November 2023 issue.

[kevin b]

November's magazine arrived yesterday.

Haven't delved far in yet, but it looks ok.

Does anyone know why the publishers send emails to subscribers asking them to pre-book the next issue ?

Seems daft to me.

[Bruce Collinson]

Paper is distinctly thinner.

 

BTC

[kevin b]

2 hours ago, Bruce Collinson said:

Paper is distinctly thinner.

 

BTC

That's pretty general in the publishing industry these days.

I've had to start buying toilet rolls and the local chippy now uses those boxes made out of recycled Wot 4 foamies (You know. The ones you can't get spares for !).

🤣

[Glenn Stevenson]

I feel that it is a shame that our last magazine for our hobby is becoming rather dull and has lost many of the interesting articles that used to make it worthwhile, I dont think I will renew my subscription in future if changes arent made. I have just started reading the recent mag and realised that I havent read last months due to the tedious content.

Its almost as bad as the bmfa comic.

Regards

Glenn

[Piers Bowlan]

I guess it’s a case of horses for courses, I was just about to start a thread on how great this issue is! We are getting into the building season and as far as I was concerned there was plenty there to get the building juices flowing. 

I find Tony Nijhuis’s mini jets inspirational and in this months mag the complex shape of an F16 convincingly reproduced in a micro format. Not big enough? Get the photocopier out and enlarge to 130% for a 68mm fan version.

 

I like simple quick-build models, Wingamagig and Pronto look like a lot of fun. Just take a look at the plans on Outerzone; minimal outlay in time and money representing maximum bang for your buck! Pronto could be great for a first time  builder and a simple leccy conversion, if that is your preference. Wingamagig? Well, I am into flying wings so I may give this cutie a go. With it blowing a hoolie outside Al Foot’s depron autogyro could be just the ticket for a bit of indoor aviation!  Try something different to get you out of your comfort zone, it won’t break the bank either.

 

There was plenty there in the rest of the magazine so I despair if the only comment some people can make is that the paper is a bit thin! 🤣
 

 

 

 

 

[GrumpyGnome]

7 hours ago, Glenn Stevenson said:

I feel that it is a shame that our last magazine for our hobby is becoming rather dull and has lost many of the interesting articles that used to make it worthwhile.......

 

Such as?

[Outrunner]

9 hours ago, Glenn Stevenson said:

I feel that it is a shame that our last magazine for our hobby is becoming rather dull and has lost many of the interesting articles that used to make it worthwhile, I dont think I will renew my subscription in future if changes arent made. I have just started reading the recent mag and realised that I havent read last months due to the tedious content.

Its almost as bad as the bmfa comic.

Regards

Glenn

 

I'm enjoying mine. Kevin is doing a great job 🙂

 

Although I would like to see more alternative models like cars and bikes that used to appear years ago.

[leccyflyer]

I definitely enjoy the magazine and look forward to it arriving each month. There is always something of interest and if it's an article that I'm not interested in at the time it's easy to skip over it.

 

However I'm a little concerned at the reduction in the number of pages over the post Covid period. I keep all of my magazines and pre Covid the magazine was running at about 120-130 pages per month. Since the lockdown that has decreased to something just less than 100 pages (not counting the cover) and at least half a dozen of those pages are full page adverts for RCM&E itself and other Morton's titles. I re-read the magazine over breakfast and lunch ever day, so that reduction in the number of pages is very noticeable.

[kevin b]

1 hour ago, leccyflyer said:

I definitely enjoy the magazine and look forward to it arriving each month. There is always something of interest and if it's an article that I'm not interested in at the time it's easy to skip over it.

 

However I'm a little concerned at the reduction in the number of pages over the post Covid period. I keep all of my magazines and pre Covid the magazine was running at about 120-130 pages per month. Since the lockdown that has decreased to something just less than 100 pages (not counting the cover) and at least half a dozen of those pages are full page adverts for RCM&E itself and other Morton's titles. I re-read the magazine over breakfast and lunch ever day, so that reduction in the number of pages is very noticeable.

I think there are acouple of reasons in particular for page reduction.

There are far fewer advertisers / distributors than there used to be and the pool of contributers is getting shallower.

The attendance level at shows is nowhere near what it used to be (including display pilots and traders).

Also unfortunately, unlike the mainstream media Kevin isn't able to "make his own news".

 

It says something about the state of the RC aeroplane hobby in this country when between us we struggle to produce one decent magazine, which is then under constant negative criticism.

 

My next door neighbours do nothing but wander around all day complaining (it's a field full of sheep).

 

[leccyflyer]

There is no negative criticism in my post, merely concern at the reduction in content.

[Cuban8]

A generational thing that's taking hold perhaps? I've never seen any of my grandchildren with a comic or magazine in their hands.............yes, phones, laptops and games consoles have changed their entertainment habits and to a large extent, that is happening right across the age spectrum. If the habit of buying the printed word falls away. then that can only wind up in one direction.

The hobby has changed beyond all recognition over the last few decades - some good changes, others less so - but change is the key. Fewer people find aviation fascinating as we did in the 1960s - those that still do can indulge themselves by flying in the virtual world.

I very rarely buy any magazines these days - R/C flying and motorbikes are my passions, but I find the magazines no longer provide the sort of service or entertainment that I prefer in order to enjoy models and bikes to the full. Maybe the occasional special editition but that's a bit different.

I'm still a voracious reader of books and always have a non-fiction title on the go - currently, rereading Alex Henshaw's 'Sigh for a Merlin', but my short magazine content I find on Youtube these days from a number of favourite channels.

I don't know where RCM&E will be in the medium term - I sincerely hope that it survives, the spin-offs are way too valuable to lose, but that will depend, I suppose, on the bottom line in the end. The mag isn't exactly being harrased by competitors now, so the market is wide open but whether a viable customer base can be maintained or developed is, unfortunately, questionable.

Alternatives? Maybe a paid for on-line only mag alternative allied to this forum? I wouldn't dismiss the idea out of hand as more and more content is viewed via a screen of some type and people (particularly older types) get used to it. I've bought a number of downloaded issues from Pocketmags and can access them as and when I feel the need. Stuff can be printed off if really needed - built my Atom Special that way.

If it means that the only feasible way of providing a central 'hub' for R/C flying is down that route, then maybe that might work.

I don't know whether any thing like a future tie-in with the BMFA would be possible. They don't have trouble 'selling' their magazine!! Just a thought for discussion/derision.

Edited October 19, 2023 by Cuban8

[Futura57]

I for one am trying to do my part by starting to submit content to Kevin for the magazine. As a modeller for over 50 years I have been a consumer of RCM&E (plus aero modeller, Q&E flight, Heli World, etc) so now I want to give something back. In addition to building from the featured plans I have built some of the electronics projects in decades past. In the 1970s & 80s I was big into TTL and CMOS chips and would make my own bread-boarded circuits for servo reversers, mixers and current switches before committing them to PCB. Sadly, such articles rarely appear these days, largely due to the fact you can buy almost any electronic gizmo from China for a few quid. There are so many diverse niches to the hobby that it must be a difficult balancing act to please everyone in every issue. I sincerely hope the magazine continues for many years. So get those fingers typing peeps 😉

 

I'm proud to say I have an article coming up in the December issue about my Top Quark design. I have now produced a proper plan and, right now,  am close to finishing a second build of the model for build photograph purposes. If I can get some good flying pictures in the next couple of weeks I should also have my build article ready for submission. I'm doing it for the prestige and hope it will appear next Spring / Summer. If my content is not appealing to the readership then so be it. But I will try again. The magazine is what we make it. Though they haven't said so to my face,  I suspect some of my clubmates think I'm a bit of a big head promoting my design as I am. But sometimes you have to have confidence in what you doing and think to yourself, maybe other modellers would be interested in reading / seeing what I'm doing.

 

Hopefully, this quick build plank is your cup of tea.

Another shameless plug 🤣

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[DaveB1]

Great stuff Futura - love the commitment. Great photo

[RedBaron]

I really like the sleek lines. It really begs an EDF version.

[Futura57]

Thanks guys. An EDF version is one of my Winter projects 😁