybody have an update? Let us all know.
MA
Sources
- Skyshark R/C Corporation
1924 N. Pima Dr. Lake Havasu City, AZ 86403 (928) 854-6100, (866) 854-6100 [email protected] www.skysharkrc.com
- Scale Pursuit Models
9249 S. Broadway #200-436 Highlands Ranch, CO 80129 [email protected] www.scalepursuit.com
- Sig Manufacturing Inc.
Box 520 Montezuma, IA 50171 (641) 623-5154 www.sigmfg.com
- Hobbico / Great Planes Model Distributors
Box 9021 Champaign, IL 61826 (800) 682-8948 www.hobbico.com
- Micro Fasteners
24 Cokesbury Rd., Suite 2 Lebanon, NJ 08833 (800) 892-6917 [email protected] http://microfasteners.com
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
