Links
For additional information about model trains, radio control, or any of the other product lines we carry, we recommend visiting some of the places listed below. If you would like us to link to your website or another site of interest to hobbyists, please contact us. We're particularly interested in links to local clubs and events, so if your organization has a race, model show or fly-in scheduled in Mississippi, Alabama or Louisiana, let us know!
Local Hobby Links
If you're interested in model aviation and live in the greater Hattiesburg area, be sure to check out the Pine Belt R/C Club's website. The club has made a number of improvements recently at their field, which is located on the Oloh-Purvis Road in western Lamar County, including a 30' x 300' paved runway.
Model Railroading Links
If you're new to model railroading or just want to know what's happening in the world of trains, visit the World's Greatest Hobby website, sponsored by the Model Railroad Industry Association.
Kalmbach Publishing sponsors Trains.com, a site with useful information for both beginners and experienced modelers.
There are a number of magazines about model railroading available. Garden Railways focuses on large scale trains, with an emphasis on outdoor construction and operation. Model Railroader is more general in scope, as are Model Railroad News and Railmodel Journal.
Radio Control Links
An interesting site for beginners is www.gettingstartedinrc.com, which provides an introduction to R/C cars, planes, and boats. The DIY cable network's show Radio Control Hobbies gives good "hands-on" advice for hobbyists as well.
Model airplane enthusiasts might want to check out the Radio Control Zone, an online R/C airplane community sponsored by Air Age Publishing, and the Academy of Model Aeronautics, the world's largest sport aviation organization. The AMA has affiliated clubs all across the United States, including local clubs such as thePine Belt R/C Association, the Koast Air Modeling Society, and the Mississippi Coast Radio Control Club.
If you like your planes battery-powered, visit The E-Zone, the "virtual home of electric flight", featuring news, product reviews, how-tos, and discussion forums. Air Age's Backyard Flyer is devoted entirely to electric flight, and its website gives you a free sample of the magazine's content.
The International Model Power Boat Association (IMPBA) is a non-profit organization which promotes model boat racing. There are several IMPBA-affiliated clubs in the region, including the Mississippi Model Boaters' Association, based in Jackson, and the Nitro Burners R/C Boat Club of Baton Rouge. These clubs sponsor a number of model boat races throughout the year; visit their sites for more information.
Plastic and Diecast Modeling
Serious modelers will want to visit the International Plastic Modelers' Society's website. This organization holds conventions, sponsors model contests, and publishes a magazine, and their site links to hundreds of other sites of interest to plastic modelers.
The Diecast Car Collector's Zone has lots of useful information about collecting diecast cars, including reviews and discussion forums.
Astronomy Links
Astronomy Magazine and Sky & Telescope, the major consumer publications devoted to astronomy, have lots of information on their websites, including sky charts, product reviews, and astronomy basics for the beginner.
