Editor's Comments

ools and finishing supplies are as much a part of a hobby shop’s bread and butter as models, mainly because it’s rather difficult to do justice to the latter without carrying a good selection of the former. July is the month when Hobby Merchandiser runs its Annual Tools & Finishing Products Showcase. This feature always draws a terrific response from the industry, and this year’s product input is particularly high.
      An incredible selection of new and familiar tools and finishing products fills the showcase pages, and the good news is that so many of these new and exciting items were submitted that we have committed to continuing the showcase in the August issue. If you don’t see it here and now, I’ll try to have it for you next month.
      NRHSA Show coverage concludes in this issue, and our three regular showcases return with some of the hottest new releases in the general interest, railroad and radio control categories. My daughter, Devin, has a great little story to tell you about Charles Lindbergh and the Guillow’s stick & tissue rendition of his Spirit of St. Louis.
      E-flite’s new F-15 Eagle is a twin-motor, electric ducted-fan jet with amazing performance, and that’s just one of this month’s killer aircraft reviews. I also built and flew the compact and highly aerobatic Ultimate 40S from AirBorne Models, and the FlyZone Beechcraft Staggerwing “parkie.” The RC coverage concludes with Brandon Wright and the new Desert Truck from Losi, an outrageous performer for novice to intermediate drivers, and a pretty exciting off-road ride for experienced racers, too.
      John Sipple continues his overview of the amazingly detailed Fn3 rolling stock offerings from Bachmann Trains; this one covers the box cars. Tom Grossman has plastic from the NRHSA Show in Las Vegas, Jeremy Dunning has digital and conventional slot cars, Keith Pruitt helps stock your End Caps, and Chuck Davenport has a couple of very new and different things to show you from the die cast lineup at GMP.
      We’re trade, but we like to keep Hobby Merchandiser dealer friendly, personal and entertaining. True to form, I think you’ll enjoy our business and association reports this month. Jan Throne has a few things to say about getting an Internet site started for your store. Pat Koziol previews four of the exciting seminars scheduled for iHobby Expo 2008 in October, and you’re gonna love Cindy McFarlane’s reflections on attending her first NRHSA Show after her father passed away in 2001, to becoming the association’s new vice president this year. In case you’re unaware, Cindy is the daughter of NRHSA founder, the late Al Fucshen. Today, she is the knowledgeable and extremely successful voice of Al’s Hobby Shop in Illinois.
      All in all, this is an exciting issue with plenty of information, solid industry news and hands-on product reviews to help you improve your brick & mortar business.
      Read it. Love it. Live it.
      Then sell something.

Robert Gherman
Publisher

Jeff Troy
Editor in Chief

David Gherman
President
Hobby Publications

Maurice G. Gherman
Publisher Emeritus

Phillip Adams
G.T. Bradley
G.T. Bradley II
Chuck Davenport
Jeremy Dunning
Tom Grossman
Tom Kozel
Shawn Palmer
Rob Sher
John Sipple
Jan Throne
Devin Troy
Lisa Troy
Joe Weizer
Brandon Wright
Contributing Writers

Gary Coughlin
Art Director

Alan Pegler
Production Manager

Gary Coughlin
Assistant
Production Manager

Robert Gherman
Advertising Director

Donna Dean
Advertising Sales Manager

Dale Confrey
Advertising Coordinator

Judy Silletti
Circulation Manager