Electric Micro Heli Comparison

Today we’re going to review three different hobby-grade micro helicopters. They are the E-flite Blade CX2, the Heli-Max AXE EZ and the IMEX micro helis. Though these three have very different looks to them, they have many similarities under the hood. Let’s take a look. Here’s a quick chart for you to start with:

And for those that have a hard time finding parts, here’s a quick little chart to help out in those times of need…


As you can see, there’s not too much difference between these micro helis. The biggest difference is in the Blade CX2 – you get a 2.4GHz radio system, vice an FM system. The AXE EZ however, comes with the training gear. All three are priced under $200, so you really can’t go wrong with any one of these. This is a great way to learn to fly a helicopter for anyone.

Mini-Z Racing in Manassas, VA at OTHS

Greetings all. This Brian from Olde Towne Hobby Shoppe in Manassas, VA. I've just got in stock a Mini 96 track from Kyosho to get some racing started here in the shop. I'm thinking either Tuesday or Thursday nights starting in October. Reply here if you're interested, or can call me at 703-369-1197 or email me at brian@manassashobby.com . I'm real excited to get this going so I hope to hear back from you all soon

How to paint an R/C Body

This article is for those of you that have always wanted to try this but never had the confidence. Here we will look at a real easy, inexpensive way to paint an R/C Lexan/polycarbonate body. For this, you will not need an airbrush, you can do it all with spray paint. What you’ll need to do in preparation for this is to first, get a body that fits your vehicle. Next, have an idea about the design that you want to create. That will help you in choosing the color scheme....See the full article here.

Consignment Sales are UP at OTHS

We are selling used R/C cars here like crazy! Lots of guys are slimming down their collection or trading up so take advantage of these great offers here in the store. Check out this list...

· TRAXXAS E-MAXX with 2 new Trinity Monster Maxx Wild Motors, Deans connectors on both motors and two 7.2V 3000MAH Batteries included.
AS IS……………….$335.00

· HPI Nitro RS4 3 Evo with Viper Body – brand new in box, never used!
AS IS……………….$300.00

· HPI Nitro RS4 3 Evo with BMW Body – brand new in box, never used!
AS IS……………….$300.00

· TEAM ASSOCIATED RC10B4 with Prophet battery charger, 7.2V 1500MAH battery, extra rear tires mounted, and box of accessories all included
AS IS……………….$150.00

And this just in……
· TEAM ASSOCIATED RC10GT used with OS .18 CV-R Engine. LOTS of Aluminum/Carbon Fiber hop ups – RTR (pics coming soon)
AS IS……………….$250.00

Head over to our main site for more info....

REVO Sick Trick

Watch this REVO jump over the railroad tracks, the trees then stick a perfect landing. Awesome!

Introduction to Radio Control Systems

Now we dive into the heart of the R/C hobby: radio control systems. You will become familiar with the many different types available on the market and the brand names that you should know. We’ll discuss as well how these systems work to control your car, truck, plane, helicopter or boat. You’ll know the differences between radio bands, frequencies and channels and how to choose the right ones for your application. Finally we will go through some common problems that happen with these systems, and what you can do to make yours work safer and more reliably. So sit back, grab a coke, and let’s have some fun.



A radio control system includes all the components necessary to remotely control the actions of your vehicle through the use of radio waves. This system includes: a transmitter, a receiver and one or more servos depending upon the application. Your servos plug into your receiver to convert the radio signal into motion and thereby control actions on the vehicle, such as steering, throttle, ailerons, rudder, etc. Realize that this is the only measure of control that you have over your vehicle. The point to stress about this is the golden rule in R/C: you always turn your transmitter on first and turn it off last. I’ll say that again… always turn your transmitter on first and turn it off last. I can’t emphasize that enough. Electric vehicles may act a little funny when the vehicle is on...More

Gears: Pinions and Spurs

This article is going to mainly pertain to ground vehicles, nitro or electric. We’re going to go through the gearing of these drive trains and figure out what all the numbers mean. You’ll learn the difference between a pinion and a spur gear, the important characteristics of gears you’ll need to know, and you’ll learn how to choose the right gears to get more speed or more torque out of your car or truck. Most of the concepts are easy to get on this subject, especially if you’ve ever ridden a 10-speed bike before. The same gear principles apply to your R/C vehicle.

It doesn’t matter if you’ve got a nitro vehicle or an electric one, the principles of gearing apply to both in the same way, the gears are just different sizes, that’s all. The biggest difference between the two is that sometimes nitro vehicles have two speed transmissions. In either case, however, the gear that’s mounted on the end of the motor or engine is called the pinion gear. It’s the smaller one that drives the bigger gear called the spur gear. Most cars or trucks are sold with gear sets that will give you average speed and average amounts of torque. Options are usually available up or down with both the pinion and the spur gear to give you a number of variations of gearing.

Two of the characteristics of every gear that you need to be aware of if you are going to make changes to your vehicle are the number of teeth, and the pitch of the teeth on the gear. The number of teeth is easy to figure out – you simply count them. Sometimes this number is stamped on the side of the gear: for example 52T for fifty-two teeth. The more teeth a gear has...More

Intro to Hobby-Grade Electrics

In this article we are going to become familiar with the basics of the electric powered systems that drive R/C vehicles. Now, when we talk about hobby-grade electrics, forget everything you know about Toy-R-Us and Wal-Mart toys. Hobby-grade electric vehicles can be extremely fast and dependable. In fact, many pro R/C drivers/flyers are running electrics. Some of the advantages to electrics are they are quieter than nitro powered vehicles, less messy, and they can run indoors as well. First we’ll start off by looking at how the whole system is connected to provide power to your vehicle. We will then review the different qualities of motors, speed controls, batteries and chargers available. This will help you choose the right system or repair the system you already have in you car, truck, plane, helicopter or boat. Last we’ll look at how varying each individual component will affect the rest of the system.

Look under the hood of any R/C electric powered vehicle and you should see the same basic setup. You have one or more motors that power the drive train. The motor is connected to a speed control (manual or electric). Battery power is connected directly to the speed control as well, which is plugged into your radio receiver. Power from here is provided to the servo or servos that are also plugged into the other channels of the receiver. That’s about it. No big mysteries here.

The most expensive and complicated part of the system is the speed control. In the vast majority of all R/C vehicles today, this is an electronic speed control or ESC....More

How to Break Into Radio Controlled Hobbies

There are so many possibilities when it comes to Radio Control, or R/C, that it can be overwhelming when you try to decide where to start. You walk into a hobby shop and you feel like the kid in the candy store – you just want it all! But that’s not going to happen on day one, so you need some direction. Here are a few things to first consider before you make your first purchase.

First, where are you going to play with your hobbies? Are you a flyer or a driver? If you fly, how much space do you have access to? Are there any flying clubs in your area? If you are a driver, do you prefer on-road or off-road? Are you interested in racing or do you just want to bash around and have fun? Do you live near a lake or river? Answering these questions will point you in the general direction you need to be heading. This will guide you to the right vehicle type that will give you the most enjoyment.

OK, now that you’ve decided upon a vehicle type, let’s think about what’s under the hood. The two types of systems that drive all R/C products are nitro or electric powered. Nitro (not gas) is short for nitro methane. This is the fuel that drives small 2-stroke or 4-stroke engines found in r/c cars, trucks, planes, helicopters and even boats. The fuel can be purchased at your local hobby shop usually in either quarts or gallons. These small ........More