For all those that missed E-Fest 2010, Great Planes has a DVD featuring all the highlights! Pylon Racing, Freestyle, Combat, and more! If you are into the RC Flying scene, and weren’t there, you should add this DVD to your shopping list!
Here’s a sneek peek from Youtube:

Check out the Great Planes website for more info.

read more from this topic.....

Hobbico has announced the new LiFeSource 200mAh 6.6v 1c Receiver Batteries. These batteries are designed to be the receiver packs in your 1/12 scale (and some 1/10th scale) vehicles where you are running a 1S LiPO to power your car. The batteries are tiny and lightweight, so you could even use them in some small gliders and planes. Look for them to be in hobby shops soon for around $20. I think a lot of people will be trying out the LiFe battery technology this year.

read more from this topic.....

For those looking to check out some of the action at the Snowbird Nationals, but can’t make it down there personally, Hobbico has been posting some YouTube videos you may be interested in. If you happen to head down there, tell them Big Squid RC say’s hi!

I’m sure they will post more as the week goes on. Looks like they have a bunch of product to check out while you are there as well.

read more from this topic.....

Wow, talk about a bargain, the new 2.4 GHz Transmitter from Tactic RC has a retail price of only $99, and that’s with a receiver! If you have been looking to ditch the FM and waiting for your ‘clip’ to come back, this might be the jump for you! Here’s the press release:
Spread spectrum systems are all the rage – and Tactic is proud to offer a 2.4GHz pistol-grip radio for cars, trucks and boats that’s tops in simplicity, durability and affordability! Cutting-edge electronics make the TTX240 virtually “bulletproof” against interference and glitching, yet, priced to fit within almost any modeler’s budget. Spread spectrum technology eliminates crystals, frequency pins and waiting for a channel to become available. The super-small receiver locks onto the transmitter’s unique signal and won’t respond to signals from any other source.

Compatible with a wide range of digital and analog servos, the Tactic TTX240 works well with both nitro and electric models. Binding the compact, quarter-ounce RX324 receiver to the transmitter is virtually as simple as turning them on. An internal receiver antenna makes old-fashioned antennas obsolete.
,

read more from this topic.....

Hey Aviator’s Love those long run times and lightweight flights? Great Planes has released their 20C 3200mAh Lithium-Polymer batteries for larger scale electric flights. The BP series 3200mAh packs feature Dean’s® Ultra plugs (female) and rated for 20C discharge. These packs are available in 2-cell 7.4V (6.9oz/195 gram) and 3-cell 11.1V (10.1oz/285 gram) styles.

Check them out at Great Planes.

read more from this topic.....

If you listen to the national mainstream media, you’ll hear of more plant closing, cut-backs, and job lay-offs every day. Is the rc community immune to such things, as many “insiders” would have to you believe?

Certainly not, as last Tuesday, Horizon laid off 15 workers. After talking with two members of the management staff at Horizon, they stressed that this was a preemptive strike- an attempt to make Horizon more mean and lean, and thus hopefully, in a better situation to handle the current recession. Strangely, Horizon has had a large page of job openings posted on their website for weeks, jobs ranging from product manager of Losi, to their CIO (head of IT).

Sadly, just before Christmas, Hobbico also laid off 37 employees as the result of the economic downturn. You can find the complete story HERE. Internal Hobbico rumors persist that more lay-offs are immanent.

And if you are just some squid out there, then why is it a big deal that Hobbico and Horizon are laying people off? Because, while it might not look like it, those are the two largest companies in our hobby grade rc industry. The two Champaign Illinois based behemoths dominate the inner workings of the rc retail market. If life is bad for those two, then life is much worse for the smaller fish in the sea.

No, I don’t enjoy bringing “bad news” to the masses, but BigSquidRC is not only a place for bashers, rumor mongering, and drag talk, but perhaps the only rc news source that brings you the information that the “industry insiders” don’t want you to know, good or bad. We wish everyone luck that was affected by the recent layoffs in finding a new home.

Your Cub Reporter

read more from this topic.....

As another year comes to a close, I wanted to take a moment to thank all the people that helped make 2008 an amazing year for Big Squid RC. We grew leaps and bounds this year, and really have started to make some waves in the world of internet RC. From our viral videos, to our very much copied style, terms, and stories. We are happy to be the leaders watching the others scramble to be just like us. We woke up a lot of companies at iHobby Expo, and we promise to keep bringing you eye opening and original work in 2009!

Thanks to all of our readers who faithfully keep coming back for more news, reviews and incite. Keep telling your friends about us!

Thanks to all of our writers: Cubby, Jason Anis, Rey (Stangrey), Wesley Dennis (Microman), and our forum moderators Bill (firespring281) and Chris (thenewguy821).

Thanks and good luck in 2009 to our Pro Driver Tim Mohr! We can’t wait to watch you take over the electric 1/8th scale world!

Thanks to everyone who helped make iHobby Expo such a success for us! We could not of done it without you all! Tim, Jason, Jim, Bill, Chris, Geno, Anna, Ewa, Alfonso, Elizabeth and Cubby!

Finally a huge thanks to all of our sponsors this year! Without you all, we wouldn’t be able to pay the electric bill to keep this place running! Make sure to go visit these sites, show your support, and buy their products! Also tell them we said hi. In no particular order:
Duratrax, Max Amps, O’Donnell Racing, Traxxas, Futaba RC, Team Checkpoint, Best RC, HPI Racing, EDS Racing Products, Team Novak, Grand MotorSports, Leisure Hours Hobbies, RC Car Kings, RC Hobbies Naperville, Buku Power, Dragrace Concepts, Acer Racing, Roy Anderson Engineering, Pro-Line Racing, Parma PSE, Schumacher USA and RC Hardware!
Thank you all so very much! Hopefully I didn’t miss anyone, if I did, send your mail to Cubby, he gets lonely.

Don’t worry, Cubby should be back from his vacation next week (fingers crossed) and you will be able to enjoy your weekly soap box once again.

read more from this topic.....

This sounds kinda cool. Real Flight and Great Planes are hosting a video contest! Basically, pull off some insane crazy RC stunt flying moves that you could never pull off in real life, post the video to youtube, and hope people vote for your video! The winner gets a $1000 shopping spree! You have till March 1st, 2009! You better get started!
Check the NEW Product Forum for the full press release.

Note: This contest has nothing to do with Big Squid RC, we are just posting the info.

read more from this topic.....

Great Planes announced today that they will be bringing the Muchmore Racing product line to North America. The Muchmore products are mostly electronics like charger/dis-chargers, tire warmers, motor accessories, stuff like that.
Cub reporter, who is down at the Snowbird Nationals, sent in this picture of a banner that was put up for the official announcement. It looks like we also got a candid shot of O.S. Engine master Ray Robinson.

The full press release is in the NEW Product Forum.

read more from this topic.....