Welcome to IPMS/USA Reviews

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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Review Author
Chris Smith
Published on
Company
Scale Aircraft Conversions
Scale
1:32
MSRP
$35.00

SAC duplicates the Revell cast gear with one exception in this set. The tail wheel fork in the kit comes in halves and SAC has cast it as a single unit. You will need the wheels from the kit for both the main and the tail gear. The main gear legs are cast in halves.

The advantage seems to be not having to fill the sink marks on the injection molded parts. The main gear legs are missing some bracing you will need to add for accurate gear.

My impression of this set is it could be a challenge to use. The main gear has long straight parts and three cross braces that must align to assemble them.

Given the softness of the metal SAC uses, you’re going to spend some time getting it all lined up.

Also in the set are a replacement bulkhead for the tailwheel to mount on, fenders for the main wheels and a replacement for the radio antenna.

Review Author
Rod Lees
Published on
Company
Squadron
Scale
1/48
MSRP
$100.00

When the reviewer corps received Squadrons B-24J “Dragon and His Tail” kit, I said heck yeah, I’ll do it. By the way, I actually used my training and worked a bunch of sheet metal and other stuff on a B-24 over the years when I was the MX rep for a Museum; Specifically, the Willow run Ford-built “J” model Serial Number 44-48781that was, until recently, at Barksdale AFB and is now at Savannah. I also have Bert Kinsey and Rock Roszak’s B-24 Liberator collaboration with Detail and Scale sitting next to me as I write this.

Review Author
Andy Taylor
Published on
Company
Eduard
Scale
1/32
MSRP
$165.00

The recent Eduard P-51B in 1/32 was quite the hit at the recent IPMS Nats in Fort Wayne. A 1/32 P-51B is rare, and this is only the second kit in this scale (the other is Trumpeter’s 2009 release). Eduard’s new release is billed as their first Royal Hybrid kit (which represents a premium extension of the standard Eduard Hybrid line), consisting of injected molded plastic, 3D printing, and cast resin parts, decals, canopy masks and wheel well masking plugs.

From the Eduard website:

The Royal Hybrid edition kit of the famous US fighter aircraft P-51B Mustang in 1/32 scale.

The kit offers markings for 8 aircraft of 8th and 9th Air Force

Review Author
Andy Taylor
Published on
Company
Scale Aircraft Conversions
Scale
1/48
MSRP
$17.95

The iconic Messerschmitt Bf 109 almost doesn’t need an introduction as it is ubiquitous with the WWII German Luftwaffe. The E "Emil" variant was the standard Luftwaffe fighter at the start of the Second World War, and it was also the only single-engined Luftwaffe fighter in use during the Battle of Britain. The “Emil” variant was short-lived as improvements were constant, being replaced by the 109F in 1941.

Scale Aircraft Conversion has produced its famous white metal landing gear for the Messerschmitt Bf 109E-1/E-3/E-4/E-7 in 1/48 scale. As aircraft modelers well know, aircraft models displayed on their landing gear are susceptible to damage from the weight of the model, especially on styrene landing gear.

Book Author(s)
David Baker
Review Author
Hub Plott
Published on
Company
Helion & Company
MSRP
$29.95

This book contains 88 pages, 62 b/w photos, 39 color photos, 16 color profiles, 1 color map, 4 diagrams, and 12 tables. It covers the war plans, policy, manufacturers, and SAC from 1945 to 1990. This is done in two chapters.

The world post WWII presented many challenges for the USAAC/USAF. The need to carry atomic weapons and to deliver them deep into the Soviet Union in time of war was paramount! This book is broken down into two chapters. The first takes up 22 pages and covers and covers how aircraft increased in size and complexity with focus on the development of more powerful engines, both jet and piston to power these aircraft.