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.

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 John Noack, IPMS/USA 1st VP.

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

Review Author
Pablo Bauleo
Published on
August 30, 2011
Company
Eduard
Scale
1/48

Eduard is planning to release a pre-painted injected plastic PSP base. The base has a copyright of 1999 in the back, so I think it is the “old” PSP base which now gets a pre-painted treatment.

What about the pre-painting? It is great. Deep browns and grey shades, with a touch of lighter spots and rusty shades. This is not just pre-painted, it is weathered, too!! Now, be aware that the sides of the base are left in bare plastic (white). You might want to consider painting the sides to match the colors of the top and maybe to apply a wash to the overall base to bring out detail.

What is the quality and detail of the plastic? It is outstanding as we became used from Eduard. No flash or molding flaws. Clean and crisp details. The dimensions are 164 mm x 234 mm. It will fit a P-51 just fine, but it might be a bit tight for a P-47, as it is shown in the pictures.

Review Author
Ed Kinney
Published on
August 30, 2011
Company
Master Model
Scale
1/32
MSRP
$4.95

Master Models continues its excellent string of releases in all scales with turned aluminum refueling probes in 1/32 and 1/48 scale. The parts are perfectly made and, like many Master Model parts, simple to use. You build the refueling probe, paint as required, and the cut the tip off. Drill a hole for the part and glue it on and it leaves you with a perfect part with a realistic metal finish because it is metal.

Items are:

  • 1/32 32030 $4.95
  • 1/48 48033 4.95

Highly recommended to add a perfect finishing touch to any kit using a NATO refueling probe. My thanks to Master Models and IPMS/USA for the chance to review these excellent parts.

Review Author
Dave Morrissette
Published on
August 30, 2011
Company
Moebius Models
Scale
1/8
MSRP
$34.99

Moebius Models continues their run of hits with the brand-spanking new Elvira, Mistress of the Dark. For those of you not around for the last 20 years, Elvira is a character played by Cassandra Peterson who is a valley girl-talking, smart-mouthed movie host for those awful yet loveable horror movies. I love her style and panache and when the kit came out, who could not want to review it?

The kit was sculpted by Adam Dougherty. Actually, kit is an understatement, as it is a complete diorama. The kit consists of over 60 parts, including a carpet (with the carpet monster peaking out from underneath the corner), a full sofa, Elvira herself, and her dog Gonk, along with a rat, skull, and skeletal hand. I built the kit in parts and will cover the review the same way.

Review Author
Stephen Bierce
Published on
August 29, 2011
Company
Squadron Products
Scale
1/72
MSRP
$19.95

Beechcraft has built many multi-engined airplanes over its long and successful history, but when anybody in aviation mentions a "Twin Beech", they don't mean a Baron, a Duke, or even a Super King Air – they mean a Model 18. Designed at the end of the 1930s as a competitor to Lockheed's Electra 10, it soon eclipsed that type in production with demand for light transports and aircrew trainers during WW2 (with Lockheed busy with building P-38 Lightning fighters, Hudson bombers, and bigger transport planes, Beech was in the perfect position for the business!). Thousands built, they served second-line military roles all over the world with all the Allied nations, and Beech kept the type in production afterwards for the growth of postwar air travel. Many are still in flying condition today and they are often seen at warbird airshows.