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
Tim Hortman
Published on
October 4, 2011
Company
Model Art
MSRP
$39.95

Kawasaki T-4 of the JASDF and T-33A, T-1A/B is the newest book in the series of “Profiles” by Model Art. This is #10 in the series and is just as good as the rest.

This softbound book contains 136 pages and is jammed packed with color photos, line drawings, and color profiles of the aircraft.

As you would imagine the main focus of this book is the Japanese Kawasaki T-4 Trainer. It is covered here in photo detail, and this book will be a great help to anyone building one of the Hasegawa kits. The first 16 pages are full color images of different units operating the T-4. Many of these are very colorful – including the Blue Impulse demonstration team. Pages 18-26 contain some background and development information on the T-4. While the vast majority of the text in this book is in Japanese, these pages have an English translation at the back of the book!

Review Author
Tim Hortman
Published on
October 4, 2011
Company
Aviaeology
Scale
1/48
MSRP
$10.99

Tail code markings for the Imperial Japanese Navy in WWII are some of the more difficult things for a modeler to replicate accurately. Aviaeology has come to our rescue!

A few years back, I saw that Aviaeology had issued some WWII Japanese tail markings. I was excited at the prospect, but waited too long to order them, and missed out on the offering. They were sold out before I could see what they were like. Aviaeology has reissued their series of IJN Tail Code markings, and has made some improvements in the process. This review is for their RED and YELLOW 280mm markings, but they also sell markings in White and Black. The 280mm refers to the size of the tail markings on the actual aircraft – in this case the markings are scaled down to 1/48 and are about 6mm.

Book Author(s)
Adam Galabek
Review Author
Ben Guenther
Published on
October 4, 2011
Company
Stratus
MSRP
$20.00

STRATUS Books is continuing its series to publish books on all the aircraft used by the Polish Air Force. This eleventh volume is a pictorial study of the 18 Mig-29s in Polish use from 1989 to 2009. The opening eight pages discuss the history of the purchase and operation of these Mig-29s from Russia and the Czech Republic, as well as the color and markings used by these aircraft. The remainder of the book covers each aircraft with multiple photos, profiles, and, for most of them, color 4-views. Special markings and commemorative schemes are also discussed and illustrated along with badges and other personal markings. There is one chart that lists each aircraft by code number, serial number, camouflage scheme, and notes on each operational history. Another handy chart lists Mig-29 by country (Czech, Russia and Poland) giving us the camouflage colors used in FS numbers. Finally, five large photos at the end of the book cover the cockpit.

Review Author
Ben Guenther
Published on
July 4, 2020
Company
Dragon Models
Scale
1/72
MSRP
$53.00

On July 21, 1969 the Apollo II astronauts landed on the moon fulfilling President Kennedy’s pledge to land a man on the moon before the decade was complete. Project Apollo was a massive federal program that sparked new technologies, new ideas, new rocket designs and engines that led to this event. Five more flights to the moon resulted in landings that furthered our understanding of that satellite and confirmed new theories on its origins. Apollo captured the imagination of that generation and ones that came after of what could happen when a nation set goals and achieved them.

Review Author
Perry Downen
Published on
October 3, 2011
Company
Platz
Scale
1/144
MSRP
$24.99

I would like to express my sincere thanks to Platz for providing this kit to IPMS/USA and to them for allowing me to review it.

The A-4 Skyhawk originated as a private venture design under a team headed by Ed Heinman. When the US Navy began looking for a replacement for the AD Skyraider Douglas Aircraft presented their new design. The Skyhawk went on to be one of the most successful post-WWII aircraft to serve the US Navy. A total of 2,960 A-4s were built in many variations and they flew in the service of as many as ten countries.