additional parts

F100C Super Sabre

Main Landing Gear Bay

EA-18G Growler

Kit Supplied Photoetch

Panzerkampfwagen VI(P) w/Zimmerit

Whirlwind propeller boss

Westland Whirlwind FB Mk.1

Rear Quarter

Soviet S-51 Tank w/Self Propelled Gun

Finished 2

Focke Wulf FW-190A-8

Fuselage detail

A-36 Apache USAF

Track, wheels, skirts

JGSDF Type 10 Tank

Right Front

MiG-25PU Foxbat-C

Left Side, Turret Turned

M4A2 76mm Red Army

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Welcome to the IPMS/USA Reviews site!

Introduction: The primary organization of the IPMS/USA Review website is by IPMS/USA National Contest Class. Within each Class there are sub-menus by kits, decals, books, etc. The Miscellaneous Class is for items that are not class specific or that cross two or more classes.

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Product

F-16 Bel Colore Vipers Markings
Review Author
Frank Landrus
Published on
Company
Twobobs Aviation Graphics
Scale
1:48
MSRP
$16.00

Bob Sanchez has been in or around the military all his life. He was an "Air Force Brat" and credits his mom with getting him addicted to plastic modeling and airplanes. At the age of 10, Bob's mom came home with a Revell 1/32 scale P-51B and signed him up for the Military Book Club. From that point on, he was hooked! Bob Sanchez was in the USAF for 11 years as an Airborne Instrumentation/Telemetry Technician and flew on the Advanced Range Instrumentation Aircraft as a Chief Flight Examiner. He finished his enlistment with Project Speckled Trout as a Flight Test Engineer performing airborne Comm/Nav testing on the Air Force Chief of Staff airplane. He has over 1,200 flight hours in numerous aircraft to include the C-135C, EC-135E, EC-18B/D, E-9A, NASA 757, F-16C, F/A-18B, King Air, MH-53 Pave Low, Bell Jet Ranger and OH-6 Cayuse. Currently Bob is the Business Development Manager for a major aerospace defense contractor.

Package

USMC M1A1 FEP Abrams with Combat Dozer Blade (Workable Track Links)
Review Author
Bob LaBouy
Published on
Company
Rye Field Models
Scale
1/35
MSRP
$78.00

Historical and Reference Notes

There are any number of articles about the Abrams tanks, as it was used widely in the Gulf wars and is still being refitted and continually upgraded in the US Army and the US Marine Corps (though the USMC has now traded theirs and discontinued their use of tanks). It was a significant improvement to the M60 series tanks which it replaced This is the culmination of years of research and started in the early 90’s to build over 4600 Chobham armored Abrams tanks (with approximately half of them now in storage). These heavy tanks have almost all been upgraded in several packages each of which have some unique design qualities (including the M1A1, M1A2 SEPv2, and the most advanced M1A2 SEPv3). There are also a total 10,000 Abrams that have been produced worldwide. They range in weights over 147,200 pounds (66.8 tons) and can weigh up to and over 170,000 with added armor and protection details.

Package

Trailer of Armed Forces of Ukraine
Review Author
Andy Taylor
Published on
Company
ICM
Scale
1/72
MSRP
$20.00

Congratulations to ICM on releasing a unique kit not available in styrene in any scale. The first release of this kit was the ICM 1/72 ZiL-131 with Trailer Armed Forces of the Ukraine (Kit No. 72817), reviewed here by fellow IPMS/USA reviewer, Marc K. Blackburn. For those who want an individual trailer to pair with another Soviet-era truck, this is the kit for you.

Reference the ICM website,

Package

Messerschmitt Bf-1209F-0/F-1 Air Intake - Early Version
Review Author
Floyd S. Werner Jr.
Published on
Company
Quickboost
Scale
1/32
MSRP
$10.00

The most notable Bf-109F-0/F-1 is Adolph Galland’s machine in which he delivered lobsters to a birthday party for Theo Osterkamp. It was one of the earliest Friedrichs. Besides the lobsters the one thing that was unique about this aircraft was the squared off intake for the aircraft. Not the same as the Emil type, but entirely different. I’ve never seen it available before in 1/32nd scale. Werner’s Wings has it in 1/48 but not 32nd scale.

The Hasegawa 1/32nd scale Bf-109F is a very good kit. I’ve built a few of them. This easy conversion piece is a welcomed addition to the 109 line of accessories.

Contained in the usual resealable packaging is a single piece of light grey resin that is flawlessly cast on a single mounting block. Removal is simple as using a saw blade and carefully removing it. Then it is a drop fit for the engine air intake on the kit. No fuss, no muss.

Package

U.S. Light Tank M5A1 Stuart
Review Author
Paul Dunham
Published on
Company
Tamiya
Scale
1/48
MSRP
$25.00

I’ve built a few Tamiya armor kits over the years but never one of their new 1/48th scale kits. I thought that I would dip my toes into Tamiya’s quarter scale pond with their new U.S. Light Tank M5A1 Stuart. By the time the M5A1 entered service it’s 37mm gun was no longer effective against German armor. However, the M5 still saw extensive service in all theaters of the war until its end. The Stuart had the advantages of having speed, reliability, mobility, and transportability, and were available in large numbers. The Stuart was used effectively for scouting and infantry fire support.

The kit includes four trees of olive-drab plastic, instructions, decals, polycaps, thread for simulating the tow cable, and two steel weights. The kit depicts a relatively early version of the M5A1 with disk road wheels, without the turret machine gun shield, no sand shields, and no rear stowage bin.