RC Electric Helicopters - Five Reasons Why They Are on the Rise

RC Electric Helicopters are one of the most captivating hobbies that anyone can get into. It is the thrill and joy that one gets when piloting one that makes people want to fly one. However there was a time when this hobby use to burn a hole in your pocket. Nowadays there are plenty of ways you can enjoy the excitement of flying one no matter how much money or time you have to spend. With the technology advancements made to these heli's these days it has made it allot easier for the average person to own and operate one. There is no doubt that these machines are here to stay as they have become very popular within the last few years. Here are five reasons why these machines are on the rise.

1. Cost: It use to cost hundreds to thousands of dollars just to fly and maintain a heli. Plus you had to build it yourself and buy gas for them. Since these heli's got smaller and more efficient they become less expensive to own. And because they are electric there is no need for gas. There are many different models and types of helicopters to chose from starting at 15 dollars and up.

2. Easy Flying: As the electronic and mechanical components of these helis got smaller so did their designs. The smaller they got the more people felt comfortable flying them in their living room. But the fact that they became smaller did-n't really make them easier to fly, it just made people more likely to fly one because they thought they were easier to handle. A coaxial RC helicopter is actually the easiest heli to pilot and it's all do to it's engineered design, not it's size. Also the more channels a heli has determines how much more difficult it is to fly one. As a result most mini and micro RC,s are easier to fly because they come with 2, 3, and 4 channels. A beginner should stick with 2 or 3 channel heli until you get more comfortable or become more advanced.

3. Ready To Fly: Back then when you purchased a heli it would come in a box with hundreds of pieces for you to assemble. Once you finished you had to test it, adjust it, and test it again until you got it right. It was very time consuming and if you did-n't know how to build it you had to take it to someone who did. Nowadays it come's fully assembled in a box marked RTF (Ready To Fly). Watch out though as there are some heli's marked ATF (Almost Ready to Fly) these heli's require some assembly. With a RTF heli you pull it strait out of the box, charge the battery, make some minor adjustments and off you go.

4. Flight Lessons: It use to cost a pretty penny to get flight lessons from an instructor. Today you can get a RC helicopter simulator and practice flying without having to worry about a costly crash or running out of battery juice. There are a few RC electric helicopters that come with their own simulators. Most simulators come with a remote control that mimics the real RC heli flying experience. Learning to fly has never been easier and if that was'nt enough to get youto lift off you could always get a crash kit to avoid those hard landings.

5. Upgrading And customizing: Most RC heli's can be rebuilt or upgraded, many of them have changeable parts that would make your heli perform better. For example you could upgrade your battery which would give your heli a longer flight time. Or you could upgrade your swashplate on your heli to allow your heli to do some 3D flying. You can also chose the color and design on the canopy you wish to install. There are plenty of things you can do with your heli to make it better and to your liking.

As the time goes by these machines become more efficient and more advanced. These heli's are fun and will become more and more popular among children and adults around the world. And if you thought that only children played with these toys you were wrong. Many others also use these heli's for other occasions, for example the police use high tech RC helicopters for surveillance. These RC's are every where and are used by many. So whether you use them for enjoyment or to catch a criminal these RC electric helicopters have a bright future ahead of them and are her to stay so why wait become a pilot today!

Collecting Memorabilia From Harrison Ford

Harrison Ford is one of the most popular actors of the 20th Century. His films are strong and iconic, for he has played characters which have become a part of pop culture. It is only natural that he would have a great number of fans and that these fans would want to begin collections which are devoted to commemorating him. There are quite a number of places to begin one of these collections, however, so to find the right celebrity collectibles which honor Harrison Ford, you must first decide what exactly you want to collect.

One could build an entire collection out of memorabilia from his Indiana Jones movies. From replicas of the hat he wore in the film to his whip that his character used, Indiana Jones collectibles can make a great collection. Stills from the films can provide a great adornment for the walls, especially if they have been autographed by Harrison Ford himself. Likewise, his work in Star Wars could provide a person with great opportunities to collect. Action figures have been made of Harrison Ford in Star Wars as well as any number of prints, stills, and posters. All of these items can go a long way toward supplementing a celebrity collectibles collection geared toward Harrison Ford.

Naturally, one of the best pieces of memorabilia which a person could collect would be an autographed photo. It gives a sense of value into a collection and is something relatively easy to obtain. An autographed photo provides a sense of distinction to a collection as it is an item which the celebrity themselves have touched. In the case of Harrison Ford, having an autographed photo could be the centerpiece around which a collection is built, as it is something which the actor himself has touched. One of these items could give a great sense of pride to any collector.

Autographs will often become the centerpiece of any collection as they will allow for an anchor point to the rest of the pieces. These autographs do not always have to come on photos, however. Harrison Ford could easily autograph a copy of one of the scripts for a film that he worked on and this could become a great collector's item. Books written about those films can also make a great autographed piece, showing that it is something which the actor is happy to grace their signature with.

Harrison Ford collectibles can often be a very fun challenge to collect. If you are attempting to collect Harrison Ford collectibles, then you are most likely a fan of his work. This will give a special thrill to the acquiring of these items and the entire project can become something of a game as you strive to complete the collection. These celebrity collectibles can be a great way to pass the time, tracking them down and obtaining them gives one the thrill of the hunt. Indeed, nothing will give a sense of pride like when a long sought after piece is finally gained for the collection. Any Harrison Ford fan can begin to build an esteemed collection with great ease, starting today.

Star Wars Indoor Flying RC - REPUBLIC GUNSHIP

Product Details

Star Wars - The Clone Wars - Flying Vehicle. With practice you'll be flying like a Jedi pilot.

• Rechargable Remote Control
• 3 Different channel selections
• Easy to fly indoor.
• Controller charges Vehicle
• Includes one Lipo Battery

Star Wars Clone Wars Star Fighter Vehicle - Grevious

Product Details

HELP GENERAL GRIEVOUS ESCAPE THE JEDI! TWIN POP-OUT, SPRING-LOADED CANNONS! FLY YOUR IMAGINATION THROUGH A GALAXY FAR, FAR AWAY!

DESIGNED FROM THE DIGITAL MODELS USED IN STAR WARS EPISODE III: REVENGE OF THE SITH, GENERAL GRIEVOUS' VERY OWN STARFIGHTER IS NOW BEING MADE AS A TOY! WITH SEATING FOR ONE, THIS IS THE PERFECT SPACECRAFT FOR TRANSPORTING CYBORG WARLORDS TO UTAPAU, OR PERHAPS FOR A JEDI ON THE RUN. AFTER ALL, OBI-WAN KENOBI MADE GREAT USE OF THE SHIP AFTER HE STOLE-- ER, BORROWED-- IT AFTER THE TWO DUELED ON THE SINKHOLE PLANET. FEATURES ON THE STAR WARS GENERAL GRIEVOUS STARFIGHTER INCLUDE: - REMOVABLE CONTROL CONSOLE FROM CANOPY, SO LARGER FIGURES CAN FIT INSIDE WITHOUT A PROBLEM - TWIN POP-OUT SPRING-LOADED CANNONS ON THE SIDES OF THE ENGINES ADD BATTLE-ACTION - RETRACTABLE LANDING GEAR POPS INTO POSITION TO ENSURE ITS PILOT MANY HAPPY LANDINGS - AWESOME DARK SILVER DECO MAKES THIS PLASTIC SHIP LOOK LIKE IT FLEW RIGHT OFF THE MOVIE SCREEN - EASY ASSEMBLY WITH NO LABELS TO APPLY MAKES THIS TOY NEARLY READY TO GO RIGHT OUT OF THE BOX.

• Designed after the assault fighter as seen in the animated series
• This vehicle features firing projectile launchers and a rotating vector fin
• Vehicle has an opening canopy and retractable landing gear
• Includes vehicle, missiles, labels and instructions
• Some assembly required

1/6 Scale 1996 GI Joe Mission Gear Mortar Pit for 12 inches Action Figure

Product Details

Realistically styled accessories. For use with all 12' G.I. Joe figures.

• mortar with legs and base
• 3 mortar shells
• back pack shovel & map/tube
• binoculars and 2 grenades

Action Toys in Two Cultures

Coming from a non-American childhood, action toys are a novelty for me. Back in the country where my childhood passed we had totally different toys - including action toys. Most of the toys were based either on cartoons or on imagination of an artists in the doll factory. There were plush animals making squeaky noises, remote-controlled tanks and lunar vehicles (Lunohod-1 was the hit); there were dolls with really strange facial expressions that could close and open their eyes and smaller dolls that couldn't do anything but were a good throwing material.

We did not really have that much of action toys selection. There were tons of other stuff, but specifically action toys - like figures from Halo, Aliens or even hockey players - no one actually thought it would be a good idea to produce. Of course, there were no Halo, neither Gears of War, nor even a single action figure of a hockey or soccer player. And forget about Elvis, that guy was outright banned while he was still alive.

What kids did was made action toys themselves. There was a scrapyard nearby my school with all kinds of telephone wire cuts and pieces scattered around. We collected the wires and weave action figures from those wires as we saw fit. We had built armies of foot swordsmen, squadrons of horse raiders, platoons of riflemen, machine gunners and sub-machine gunners. Battles that raged on our floors were rival only to those of ancient China and its terracotta armies. The best part of all of this (at least our parents appreciated this the most) the whole enterprise was absolutely free. There was, however, an incentive, since all died soldiers (or rather materials they were made of) would be divided by the winner and the looser of the battle. Called that spoils of war.

These days, obviously, are not the days of toy soldier conscription. The action toys, to paraphrase a well-known motto, are few, are proud and are very expensive - at least to be bought in similar quantities. Oh, and the fun part of scouting a scrap yard for wires of necessary colors and actually building your action figure are long gone. Instead, the action figures - whether produced by McFarlane or Neca - are almost photo realistic representations of the original, no matter be it a NFL football player or a Halo 3 Master Chief. Even more so, manufactured action figures have more accessories, more movements, look better and overall, probably more fun to play with.

In all honesty, sometimes I miss the childhood with self-made action toys, armies of wire soldiers and all the fun associated with it. On the other hand, when I see how toddlers, teenagers, and sometimes very much grown-ups are happy when they get their hands on one of the latest action figures - or an old one they've been dreaming about for so long, I think it's a small price to pay.

Educational Toys For Girls Run The Gamut

It used to be educational toys for girls included only kitchen sets, baby dolls and maybe fake cleaning equipment. And while all of those things remain important mainstays, the types of educational toys for baby girls and even little ladies has expanded greatly.

When it comes to teaching a small child lessons they need to succeed in school and life in general, few things can compare to educational toys. Masking learning in fun, these toys challenge the child's mind and abilities and help them learn skills that can last a lifetime.

Whether they're toys for babies or older girls, educational toys come in a wide variety of styles, but each has the common thread of providing something more than just fun. The best part about educational toys is that they often can get the entire family in on the act of helping the child learn.

Here are some basic types of educational toys for girls:

* Board games. Whether they are simply for fun or they're meant to teach words, letters, numbers or science facts, board games are a fantastic way for a little one to learn a lot of life's more important lessons. Team play sometimes is included and when it's not, good sportsmanship and a sense of fairness is. Through games young girls can learn a number of valuable educational lessons while also learning how to conduct themselves with grace whether they win or lose.

* Computer games. These tend to be single-player, especially for young girls, but even the more "frilly" of games come with some serious lessons. Youngster can learn eye-hand coordination, reading skills, math, science, history and more through this route. All in all, computer games should not be overlooked for little girls. In fact, there are many titles out there specifically designed for them.

* Hobby items. Whether it's a paint by number or a baker's set, these items are great for teaching girls to follow instructions and sometimes even how to improvise. Lessons with these can include hands-on skills, directions, chemistry and more.

* Gender specific toys. Action figures, baby dolls and so on all help a child develop social skills. While "dolls" may be considered the realm of the girls, they can help any youngster develop important life skills by allowing them to mimic good behaviors they see in their peers and adults around them.

* Household type toys. Whether it's a baby lawn mower or a kitchen set, these toys help children work their imaginations and their role play skills. Along they way, they can develop a sense of fun to bring into everyday mundane chores down the road.

Little girls just like little boys need fun and stimulation to grow their minds and their imaginations. There are a number of toys that appeal to both and then there are more gender specific ones.

Either way, these toys are vital for helping a child build and develop great skills that will help them down the road.

Copyright (c) 2006

Gi Joe Bravo Vehicle With Figure - Hiss Tank With Hiss Driver V1D

Product Details

14 Tips For Finding Action Figures

Ever wondered why you can't find the action figures you want in your local store? Why it is you can never find the ones you are looking for?

How can you ensure, or improve your chances of finding the figures you are looking for?

One of the biggest secrets is information, information, information so make sure you are subscribed to one of the many hobby magazines available.

Hopefully these tips will help you in your search and finding the action figures you are looking for.

1. Get to know your local store, how & when they get new stock.
2. When do they re-stock their shelves, i.e. morning, afternoon or overnight?
3. Sometimes new stock lies out the back in the store room until the current stock has been sold so if you don't see it ask.
4. Get to know the staff, be friendly and talk to them, get to know their names. Most people look straight past them so a little acknowledgment goes a long way.
5. Let them know you are a serious collector and NOT a reseller, staff will tend to be more helpful then.
6. Customer Service- They are there to HELP you and usually will be able to look up what stock is due in and when it is due, you may even be able to ask for a call when it arrives!
7. Your local Supermarket or Grocery stores, is often a good place to look as these are often neglected by collectors but many will stock popular lines and closeout deals.
8. Your local $1 store, close out stores or second hand stores are the ideal hunting ground for closeout deals and end of the line stock and older items.
9. Try inner city stores where customers haven't got the disposable income to spend on action figures.
10. Don't forget stores on the outskirts of town or in less frequented areas. These stores will often have older stock but generally will not carry a huge amount of stock and generally won't replace stock as it sells out.
11. If you're on an overseas trip to check out their local stores. Many manufacturers these deals have country specific exclusives or releases.
12. Toy and Collector fairs, excellent for closeout bargains, trading and older action figures you are looking for.
13. Because of the increased popularity of the hobby and the continuing increase in their values the staff of many stores have become "savvy" to the hobby and either collect themselves or know someone who does.
14. (Sorry but I'm superstitious, so...) Remember always be polite, friendly and courteous, it costs little and can gain you huge rewards!

This has led to an increase in the number of people saving or hiding items in the store to purchase later.

Although most stores don't allow staff to "keep back" items an easy work around to this is that they will get a friend to come in and purchase the item that has been "saved" for them.

SO, here's some tips for finding the "hidden gold".

Checkout behind current stock.

Check underneath the bottom shelve of the display units. These bottom panels are often easily lifted to reveal a hidden space underneath.

Look on top of high shelves, i.e. above head height. Ask to use the stores ladder if need be. This is an ideal place for staff to "hide" stock.

Check ALL the aisles, not just the toy aisles.

If you can't see it, ASK!

Happy Hunting!

Blockbusters (Toys From Recent Movies, Etc)

Every year, there will be at least one or two big movies with licensed toys packing the shelves. These are the Hot Toys, the ones that every kid absolutely HAS to have.

Sometimes, these toys have a real lasting appeal. Some of us still treasure the memories of playing with our Ninja Turtles, or we still own our Jurassic Park dinosaurs (Geez, are we really parents already?!).

But then, there are some toys that come and go in the blink of an eye. These ones wind up in the bargain bin at the toy store a month after the film leaves theatres, and most kids lose interest just as quickly. Remember the movie Congo? Yeah, neither do the kids who owned all of the action figures way back when.

With licensed toys, the basic rule that applies to storytelling also applies to buying toys. The only characters that really matter are the ones that we'll still remember years after seeing the movie. Even parents can name half the cast of Finding Nemo, we'll probably always have a soft spot in our hearts for Wall-E, every single one of Jim Henson's Muppets, and Indiana Jones. All of those properties had toys packing the shelves, and many of us still own our childhood favourites. The reason why is simple: Those were interesting, endearing characters. When movie producers make a film with dollar signs in their eyes, hoping to sell a lot of toys at the expense of telling a good story, you wind up with Joel Schumacher's Batman & Robin, which tanked so bad, in both box office and toy sales, that the Batman movie franchise actually had to take a near decade-long hiatus.

We're not saying you need to tell your kids what to like. Heck, some kids loved Batman & Robin, there's nothing wrong with that. Get your kids what they like. Just bear in mind that a lot of the buzz and the hype surrounding these summer blockbusters is generated by the studios in hopes of suckering parents into buying junky toys that the kids probably won't even like.

If there's one piece of advice we can give on this subject; don't buy your kids the toys until they've seen the movie.

It's not uncommon for kids to see the commercials for a movie and say "That looks fun!" They ask for all the toys and even clip out the proof of purchase cards on the back of the packages and send away for the mail-order secret decoder ring. Then... they actually watch the movie, and... it winds up being kind of boring. They put all the toys in a box, put the box under the bed, and forget all about it. Then a month or two later, they get the decoder ring in the mail, and they say "what the heck is this?" You could name dozens of movies like this off the top of your head, if it weren't for the fact that you've already forgotten that they exist!

That's how it can be with hype sometimes. It's easy to buy into, even when the characters the toymaker is selling aren't really all that interesting. Character toys are all about coming up with new stories for your favourite fictional characters. If the characters are boring or cliché, it can be tough to come up with any memorable adventures. Better characters make for better creative toys, and better memories.

Vintage Toy Soldiers - Collecting Marx Toy Soldiers

Children from all around the world have been awed by the Marx toy soldiers since the 1950s. The previous generation was really into such action figures because during their time, wars were just concluded. Now, interest in collecting the figures has been revived.

Marx toy soldiers were a masterpiece and flagship toy product of Louis Marx and Company. The toy manufacturing firm was founded by a veteran toy maker, Louis Marx, who has been referred to across the toy making industry as 'Toycoon'.

Especially since the 1950s, the company was known for selling trademark and all-original lines of toys, which are most associated with the military. If you are wondering why the company is focused on military action figures, you should know that Mr. Marx was a former sergeant at the US Army prior to his establishment of the company.

Through time, their toy soldiers, in particular, have been among the most sought after and interesting toys specifically for boys. Many observers note that back in the days, girls had Barbie dolls while boys did not get left behind as they have the action-packed and very impressive action figures.

As time passed, likes and preferences of kids changed dramatically. With the advent of computer games, action figures like those of Marx's have been put aside and have often observed drastic declines in sales. But many enthusiasts and fanatics of the original vintage toy soldiers have been asking software and videogame developers about virtual games featuring them. Unfortunately, up to now, development for such has yet to take place, but clearly there's some extensive interest.

Even though the company is long out of business, Marx toy soldiers are starting to mark a comeback as a vintage collectible. Vintage toy collecting in general is responsible to some degree for the revival of interest, but the loyalty of long-time avid collectors is certainly highly responsible as well. In addition to the vintage toy soldiers, some small companies specializing in action figures are also doing re-casts of some of the more popular Louis Marx toys, including the toy soldiers. But, of course, some collectors will always prefer the original.

WWE World Heavyweight Championship Belt

Product Details

WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP WWE MATTEL KID SIZE TOY WRESTLING BELT

• Bring home the officially licensed WWE action
• Show off your title with this championship belts
• Like the ones worn by your favorite WWE Superstars
• Features leather-like belt with adjustable waistline to fit kids of all ages
• Collect all 3 Championship titles

Stargate Heroes Albums

Product Details

The Stargate Heroes Official Trading Card Album includes 9-pocket pages and a bonus promo card

• Supplies

Power Rangers Yellow Speed Sword

Product Details

Power Rangers RPM yellow sword with sound

• Power Rangers RPM yellow sword with sound
• Speed Sword
• Requires 2 LR44 Batteries included
• Battle lights and sounds
• Ages 4+

Soldiers of the World World War II Armored Force Outfit

Product Details

Authentic Outfit and accessories will fit most 12 inch figures. For ages 5 and up. Reproduction of the outfit that was worn during World War II.

Harry Potter "Half Blood Prince" Bag Clip/Key Ring "Quidditch Accessory"

Product Details

Buy this beanie! It's amazing!

• Based on the Harry Potter Movies
• High Quality from NECA
• Includes golden snitch charm, and Quidditch accessories
• Highly Collectible
• Great Gift

WWE Tough Talkers Cm Punk Wrist Wraps

Product Details

Hereâs your chance to gear up and talk tough like the big guys in the ring! Motion-activated gear speaks real Superstar catch phrases and makes cool punching sounds. Choose from a variety of items including John CenaWrist Bands, Undertaker Sleeves and CM Punk Wrist Wraps. With gear on, youâll be doinâmoves and talkinâ tough like your favorite Superstars in no time!

• Bring home the officially licensed WWE action
• Motion-activated gear
• Real Superstar catch phrases and makes cool action sounds
• Gear up, you'll be doin' moves and talkin' tough like your favorite Superstars in no time
• Collect all your favorites WWE superstar gear

Frosty's Grand Arctic Express B/O Scale Holiday Train

Product Details

Frosty's Grand Arctic Express B/O-scale model train features a classic, wintry color theme of blue and silver, and includes enough track to create a 4-foot diameter circle - perfect for under the tree decorating! The Grand Arctic includes a battery-operated engine with electronic train sound, a coal car, a freezer car, a caboose and a removable PVC figurine of Frosty himself! Uses 6 "C" batteries, not included.

1 random blind box ULTIMATE MONSTERS GODZILLA (assorted) japanese import toy

Product Details

Bandai Action Figure In box. Requires minor assembly.

• 5" Mecha Godzilla