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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
Floyd S. Werner Jr.
Published on
November 12, 2016
Company
Eduard
Scale
1/48
MSRP
$12.95

It is no secret that I love the Eduard Bf-109Gs. While they are state of the art kits there is always something that can be ‘upgraded’. The latest Brassin Upgrade for the Eduard kit is an external drop tank and ETC rack.

Packaged in vacuformed packaging typical of many of the Brassin line, inside of this are two drop tanks and two ETC racks. Molded in light grey resin the two drop tanks represent different configuration tanks. One with crimped end and the other the simplified tank. The ETC racks are beautifully rendered and some of the most accurate racks available on the market. Inside this set is also a set of decals with the stencils in black and red.

Book Author(s)
Author: John Weal Illustrator: Chris Davey
Review Author
Timothy Gidcumb
Published on
November 12, 2016
Company
Osprey Publishing
MSRP
$23.00

From the publisher: Once Nazi Germany had conquered Norway in 1940, just a handful of Luftwaffe Gruppen flying Bf 109 and Bf 110 fighters were able to dominate the air in the Arctic Circle. Yet as the dual threats of the Royal Air Force and Soviet air force grew, the Luftwaffe was forced to increase its fighter presence to full Geschwader strength with the formation of Jg 5 Eismeer (ice-sea) in early 1942. The struggle produced some of Germany’s leading aces, with pilots such as Theodor Weissenberger, Heinrich Ehrler, Walter Schuck, Franz Dörr, and Jakob Norz all achieving more than 100 victories.

Book Author(s)
István Toperczer
Review Author
Frank Landrus
Published on
November 12, 2016
Company
Osprey Publishing
MSRP
$23.00

The newest in Osprey’s Aircraft of the Aces series is authored by István Toperczer, A Hungarian Air Force flight surgeon. Toperczer, has focused on the Vietnam War, specifically the North Vietnamese side, and has interviewed many of the North Vietnamese leading air aces over the last twenty years in his numerous visits to North Vietnam. He authored Squadron Signal’s “Air War Over North Vietnam: The People’s Air Force” in 1998, followed by Osprey’s Combat Aircraft 25 “MiG-17 and MiG-19 Units of the Vietnam War” and Osprey’s Combat Aircraft 29 “MiG-21 Units of the Vietnam War” in 2001. Schiffer’s hard bound “MiG Aces of the Vietnam War” was published in 2015. Illustrator Jim Laurier, a native of New England, provides the color profiles. Jim has been drawing since he could hold a pencil and throughout his life he has worked in many mediums creating artwork on a variety of subjects.

Review Author
Frank Landrus
Published on
June 10, 2020
Company
PJ Production
Scale
1/48
MSRP
$6.65

PJ Production has jumped in to help 1/48 Mirage III series model builders. This new release provides two AIM-9B Sidewinders along with the Aero 3 missile rails and the CES-3 pylons featured on the Dassault fighter. This set is probably focused on the new Kinetic 1/48 Mirage III kits, but it should also work well on the Academy, Eduard, Fonderie Minatures, Heller, and Hobby Boss kits; along with the older ESCI kit that has also been re-boxed by Revell and Italeri.

Notable is the re-sealable packaging that PJ Production uses that makes the parts easy to review and then stuff back into the package securely. You will want to be careful handling the resin fins as their small size makes them an easy sacrifice to the carpet monster. Painting instructions are included with the small instruction sheet. I found several air-bubbles in the resin parts, on the nose and the tail fins. Gap filling super glue with baking soda quickly solved the issue.