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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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Kitset contents

Mig 23 Intake Bypass Doors, and Control Sticks
Review Author
Rod Lees
Published on
Company
Quickboost
Scale
1/32
MSRP
$4.75

I received the bypass doors and Control levers from Quickboost via the IPMS lottery for use in my MIG 23 build. THANKS QUICKBOOST for providing us these items for review. We at IPMS USA appreciate your continued support!

I started this review with the Quickboost bypass doors; Install the doors in the outer intake duct. All that is required is to remove the mounting lip on the intake, and carefully install them in a partially-open position. Nicely done Quickboost!

The control stick is a work of art; three are provided. The three-button stick with the Autopilot “off” paddle is extremely well detailed, and a great improvement over the kit item which doesn’t really look like it should.

Final verdict: an excellent effort from Quickboost!

Kitset package contents

Mig 17 Landing gear bays and gear doors

Review Author
Rod Lees
Published on
Company
Aires Hobby Models
Scale
1/48
MSRP
$20.00

The usual thanks go to Aires for providing IPMS USA with yet another great review item.

A very simple upgrade to the Hobbyboss Mig 17 kit series; you’ll have to remove the inner details from the kit wings, glue the bay in place on the lower wing interior, and they are done. As to the nose: replace the nose intake splitter/wheel well with the resin item. Nose and main gear doors are also included.

It’s worth the cash and time for these parts. Simple modeling skills required; the improvement is seen when the Aires parts are held up next to the kit items.

This is a great time to be in the hobby, and Aires had obviously decided they are going to continue to compete for our hard earned paychecks. With sets like this, they are succeeding… well done Aires!

Box Art

De Havilland Sea Vixen FAW.2
Review Author
Dave Morrissette
Published on
Company
Airfix
Scale
1/48
MSRP
$66.95

Oh boy- is this great!!! (Stolen from a famous movie.) I have been waiting patiently since Airfix announced the first 1/48 scale styrene kit of the Sea Vixen and the kit delivers in spades. A quick background shows that the De Havilland Sea Vixen entered service in 1959 and served until the 1970's. It was the first British fighter to be designed without guns relying solely on its missiles.

On to the kit- the basics show very crisp molding with engraved panel lines and are molded in light gray styrene. There are three large sprues in total. A very nice clear sprue rounds out the plastic and has the canopies and windscreens as well as the seeker heads, HUD glass, etc. One thing that hits you right off is the instruction manual: detailed and with 20 pages of instructions and 2 pages of common decals. The last thing is an enormous Cartograf decal sheet with tons of stencils (well over 120) and markings for four different planes:

Front cover

Swedish Fortresses: The Boeing F-17 in Civil and Military Service
Book Author(s)
Jan Forsgren
Review Author
Brian R. Baker
Published on
Company
Mushroom Model Publications - MMP Books
MSRP
$59.00

Hardback, 128 Pages, 8 ½ x 11”, Plus 8 16” x 23” poster sized double sides sheets showing profile drawings in 1/48 and 1/72 scale in separate packet, labeled “not to be sold separately”

This book answers a couple of often asked questions (1) what happened to the battled damaged USAAF B-17’s and crews that diverted to Sweden rather than accepting the hospitality of the Luftwaffe?, and (2) how were these planes acquired by the Swedes and used after the war? This is a fascinating story that answers a lot of questions, but still leaves a few open, such as “Why did the Swedes use B-17’s when the B-24 and C-87’s would have been a better choice for their purposes?”

Front cover

Ex USAAF Aircraft 1945
Book Author(s)
Andrzej Morgała
Review Author
Brian R. Baker
Published on
Company
Mushroom Model Publications - MMP Books
MSRP
$23.00

The Book

It is refreshing to see a publication written on a topic that has never been treated in an historical context before, and this book certainly fits that description. After World War II, the United States Army Air Forces had thousands of airplanes in its custody throughout Western Europe, and while many were scrapped on the spot, or in the case of heavy bombers, flown back to the US, some were disposed of a surplus to various buyers.