Right front 2

Marder II Mid-Production ’39 – ’45 Series

Finished model of M-67

M-67 Flamethrower Tank

Cockpit Placement

Focke-Wulf 190V-1

finished model of Folgore

Macchi 202 Folgore

Engine

1978 Pacer X

Left-side view of completed aircraft

F-4E Phantom II

right rear view

Messerschmitt Bf109S "Schule Emil"

Close Up

SA365N2 Dauphin 2 (Dolphin) French Marine Helicopter

Front of Kit

F-104G Cockpit

Fin detail

CF-18A Hornet “Canada Special Marking 2012”

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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.

IPMS/USA Members: We encourage you to submit reviews, both here and to the Journal. To volunteer for membership in the IPMS/USA "Reviewers Corps" and submit your own reviews, please read the Guidelines For Submitting Product Reviews.

Manufacturers, publishers, and other industry members: IPMS/USA is pleased to offer your company the opportunity for product reviews. All product reviews are performed by IPMS/USA members, and are posted in the publicly-accessible section of our website. With very few exceptions, we perform full build reviews of new kit releases, aftermarket products, and supplies. If you would care to provide product samples for review, please contact the IPMS/USA First Vice President.

To learn more about IPMS/USA, please see our About Us page.

SAC Fairey Landing Gear

Landing Gear for Sword Gannet AEW-3
Review Author
Rod Lees
Published on
Company
Scale Aircraft Conversions
Scale
1/48
MSRP
$32.95

Long-time supporter Ross and his team at SAC Supports IPMS/USA yet again with one of his gear sets to use and review!

This set provides a sound basis for replacing the more delicate parts of the Spindly (in real life and modeling world) Fairey Gannet AEW-3 landing gear. Designed for the newly-released SWORD kit, it definitely addresses the question on whether plastic or metal is better for this task. The metal gear, once carefully installed (it is NOT an easy Geometric construction) is definitely “go metal”.

Made up of eleven finely-cast metal parts, these bits are scale in size and flexible enough for initial installation, while work-hardening if required for additional stiffness. The truss angles and installation are a difficult design to address, and the idea the kit plastic would last was first in my mind. It’s a large aircraft, and unique in design and appearance.

Front Cover

Contact! Spring 2026
Book Author(s)
editor - Nicole Greenslade
Artist - Howard Gerrard
Articles - Varius Contributors
Review Author
Frank Landrus
Published on
Company
The Great War Aviation Society
MSRP
$114.67

The non-profit UK based group known as the Great War Aviation Society publishes A new magazine, Contact!, is now available in both print and digital download. The first two issues of Contact! Are available for a free digital download on their website. Their journal, Cross & Cockade International, is also published four times a year. Issues are available in English as printed [Softbound, A4 (8.27” x 11.69”), 72 pages [Including Covers] as well as digital copies (or both). The Society also provides a free newsletter (sign up on their website) and occasionally publish WWI themed books like the Sopwith Dolphin monograph I reviewed earlier for IPMS USA. This Journal is the sister of the US Journal, Over The Front. The Great War Aviation Society also hosts a lecture series available through Zoom. If interested, you will need to register early as the call is limited in attendance.

Tamiya Honda CB1000 F

Tamiya Honda CB1000F
Review Author
Ben Morton
Published on
Company
Tamiya
Scale
1/12
MSRP
$48.00

“I Don't Want A Pickle...”

by Ben Morton

I should explain the title so as not to throw you off from the get go. The more refined and worldly among us may recall the name Arlo Guthrie. A singer-songwriter that had some notoriety for being Woody Guthrie's son and a few FM radio hits like the “Alice's Restaurant Massacre” and of course, “The Motorcycle Song”. The opening line of which is: “I don't wanna pickle, I just wanna ride my motorsickle.” Now, on with the show.

From Tamiya's website -

YPR-766

YPR-765 PRI.50 APC w/ .50-caliber M2 HB Machine Gun
Review Author
Andy Taylor
Published on
Company
AFV Club
Scale
1/35
MSRP
$78.00

The MICV-65 (Mechanized Infantry Combat Vehicle) was a project conducted by the United States Army seeking an armored personnel carrier vehicle to replace the M113, built by the FMC Corporation (Ford Machinery & Chemical Corporation). FMC was awarded to design and build the MICV and designated XM734. The XM734 utilized the M113 as basic platform, armed with a turret manned by a single crew firing a 20mm cannon. The newly designed vehicle was re-designated the AIFV (Armored Infantry Fighting Vehicle), but the United States showed no interest in the vehicle; however, the Dutch government showed interest and placed orders in 1975. Further modifications were made and the vehicle was redesignated YPR-765 (Pantser Rups Infanterie 765). The YPR-765 PRI.50 is a lightened version, debuting in 1976, that replaced the 25mm cannon with the commander’s position and .50 caliber M2 heavy machine gun. It also allowed for a crew of three and seven fully equipped soldiers.

Package

HU-16A Albatross Landing Gear

Review Author
Pat Villarreal
Published on
Company
Scale Aircraft Conversions
Scale
1:48
MSRP
$26.95

Scale Aircraft Conversions (SAC) has provided the IPMS reviewer corps with a set of 1/48th scale metal landing gear for Trumpeter’s HU-16A Albatross. These parts are drop-in replacements and provide a more robust landing gear set given its metal properties.

In the Package

The metal pieces are packaged in a clear blister package with cardboard backing. No instructions are provided.

Review Process

The metal landing gear set is used as drop-in replacements for the kit parts as noted

  • Nose Gear: G12, G19 and G16 (also Metal Nose Strut parts A & B)
  • RHS Gear: J19, J26, and K11 (also Metal Right Strut)
  • LHS Gear: J16, J21, and K27 (also Metal Left Strut)

Note: The Trumpeter kit does provide some metal landing struts as optional parts for the builder. However, SAC does provide more replacement parts in this set.