Hobby Outlook Vol. 2 Issue 3

HOBBY

OUTLOOK YOUR HOOK-UP TO THE HOBBY WORLD | SEPTEMBER 2011

INTRODUCING THE

E-Firestorm 10HT OUTLOOK REVIEWS THE WATERPROOF VEHICLE

A BEGINNER'S PERSPECTIVE:

Review of the Traxxas Mustang Boss 302 from an R/C Rookie

INSIDE:

Hotel Samoa, Salt Water Car, Bachmann N Scales, PA-18 Super Cub, Associated SC10RS

BASHING WITH STYLE

Your guide to landing killer jumps and flips

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outlook Editor-in-Chief Lauren Larsen laurenl@hobbytown.com

Design Kayla Lounsbery Writers Brian Smolik Brandon Halvorsen Chad Yost Craig Trachten Ken Versaw Lauren Larsen Kayla Lounsbery Cameron Iwan Photography Lauren Larsen Special Thanks Big Squid RC Craig Trachten Cameron Iwan

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR Hello Hobbyists, This issue marks a milestone for Hobby Outlook. One year ago, the inaugural e-zine version of Outlook hit digital shelves. We've come along way since the first publication and I'd like to extend a large cheers and thank you to our readers.

The goal of Hobby Outlook was to create a hobby resource that catered toward creativity and discovery to provide a platform of hobby "how to's", coverage of hobby events and a publication dedicated toward fun enthusiasts (aka hobbyists). This is a goal we will continue to strive for as we move forward with the publication.

The future of Outlook is bright and we applaud you for your support and passion for hobbies.

Make sure to check out this issue's R/C coverage - we've got reviews of the new E-Firestorm, Traxxas Mustang and SC10RS from Team Associated. Coverage of the IPMS Convention is also featured along with some R/C Bashing With Style tips from Big Squid R/C. Don't forget to check out our gaming (Hotel Samoa), science (OWI kit) and train reviews (4-6-O Locomotive from Bachmann). As always, our links are active.

Make sure to click and explore - there is always more to learn more about your favorite hobby.

Here's to keeping hobbies alive and another year of continued success!

Lauren Larsen Editor-in-Chief outlook

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Š2011 Horizon Hobby, Inc. www.horizonhobby.com. FORCE and Let the Battle Begin! are trademarks or registered trademarks of Horizon Hobby, Inc. US D578, 146. US 7,898,130. US 7,391,320. PRC ZL 200720069025.2. PRC ZL 201020144134.8. Other patents pending. 34277

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Index

Outlook Fall 2011

24

IN THIS ISSUE COVER STORY

8 E-Firestorm 10HT

HPI Amps Up the Original EXCLUSIVES

12 IPMS Convention 2011

Modelers: Come One, Come All

16 Bashing with Style

Jumps and Flips Abound

20 New Heights in Scale

Bachmann N Scale Review

26 Curb Checks: No Problem!

Associated’s SC10RS

30 A Beginner's Perspective

The Traxxas Mustang Boss 302 REGULARS

6 Hobby Talk

Coolest Models Ever Built

7 Hobbies in the News

IMPS 2012 Convention

24 Craig’s Pick

PA-18 Super Cub

34 HTUniversity

Salt Water Energy

36 Gaming Corner

Hotel Samoa

PA-18 Super Cub

26 No Problem Curbs:

8

Subscribe

Free Hobby News!

E-Firestorm 10HT outlook

5

Hobby Talk

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HOBBY TALK

numbers

7

# of products reviewed in this issue

# of active links in this issue

The following comments are responses to one of our daily status updates. Want to participate? Get connected below and be automatically a part of the Hobby Talk!

Fill in the blank: The coolest model I have ever put together is ___________.

The Moon Bus from 2001 A. -Brad My Celica XX from Japan.

-Patrick The coolest model I have ever put together is the Mayflower.

(Hand-stitching the sails took months!)

-Darren

The coolest model I have ever put together is U.S Marines Hummer Armored car.

-Augustinas Nighthawk.

-Max F-14A and the Aston Martin SNAP. -Rebecca Aurora Blackbeard.

-Tim

GET CONNECTED TODAY To get in on all the “Hobby Talk” and stay connected, check out our Facebook page. We answer and post questions daily. We’ll also keep you up-to-date on the latest hobby news!

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Revels 1/96 USS CONSTITUTION. -Donald My Ford Ranchero.

Turned it in to dragster.

-Roy Ork battlewagon!

-Wayne My 1957 Chevy 1/12 scale.

-Steven

10

# of hours it takes to build a PA-18 Super Cub

by E-flite

Hobbies in the News

Hobbies in the News IPMS Announces 2012 Convention Location - Walt Disney World!

International Plastic Modelers' Society Convention 2012 will be held at the Convention Center at Disney’s Contemporary Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Florida.

The convention will feature tours at Fantasy of Flight and the Kennedy Space Center, informative seminars and up to 363 vendor tables. You can register online or through the mail. Accomodations are being provided by Disney’s Contemporary Resort which is just a short walk or monorail ride away from the Magic Kingdom® Park and Epcot®. Click here to register and find out more!

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T

H 10

K C Y U D R A T E A 'S R B T M A H U T R m r o st

e

The

new

ir F E

O T

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"

" E L B

Review Review

The New and Improved E-Firestorm 10HT

By Brandon Halvorsen

HPI has released an updated Firestorm HT with many new features that make it the best buy in the ready to run (RTR) market. First, let’s go over the basics of the truck.

The Firestorm HT has a standard two-wheel drive layout, with a durable composite chassis. The shocks are threaded to adjust the ride height and the suspension is more adjustable than most of the competition. All the hinge pins are captured, so you do not have to worry about a few e-clips cutting your afternoon of fun short.

The radio system has been upgraded from a traditional crystal system to a modern 2.4GHz system. This ensures interference-free operation so you do not have to worry about someone else on the same frequency. This also allows you to run multiple models at the same outlook

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Review Click here to see the E-Firestorm in action!

Even after splashing up water through some very large puddles, the E-Firestorm was going strong with no damage done to the electronics!

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Review

E-FIRESTORM 10HT CONT'D... time or take it to the local track and not have a thing to worry about.

In the performance department, a new waterproof speed control with LiPo cutoff and a waterproof speed control have replaced the old electronics. The waterproofing will ensure trouble- free running in any condition. Whether you want to run the truck on muddy trails or on a snowy winter day, you can enjoy your truck without fear of expensive damage to the electronics.

Also important, the LiPo cutoff will allow you to use the newest high performance batteries giving you maximum speed and runtime.

When it comes to looks, HPI never disappoints and this new truck is no

exception. There are new chrome sixspoke wheels with licensed Yokohama Geolander tires. The wheels use a conventional 12mm hex mounting system, giving you many options when it comes to personalizing your truck. The body is the sleek new DSX-2, so all of your friends will recognize that you have the newest version of the Firestorm. Since the chassis and suspension carryover, all the same upgrades will work ensuring easy parts and upgrade availability.

Left: The Firestorm splashing through a puddle in a parking lot, testing out its water-resistant capabilities, a defintie success with aboslutely no damage done to the electronics, even in formidable puddles! Above: A three-shot series of the Firestorm climbing a steep dirt pile and launching off the top. It even landed the jump on the other side; quite an impressive feat.

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In Omaha, Nebraska...

Hopefully the judge catches my good side...

Click here to view the IPMS website.

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First place is mine!

IPMS

Exclusive

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1

N AT I O N A L C O N V E N T I O N

By Lauren Larsen

Enter the world of modeling. A place where men who love Spiderman and know everything about WWII can talk paint colors and the Green Goblin over a cup of coffee. This world is the perfect fusion of taste, method and skill. Here, detail and patience equal respect.

Accuracy is vital – the more realistic, the better. Every model has a story - every modeler is invested in that story. Now, enter the IPMS National Convention.

The International Plastic Modelers' Society Convention is held annually throughout the United States. This year’s show was located in Omaha, Nebraska.

Dubbed “Omaha by the Sea," the event was given a naval and aviation theme.

The purpose of the annual convention is to unite modelers from all over the world to share technique, catch-up and compete in the model competition.

Participants hail from everywhere Washington, Ohio, Mexico, Taiwan, etc.

“Canada has a pretty strong showing every year. They always give us a run for our money,” says Dave Babcock,

show employee and IPMS member.

This year, the show had an expected turn out of over 800 people. “We have had great numbers,” says Babcock. “We are completely overwhelmed – in a good way.”

Smaller events and competitions are held at different regional chapters throughout the year, but this is, by far, the club’s largest annual event.

The show includes classes and seminars for those interested in developing their craft - classes range from the basic 101's of modeling to detailed painting tips and higher level techniques. Vendor showcases are also a major part of each convention - many modelers use this as an opportunity to purchase more models and supplies. Tours to the Strategic Air & Space Museum, Henry Doorly Zoo and Offutt Air Force Base were scheduled for attendees – exploring the local scene is a big part of the convention as well. Banquets, raffles and awards are also always on the agenda.

One of the main components of the convention is the model contest. Over outlook

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Exclusive

Charlie Stevens, seasoned modelist, puts the finishing touches on his model before the judges begin.

800 modelers entered more than 2,500 models. According to Babcock, there were, “8 pages of categories” – aka too many to count. To view a complete list of categories, visit the IPMS convention site.

Awards were distributed to the best modeler from each category as well as best overall and theme awards.

Plaques awarded to the winners were given special consideration to this year’s theme - the wood used to craft the awards came from a WII aircraft carrier deck and the logo displayed a Curtis flyer and F18 Hornet combing through a field of corn – a little 14

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homage to the hosting state never hurts.

Charlie Stevens, show attendee and seasoned modelist, entered his first national competition this year at IPMS. He was visibly proud of the expert level model stationed in front of him as I introduced myself – and with good reason. Charlie was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease 15 years ago. “I told the doctor I used to model and he suggested I take it up again to work on my brain and hand coordination.”

The fruits of his labor are well worth the investment of his time - Charlie's model had an impeccable attention

Exclusive

to detail and was, to be frank, one of the coolest dioramas I saw that day.

With a few local modeling titles under his belt, Charlie says, “The show is a great way to visit old friends and buy new models –winning would just be the icing on the cake.”

The world of modeling is a new world to me – but I am not the only one.

The show, while attended by loads of veteran modelists, is a great place to get started in the hobby. It is loaded with people who know what they are talking about and would love to share their hobby. Remember, modelers

(not to be confused with fashion models) come in all shapes and sizes.

Next year’s convention will be held in Orlando, Florida at Walt Disney World.

Group rates are available for the Contemporary Resort and guests are encouraged to bring family members. It is the perfect excuse to take a vacation and focus on your favorite hobby.

To enter the world of modeling, check out the IPMS National Convention site.

Don't forget to sign- up for the National Model Contest at your local HobbyTown USA. Participation at stores may vary.

Contact your HobbyTown today to sign up! outlook

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Guest Columnist

BASHING Y I D project

WITH

STYLE!

Landing Killer Jumps and Flips So you are out with your buddies doing a little bashing. It’s only a matter of time before you find a big ramp or dirt hill to start catching some big air. ...

By Brian Smolik Big Squid RC

Today we are going to discuss some of the fundamentals of jumping, flipping and make sure you throw in a little style while you are getting big air!

If you are new to the big air scene, we are going to start off with the basics. First, it’s much easier to control and flip a 4x4 vehicle than a 2WD vehicle. The direction and speed of the spinning wheels create a centrifugal force that can help you tilt your vehicle nose up, nose down, flip and spin. This isn’t saying you can’t apply these tips to a 2WD vehicle-they still work, the results are just not as dramatic.

If you are jumping on dirt, look for the sweet 16

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spot in the jump, the o vehicle into the air even it’s best to try and hit t possible. If one of you the ramp before the oth the throttle, the vehicle one of the corners, givi to recover from.

If you are coming up up on the throttle will keeping your vehicle lo bringing your nose do heavy on the throttle al your vehicle will launch keep the nose up.

While in the air you front angle of your rid throttle or hit the break will dip down. If you pu the front of your car w want to land all four t close to the same time will this set you up for will also be easier on y weight and force is dis tires and shocks. You d your finger heavy on th your wheels are trying t than the vehicle is actua the ground it’s going to your drive train, motor Here are three examp just by using your thrott

one that will send your nly. During your launch, the ramp as straight as ur front tires comes up her and you are still on e will start to twist drop ing you a difficult angle

p on a jump fast, easing l coast you off the lip ower to the ground and own a little. If you are ll the way up the jump, h higher into the air and

u have control over the de. If you release the k, the front of your car ull more on the throttle will tilt up. Ideally you tires on the ground as e as possible. Not only what’s coming next, it your suspension as the stributed across all four don’t want to land with he throttle or brake. If to spin faster or slower ally moving, when it hits o add a lot of stress to and gears. ples of what you can do tle and brake:

LUMNIST O C T S E U G

1 The

Nose Dive

This first image shows what happens if you let off the throttle too much, or tap the brake. You end up going nose down pretty quickly, and using the bumper and front tires instead all the full suspension.

2 Nose

in the Air

In this image you can see we didn’t let off the throttle enough which keeps the nose of the vehicle pointing up, and again we didn’t use the full suspension.

3 Just

Right

Finally, in this image you can see we had an even jump, the nose wasn’t too high or too low, and our landing was at the same angle as the downside of the jump. This is optimal for lining up upcoming jumps, being able to recover lost speed in the air, and makes it easier on the suspension of the truck. outlook outlook

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Guest Columnist

More Sick Moves...

Back Flip This next image shows us pulling off a backflip. We stayed heavy on the throttle while going up the jump to give us the height we needed and the time to flip the truck around. If you are not full throttle at the jump, you will want to pull the throttle hard as soon as the vehicle is off the ground. This will spin the big tires causing the force to spin the rest of the truck around.

Once the truck is almost fully flipped, you are going to want to release the throttle before you land. Landing with full throttle will cause a lot of stress on the vehicle and gears because everything is going to try and come to a stop.

the ground, hit the brakes. Stopping your tires from rotating will cause the truck to tilt forward, and because we were at full speed, it should want to flip pretty quick. Remember to let off the brake and go back to neutral on the throttle before you land so the truck rolls away smooth.

Practice makes perfect, and before you know it, you’ll be landing flips and jumps, amazing your friends with your bashing skills. When you first start off, try to pick a landing area that’s soft.

Set up a ramp and jump into the grass.

Make your way to dirt once you get the basics down. Start slow, don’t go for the flips right away. Make sure you understand the feel of the vehicle, and how to bring the nose up or down as needed.

Check it out in real-time!

Front Flip

To pull off a front flip, you want to come into the jump at nearly full speed. This will give you height and distance. As soon as your vehicle is off 18

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Want to see some of this stuff in action?

There are two videos recently compiled that you can check out. They both feature the Traxxas Stampede 4x4 doing some insane flips and serious air control.

Guest Columnist

Video

1

In this video, we are bashing off our portable ramp (we wrote an article on a while back) as well as some skate park action.

If features flips forward, backward, double flips and even driving off the ramps backward and flipping around forward.

Video

2

This video illustrates some super slow motion footage we shot so you can see some of the craziness going

MNIST U L O C T S GUE

on. You can see in one of the shots, we jumped forward, but at a slight angle.

Using the brake in the air, we could flip and turn around. This landed us backwards.

Time to get outside and bash something!

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EDITOR’S PICK

Product Review

introducing the

DCC-EQUIPPED BALDWIN 4-6-0 STEAM LOCOMOTIVE

Features: • DCC-equipped for speed, direction, and lighting • dual-mode NMRA-compliant decoder • precision can motor • die-cast boiler and chassis • separate domes and stack • finescale detailing including bell, whistle, and piping • gear drive • Walschaerts valve gear • blackened metal wheels • high-quality traction tires • detailed backhead • NMRA wheel profile • E-Z Mate® Mark II couplers

Reaching new heights in scale Adding another axle to the 4-4-0 design gave the Ten-Wheeler extra tractive power to haul heavy loads up mountainous terrain, making it a great all-around train for freight and passenger service. Our new DCC-equipped 4-6-0 with 63” drivers is ready to make the grade in N scale.

• Item No. 51451 Painted, Unlettered - Black • Item No. 51452 Painted, Unlettered - Black with Red Windows and White Stripes • Item No. 51453 New York Central® #1235 • Item No. 51454 Union Pacific® #1590 • Item No. 51455 Southern #1006 • Item No. 51456 Chicago Northwestern #237

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Find the HobbyTown USA速 location nearest to you.

With over 150 franchises nationwide, you can find us just about anywhere.

s

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Store Locator

CT

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PA-18 Super Cub

By Craig Trachten HobbyTown USA® Brookfield, CT

While unpacking the pieces and parts to start the inspection and assembly process, the first of many “wow”s was uttered. The cabin area was painted black, no bare wood! The next “wow” was the factory hinged, functional split door, just like the real deal.

Three light building evenings and she’ll be ready to take flight: approximate build time is 10 hours. The aileron hinge slots and the holes for the hinge points are factory cut. You will notice the factory predrilled points for the control horns. The “wow” comes when you remove the servo hatches for the aileron and flap servos. There are substantial mounting plates factory installed. No measuring, no marking and no epoxying!

Center your servos, thread on the clevis’ and the wings themselves are done. Note that throughout the documentation there are shadowed areas labeled E-Tips, helpful hints to accomplish a task. I would like to add my C-Tip (C=Craig’s). Before I size the aileron and flap control rods, I taped the flaps to the wing tips. Once they are set, I tape the ailerons to the flaps.

Later in the assembly process, the struts 24

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by E-flite

and lights are installed. Installing the struts was like working with an Erector Set all of the metal parts screwed together. The second C-Tip: when installing the nav and landing lights; the wire chases for the lights are factory installed. One of the four chases gave me trouble snaking the wire through.

Might have been a bit of debris that snuck in? I fed a thin stiff wire through the chase, soldered the lighting wire to the end and pulled the wire through.

Mounting the motor, ESC, cowl, prop and battery come next. After making sure everything was OK, I removed the battery, prop and cowl. I did the same thing with the landing gear. After the install, I removed the wheels. Letting the aircraft sit on the wheels for an extended period of time can develop a flat spot.

When attaching the stab and tail braces, I started with attaching an upper and lower brace to the stab tip.

I adjusted each until I had alignment with the mounting holes on the other side without twisting the stab or bowing the braces. Adjust the other set to match the ones youmade. Attaching the rudder and elevator is pretty standard.

Review

The windshield was cake to attach.

I ran a bead of Zap-A-Dap along the top and bottom and held it in place with some low tack masking tape until dry. I didn’t follow the documentation when installing the side windows. C-tip: lay the fuse on its side. A building stand comes in handy for this. I then laid the side glass in the openings. Using a bamboo Bar-B-Q skewer, I dipped it into my canopy glue then ran it around where the window flange touched the frame.

Installing the cockpit kit was like putting a jigsaw puzzle together. Again, laying the fuse on its side will help. Once I had the side panels in place (one side at a time), I used a fine tip pipette with thin CA and wicked them under each panel. Thick CA was used to attach the instrument panel. My final process was to reinstall the wheels, cowl and prop so I can check and adjust the CG. Now comes the fun part: flying!

The uncut grass was a bit rough, but was not a real problem for the 3.35” wheels on the Super Cub. For my initial take-off, I did not deploy the flaps. Once I get her trimmed out, I’ll make my flap adjustments. The roll-

out, rotation and climb-out were a sight to see. At altitude I trimmed for hands off flight. She was docile, but quite responsive. Landing was as pretty as take-off. Although this is the ultimate aircraft for shooting scale approaches and touch-n-gos, you will have a great time looping and rolling. Stalls, tail slides and hammerheads all add to the enjoyment of flying this aircraft.

The last of the C-tips: setting up elevator to flap mixing. Until you get comfortable with my method, have a friend help. Let him/her make the adjustments while you keep both hands on the sticks. I leave my transmitter in the programming mode in the elevator to flap percentage screen. At a safe altitude, I deploy the first click of flap at ¼ throttle. I will then scroll elevator percentage until I get the sink rate I’m comfortable with. I repeat this for the second click of flap.

There are multitudes of aircraft out there for all styles of flying. If you are into top-shelf design and quality, and looking for a scale ship for scale flying, E-flite’s Platinum Super Cub should be on the top of your “want” list. Have fun, fly safe! outlook

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R/C Gear-Up

CURB CHECKS: NO PROBLEM! The Associated SC10RS RTR gets taken for a spin by HTU's Chad Yost and his nephew.

By Chad Yost

Getting to test an R/C car is always exciting for a fan like me. However, when I got word that I'd would get to demo the SC10RS for Hobby Outlook, I was thrilled.

The SC10RS comes securely packed with helpful tools that are perfect for when you are in a pinch - I'd recommend getting your own set, but these will work in an emergency. The vehicle also houses a sealed receiver box and a full manual that includes assembly instructions and a helpful troubleshooting guide. I was especially excited to see such a thorough set of instructions - in the world of RTR’s, not as many enthusiasts are working on their own cars.

The truck itself was awesome.

It has a very realistic and 26 28

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Chad hand the co powerf d

Click here to view the product online.

R/C Gear-Up

Report Card: SC10RS RTR Good

d lends a helping to his nephew at ontrols, for some ful (and thankfully, durable) fun.

Great

Awesome

Suspension: Appearance: Electronics: Speed: Shocks: Durability:

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R/C Gear-Up

impressive body that is well cut. The vehicle features front and rear bumpers, rubber mud flaps and decals that are already placed.

Looks aside (and most importantly), the truck is very durable. After several full-speed “curb checks”, there were no broken parts to repair. It was nice to not have to worry about the truck breaking after every spill. The SC10RS platform is a proven national championship chassis - it won in 2009, 2010 and at the 2011 ROAR Short Course Nationals.

The vehicle is also water resistant - awesome for the upcoming snowy season. It boasts full ball-bearings with a powerful Reedy 3300kV brushless

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motor. It is also worth noting that after cutting the foam block to allow ½" in front, and ½" in back meant placement for better weight distribution of the battery. I was able to stand the truck up on its rear wheels!

The new V2 adjustable slipper clutch is also included with the vehicle. With all that power, I had to back out the slipper a touch from the factory presets. The new V2 slipper is super easy to adjust and dial in - the gear differential is very sturdy. Since it is sealed, you can tune it with using different fluid weights. This one comes with the standard Associated “Black Grease" - the equal to a 3k Diff fluid.

R/C Gear-Up

This vehicle has a 2.4 GHz radio system and comes with the XP S1903MG, a sought after metal geared steering servo. Also, the thumb knobs on the battery retainer make it easy to swap out batteries: no body clips to lose and easy to get back in. Associated also added the new V2 blue anodized shocks - super score!

One other thing to point out is that this is a replica of the Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series trucks. Currently, Associated offers it in four different body styles: ASC7046 – Lucas Oil, ASC7047 – Monster Energy, ASC7048 – Pro Comp, ASC7049 – Rockstar/Makita.

The SC10RS’s have the water-resistant

XP-SC700 brushless speed control, a water-resistant enclosed receiver box, new V2 coil over shocks, JConcept tires and Hex-drive wheels.

Overall, the truck was very stable, fast and well thought out. My six-year-old nephew had fun driving his first “real” R/C car - even though it was way too fast for him and he ran it full speed into the curb more than once.

Based on the six-time ROAR Nationals winning T4 stadium truck, with five ROAR Short Course National titles of its own, the SC10 RS is great for bashing with your friends in your back yard or competing at any level at your local RC track.

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2 e 0 h 3 T SS O B

e v ti

c e p

s r e P r’s

e n n

i g e

AB

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Review

By Kayla Lounsbery

They say it’s always good to try new things and after my first foray into the R/C world, I would have to agree. For my first time behind the wheel (or the transmitter, I should say), I tried out the Traxxas 1/16 Mustang Boss 302 Brushless 2.4GHz RTR. To be clear, I know little to nothing about R/C cars, so I wanted to do everything by the book, literally. I didn’t even touch the car (other than getting it out of the box, of course) until I read the quick start instructions in the owner’s manual, and I’m glad.

The manual made everything really

simple and quick to get started.

After patiently waiting six hours for the battery pack to charge (a difficult task with my level of heightened anticipation) and inserting four AA’s into the transmitter, I connected the battery, flipped the “on” switches and was ready to tear up the parking lot. The steering controls were completely different than I expected, less than intuitive and very sensitive, something I would likely adjust in the future. It also would have helped if I had been holding the transmitter properly. I had the steering controls outlook

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Review

facing sideways, holding it more like a gun, instead of having them facing upward, rookie mistake. Even with an improperly held transmitter, I was a quick study, doing figure-eights and very narrowly avoiding parked cars.

The speed of the car was also unexpected, but very exciting. Thirty miles an hour looks way faster when dealing with a car of that size. I was a little afraid to run it wide-open in such a small parking lot, but it was too hard to resist. Attempts at this resulted in more near-misses in the collision department. I was very lucky. I would definitely recommend finding a larger, paved area (the Boss 302’s low-riding body is no good for off-roading), free of obstacles.

I know I would have had more fun had I not constantly been worried about driving the Boss into my coworkers' parked cars.

I also found out that it is probably best to read the entire owner’s manual before getting started, not just the “quick start” portion.

And, when they say to leave the factory setting alone until you know what you are doing, they mean it. Changing the throttle neutral adjustment from the 50/50 setting to the 70/30 setting was a bad idea. Not only did I send the 32

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car shooting straight backwards under a parked car, but I scared myself to death and screamed like a girl. Read the manual, seriously.

In the end, I would have to say the Traxxas Mustang Boss 302 made for a great first-time R/C experience. With speed like that and a less than rugged body, I wouldn’t recommend it for young kids, but it worked just fine for a 22-year-old, completely inexperienced girl. This will not be my last R/C adventure, I can assure you. I already can't wait to hit the open parking lot again, with these newly (and some hard) learned lessons under my belt.

Review

Want to get in on all the fast-paced fun of the Traxxas Mustang Boss 302?

Click here to view the Boss 302 online!

BOSS 302 Features

Kayla's Favorite Features

• The well-designed, realistic body • Amazing color • Super cool rims • Not just another pretty car, the Boss can move with incredible speed • Detailed owner's manual with instructions that make getting started simple • The ability to make sharp turns at high speed

• Adjustable torque-control slipper clutch • Ball-bearing transmission • Digital high-torque waterproof steering servo • Easy-access battery compartments • Efficient rubber-sealed ball bearings • Full-time 4WD • Fully adjustable, oil-filled GTR Shocks • Fully assembled and ready-torace • Officially licensed Ford Mustang Boss 302 body • Powerful Velineon 380 brushless motor • TQ 2.4 GHz radio system with Traxxas Link • Traxxas High-Current Connector • VXL-3m waterproof electronic speed control • Waterproof electronics outlook

33

niversity est. 1986

HTUniversity Salt Water Energy Ken Versaw dabbles in salt water energy with the help of four other qualified HTUniversity scientists in this issue’s HTUniveristy.

By Ken Versaw

The salt water car is part model, part science lesson and all fun. My children were nervous that this project would be very complicated but as we unpacked the box it became clear that the makers of the world’s smallest fuel cell powered vehicle took measures to make it accessible for everyone.

As a model, the salt water car was very simple. Those who enjoy the challenge of gluing thousand-piece accurately detailed models may want 34

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to skip this one. There are about 10 different pieces that make up the body of the model, and they snap together very easily. Total time of construction was only around five minutes.

As a vehicle that runs on salt water, this project is a bit more complicated.

Although there are only around five pieces that make up the engine and fuel cell, it is imperative that you get all the nuances correct. Although the engine and fuel cell were put together fairly

HTUniversity

How it works: This is a concept of an eco-friendly fuel cell vehicle that runs on salt water. After activating the fuel cell module with a saltwater mixture (optimally 20%), the magnesium metal sheet can operate the car for about 5-7 hours continuously. quickly it still took about 10 minutes to troubleshoot the car and get it working.

The gear has to be put on the engine exactly correct, and the order that you put the fuel cell together are some of the details that are easy to miss, but

must be correct to make the little car go.

As a learning tool, the fuel cell car worked more like a spark that lit the children’s imagination, than a course that taught them knowledge. When all was said and done the children were very excited by the idea that a car can run on water. The included materials were light on information about the science behind how it works. What that meant for this family of science geeks was an extra trip to Google to figure it out for ourselves. Will all of our cars run on salt water some day? I’m not sure, but I am excited to find out.

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Hotel Samoa is a fun, fast-paced strategy game that is great for the whole family. Up to six players can enjoy at a time!

This issue:

Hotel Samoa By: Cameron Iwan

Many games try to pull double duty between being a fun, light-hearted family game and a more strategic “gamer’s game,” but few pull it off as well as Z-Man’s Hotel Samoa.

In Hotel Samoa, you are a hotel owner trying to make the most profit from the constant influx of tourists arriving on the island. Lots of exciting variables keep this goal interesting, 36

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between keeping your hotel in peak condition while still offering the most attractive rates for the tourists.

Each round, a small group of tourists from one of Norway, Great Britain, Germany or Japan arrive on the island looking for a place to stay.

Some are big spenders that will pay double, while others may be roomsharing couples, swimmers or even the occasional celebrity that can bring even more money into your pockets.

As the hotel owner, you can also upgrade your hotel with improvements

GAME breakdown

Game Time: Less than an hour Perfect For: Family-friendly strategy game play ( Ages 10+)

Review

Instructions Clarity The instructions are laid out really well and walk you through all the steps and special exceptions.

Game Play The first few rounds you may not have a great feel for which bid cards to play, but by mid-game you should have no problems.

Strategy Once you use a card you won’t be able to use it again, so it becomes key to learn which card to bid with, or even when to pass.

Set-Up With just a few minutes you’ll be off running your own Samoan hotel

such as luxury suites, swimming pools, and much more.

After you see which tourists and room upgrades are available, players will secretly choose one of their many bid cards to try to get what they want.

Everybody flips over their cards at the same time, and high bidders get first crack at the hotel upgrades, while low bidders get first choice of which guests will check in to their hotels. This makes the cost of improvements higher and the income from tourists lower, which keeps players on their toes about how

Overall Hotel Samoa packs a lot of fun into a short time. Especially recommended for the casual game group or family!

to best spend and earn their money.

Hotel Samoa is a fantastic fast-paced game that finishes in less than an hour even with up to six players. The box says it’s for ages ten and up, but you may find the theme and simple rules make it accessible for family members much younger than that. outlook

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NATIONAL MODEL CONTEST 10.15.11

CREATIVITY KNOWS NO SCALE

* See your local store for details.

Only at participating stores.

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