RCM&E August 2011 issue thoughts and feedback

[David Ashby - Moderator]

Advanced copies have arrived so subscriber copies should be arriving any day now. Just to confirm, a complete reprint of last month''s Fournier plan is included alongside this month''s plan.

 

As always, we welcome your thoughts and commentary. If you've got any specific feedback in relation to the models reviewed (hopefully as an owner) then kindly drop a new thread in the review feedback forum area, with your own thoughts. 

Edited By David Ashby - RCME Administrator on 28/06/2011 14:09:35

[Danny Fenton]

Nice one David, I will go and camp out by the front door

Cheers

Danny

[Vecchio Austriaco]

Danny If I look out my office window I think today is a bad day for camping in front of the door - I hope my postbox is waterproof...

[Kevin Fairgrieve]

Based on a very quick inspection both plans would appear to be present and correct.

[Doug Ireland]

Got mine this morning so it's off to the pub for a read!

[001]

Another excellent issue, full of interest. And great photography again.

 

However, not too sure about the advert. on P 79!

 

Shouldn't it be boys and ladies?

[GrumpyGnome]

David

 

Have you changed printers ? My copy has half a dozen pages printed off square, so I've lost some corners. Not a major problem as it's mostly adverts - and the classifieds............

 

Apart from that, nice issue. Good to see someone admitting their challenges in teh Mustang Review

 

GG

[David Ashby - Moderator]

No GG, sorry about that, it sounds like batch error, the office copies were ok.

 

Yes, I liked Lee's review too.

 

 

 

 

 

[Lee Smalley]

I am always honest sometimes brutally so, but I am honest, I do have a tendency to upset some people sometimes (unintentional) but I have to be honest, I know it's yet another mustang...... But what a mustang eh? Great mag again, A little too much electrikery for my liking bit I am an ic idiot

[Bob Cotsford]

for some reason, I started reading from ther middle - maybe because I'd just removed the free plan? Anyway, I found the articles thoroughly absorbing which I haven't done for a while. Seems to be some good content in this month.

[Andy Green]

Got mine, but....

 

Not your fault but its all scrunched up. I like to keep mine pristine, This is the 3rd I've had like this.

 

1 more and I'll consider going back to picking one from Smiths.

 

A

[ken anderson.]

got mine yesterday...good article about all the old diesels....well done all..

 

ken anderson ne..1.

[Bonesmalone]

Disappointed with my copy this Month, Pages stuck together where not cut correctly and pages bound in at a 30 degree angle so unable to read the news pages and 2 articles fully

 

IS anyone else's copy the same ?????

[Slopetrashuk]

Posted by Andy Green on 30/06/2011 12:29:46:

Got mine, but....

 

Not your fault but its all scrunched up. I like to keep mine pristine, This is the 3rd I've had like this.

 

1 more and I'll consider going back to picking one from Smiths.

 

A

Mine is scrunched with a rip on every page in the same place. Treating it carefully in case it falls apart.

 

Something went wrong David.

 

Andy

[David Ashby - Moderator]

Oh dear, ok, folks should be able to phone the subscriber line and get an undamaged cooy sent.

[Cyclicscooby]

Aug was one of the most interesting so far, for myself..

Usually I read about 75% of everything, just skipping the odd glider or build i've no interest in..

 

But this month I couldn't put it down..

 

RC Theory - Flaps.. Excellent..

2.4GHz history - tech specs... very interesting.

RF-4 plan & real history

Fly electric..

AR Drone..

On the Edge..

Mustang Kit..

 

And the best bit... The DX8 write-up...

 

ALL very interesting.. I appreciate this is a slice of my personal favourites, but I still stand by it being an excellent issue...

 

 

Luv

Chrisie... xx

[David Ashby - Moderator]

Thanks Chrisie, I think that's the July issue you've got there

[Cyclicscooby]

Oh Pants....

 

Sorry.. I'll get my coat...

 

Still, retrospectively, it was ACE..

 

Luv

Chrisie... xx

Edited By Cyclicscooby on 01/07/2011 09:54:07

[Lee Smalley]

looooooolllllll really put a smile on my face for the day that one did, well done Chrisie ..loved it

[Erfolg]

I have found in recent times that model magazines have little which I have found of interest.

The August issue has been a different matter. It was good.

I think it has been the generalised reports on events which have disappointed, in the recent past. Yet even the general type writing has been of interest in this issue, the reflecting on the 70s and the model scene, Bowden Competion etc.

I thought that the editorial also placed a good perspective on model shows, it is incisive.

I do like the broader approach to subjects, as the Bowden competition. It is not my scene, but interesting to have some knowledge of others interests.

Although I do have little interest in ARTF type models, the model featured was well done. In many respects, it is essential to have this type of review, as they represent the biggest part of the current model scene. I was recently asked if one of my models, a foam job, came painted. It seemed that painting is not what many want to do, being to much.

Although, it was only a PM plan, his plans are possibly the most varied and appealing to me, so his contribution is always welcome.

On reflection, it is a very good issue, yet putting an exact finger on why is difficult. The downside is that all the magazines I read avidly in the past are now defunct RCM, Quite and Silent Flight, so much for my opinion.

[Capt Kremen]

I echo Erfolg ... not much in ANY of the model mags unless you are an advertiser and enjoy reading your own 'copy' described back to you via another name!

(I observe it is similar in other recreational magazines where advertisers have their spread just a couple of pages on from the 'glowing review'!)

 

One thing I have noticed across the board, each title has very few writers and if you don't like their style/opinions tough 'cos that's all you will get, every month.

Not enough different writers Eds!

(Or is it that they all agree to tow the party/advertiser line?)

The net offers a far more diverse set of opinions, ideas etc.

Yes, there is a lot of dross out there but you don't pay for it as per a magazine, where you are stuck for example with yet another over used poke at 'e***tric'!

Printed Magazines, if they are to survive, need to evolve.

The e-magazines for Smart-Phones, Pads etc. must be tasters of the way ultimately much of publishing will go.

It can be delivered so much quicker to the consumer and then be interactive, hey, like this forum.

[Lee Smalley]

I resent the remarks that we tow the line or there is a glowing review, I have and always will speak my mind, and I get a lot of stick for it at times, i must be a nightmare for the editors, your comments are way off mark and if you think free so called reviewers on line know what they are talking about then you are a bit lost, rcm&e has some of the worlds best fliers in the world mike Williams, andy Ellison to name a few, where on line you get some bod who can fly a bit, I know who I will be listening to

[Tim Mackey]

I'm with Lee here ( thats odd ).

The editorial team at RCME are perfectly happy to accept the findings of their reviewers, and in my experience, have positively encouraged honesty.

In all of the reviews I have done for the mag, I have both praised, and criticized as I saw fit.

As for "online reviewers" or indeed forum feedback, TBH, I just dont get involved with them, as they are normally full of know all armchair critics who often condemn a reviewer or model without having any personal experience of the model - even read the piece!

The one exception is this very forum, where we have a dedicated section for members to comment on a particular review/model, after the review is published.

This, I am more than happy to respond to.

 

[Tim Hooper]

Posted by Capt Kremen on 04/07/2011 21:48:05:

One thing I have noticed across the board, each title has very few writers and if you don't like their style/opinions tough 'cos that's all you will get, every month.

Not enough different writers Eds!

 

 

Fair comment, Capt, but I believe you're confusing cause and effect here. The reason that there are "very few writers" is because nobody else seems keen to have a bash at it.

 

Fancy a go yourself?

 

Incidentally, I've just read Tony Nihjuis article on replicatin rivets using blobs of PVA, applied with a sort of comb.  Clear, concise and well illustrated - excellent!

 

tim

Edited By Tim Hooper on 05/07/2011 08:33:26

[Erfolg]

I have this feeling of "shooting the messenger" with respect to Capt Kremin. You may not like what he has written, yet if honest opinion is sought, you then have to consider the content of the message.

 

I have had a similar view myself to the number of writers. I personally do not think the writers frequently read are poor, it is their are not enough of them.

 

I am not convinced that the worlds best of anything are necessarily the best equipped to write, manage, in their field. Alex Furguson, Arsene Wenger, were competent rather than world class, I understand that the Mourinho and Villas Boas were good club players, rather than outstanding. So it has been with many of modellings fine writers, George Stringwell, Stephen Mettam, Vic Smeed, Alex Moulton, all prolific, excellent writers, not to be found representing the UK as competition fliers, although the former names are competent RC fliers.

 

A new addition who is much welcome is Tim Hooper, his selection, does not appeal to me, yet well written and presented work. The recent Blohm und Voss aircraft was another example of a breath of fresh air, I have noted that there is a small number of modellers building this model.

 

I can understand that there are some problems with respects to reviews, when there are so many model covers as the UK market supports. It is often apparent that all the titles are reviewing the same products, radio sets are perhaps the most obvious instances. One thing that I have noted, is that often it is the PR handout is used as a principle information source, as whole sections of repeated text can be found in all the magazines. Perhaps the RCM&E is the exception.

 

There is criticism of the adverts and the static nature of the content. Personally I do like adverts. I suspect that RCM&E have captured all the big traders, the copy I guess, mainly comes from the advertisers. Maybe the advertising sales team could offer a in-house, advertising copy service, if not already available, with the aim of freshening the advert content, at low cost to the advertiser.

 

I suspect that the problem is that modelling has changed dramatically in recent years. My interests are of another age, still building mainly from scratch. On this basis it is difficult to please old style modellers such as myself, when the bulk of the scene are all ARTF modellers.