WOODLAND SCENICS TOY & HOBBY JUNCTION
I RECENTLY ATTENDED an annual train show held in Muncie, Indiana. Not surprisingly, I saw other AMA employees, former employees, and AMA members at the show. Surveys have shown that many AMA members are also interested in model trains; however, even if you don’t currently participate in this aspect of the model hobby, you might be interested in having your own miniature hobby shop to display.
The Toy & Hobby Junction is produced and sold by Woodland Scenics. This company has long been known for its realistic model scenery for model railroads, architectural layouts, dioramas, gaming, military models, miniatures, and more.
Visiting a local hobby shop, whether in the past or present, is sure to provide fond memories. In my case, I have worked in two of them, one of which was started by my father and a business partner of his in Florida.
The recently released Toy & Hobby Junction captures that nostalgia perfectly with a highly detailed building inside and out. The exterior brick façade is hand painted and slightly weathered. Each side of the building is filled with details, including a painting of a train, a Daisy Cola advertisement, a parking sign, and a welcoming entrance to the building with its own business sign. Other details are present, including a light fixture over the back door and a meter for utilities. Visit the Woodland Scenics website to view the building from all sides.
Equally impressive is the detail you will find inside, including aircraft hanging from the ceiling. As you peer through the windows on all four sides of the building, you are greeted with the normal sights of a hobby shop, lots of fun hobby products, games, and toys! The hobby shop even has wood floors and a staircase.
Upon my first inspection, two thoughts came to mind. One was that Woodland Scenics had perfectly captured the excitement of a hobby shop. The other was that I briefly felt like a giant peering into a building because of how detailed it was. Maybe I watched too many monster movies growing up?
To add to the appeal of the hobby shop, it also comes with preinstalled interior lights. The ample wiring with a keyed plug can be used with the Just Plug Lighting System. Simply plug the Built-&-Ready structures into the Light Hub and plug in the power supply (not included), and your hobby shop now has lights! The Light Hub can power up to four items, and each of the four ports includes a rotary-style dimmer so that you can adjust the brightness of your lighting.
The Light Hub also includes screws and double-sided mounting tape to mount the Light Hub to your train layout or wherever you desire. If you are planning to use this building in a train layout, the train track might also be able to power the lights.
The Toy & Hobby Junction structure is available in three popular sizes: O, HO, and N. The suspended aircraft are only featured in the O and HO sizes. I received the O scale building (the largest), which measures 4-15/16 inches in width x 7-3/8 inches in depth x 8 inches in height.
The Woodland Scenics Toy & Hobby Junction is a beautiful example of a miniature hobby shop and would look just as good displayed on its own as it would as part of a larger train layout. To light it for display, I used the Light Hub (JP5701) and Power Supply (JP5770).
New Products from the Modeler’s Mall
Minuette @ $179.95 + S&H from Old School Model Works
Tel.: (513) 755-7494;
website: www.oldschoolmodels.com
The 67.5-inch wingspan Minuette from Old School Model Works is designed to mimic the look and feel of the wonderful Edwardian flying machines that were flown by those magnificent men.
Building the wing is a snap. The ribs are laser-cut as part of the WEB-LOCK construction. If you want to go truly “old school,” build it for simple three-channel control (rudder, elevator, and throttle). The included ailerons can also be made fully functional for four-channel control. Power can come from a .15 to .25 glow engine or a 250-plus-watt motor, 40-amp ESC, and 3S LiPo battery for electric power, but the Minuette is designed around a simple 3S electric setup.
The fuselage has been created with a huge top hatch for quick access to the batteries and radio, and it hides the wing bolts. In the air, the Minuette is a simple, easy-to-fly, cruising aircraft. Takeoffs are in just a few feet, even from grass runways. Once airborne, relax and gently glide it through the air with a series of low passes, gentle turns, and even horizontal Figure Eights. With a 3,200 mAh battery, you can easily achieve 10-plus-minute flights, with plenty of battery left for touch-and-gos. Even light wind can be handled without too much problem.
An optional Minuette accessory kit is sold separately; see the Old School Model Works website for more details.
Balsa Tri-Stock Stripper @ $29.95 + S&H from RG Graphix
Email: mail@rggraphix.com;
website: www.rggraphix.com
Balsa triangle stock is useful for reenforcing the corners of firewalls, bulkheads, and other structures, but it can sometimes be difficult to find locally and is not the easiest shape to reproduce. With the handy Balsa Tri-Stock Stripper from RG Graphix, balsa triangle stock can be quickly and easily produced.
Precisely 3D-printed from a tough and durable resin, the Balsa Tri-Stock Stripper features a heavy-duty blade and comes with four adapters: 1/4 inch, 5/16 inch, 3/8 inch, and 1/2 inch, with which 1/8-, 5/32-, 3/16-, 1/4-, 5/16-, 3/8-, and 1/2-inch triangle stock can be made.
The stripper can be handheld or mounted to a workbench using the four provided #4 x 1/2-inch screws. It is recommended that it be mounted to a workbench or a piece of wood that can be clamped to a workbench or held in a vise. Having it solidly mounted produces better results and allows the use of both hands to push and pull the balsa through.
The stripper is designed to be used with light- to medium-weight balsa that has a relatively straight grain. Hard and heavy balsa will not work well and could jam and cause damage to the adapter and blade. With careful sizing of the sticks and mindfully passing them through the stripper, producing triangle stock 36 inches or longer is possible.
Visit the RG Graphix website to view a video about how easy it is to make triangle stock from balsa wood. An instruction sheet can also be downloaded.
Hangar 9 Aermacchi MB-339 60- to 85-Newton ARF Turbine Jet @ $1,599.99-$3,879.99 + S&H from Horizon Hobby
Tel.: (800) 338-4639;
website: www.horizonhobby.com/hangar-9/
The first Hangar 9 turbine jet, the Aermacchi MB-339, is the perfect way for experienced pilots to move into turbine-powered aircraft. It’s also ideal for seasoned jet pilots who are looking for a great value in a well-behaved platform with excellent performance and handling.
This ARF version of the full-scale military jet trainer and light attack aircraft meets the need for an easy-to-fly yet fully aerobatic jet model suitable for 60- to 85-newton turbines. Featuring lightweight balsa and plywood construction with carbon-fiber reinforcements, the MB-339 is finished in long-lasting and easy to maintain UltraCote film.
The convenient hatches are large for easy access to the electronics and batteries, and the two-piece, plug-in wing makes it simple to transport and assemble. The electric retract system includes trailing-link struts and features all-metal durability. A detailed cockpit with two painted pilot busts, a 3D instrument panel, and clear canopy are also included.
The MB-339 comes with a complete hardware pack, plus a double-wall tailpipe and a fuel tank. The turbine; four standard, digital high-torque servos; four mini, digital high-torque servos; a receiver battery; an ECU battery; an air trap; and a full-range, eight-plus-channel transmitter and receiver are needed for completion. Combo kits that include a KingTech turbine or a KingTech turbine and Spektrum servos are also available on the Horizon Hobby website.
SOURCES:
Woodland Scenics
(573) 346-5555
www.woodlandscenics.com
