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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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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
Jarrod Booth
Published on
December 22, 2020
Company
Aires Hobby Models
Scale
1/32
MSRP
$56.00

The Revell 1/32 Panavia Tornado has been around since the mid 1980’s and represented all variants from the GR.1, F2, IDS and ERC models. Both the RAF and German Airforce have been offered throughout Revell’s production runs. It is currently available as an RAF GR.1 in Gulf War colors. This aircraft has several nicknames: the “Fin” due to its enormous tail, and “Tonka Truck” due to its rugged, tough design. The RAF, German Air Force and the Saudi Air Force have operated the Tornado.

Book Author(s)
Andrzej. M. Olejniczak
Review Author
Brian R. Baker
Published on
December 22, 2020
Company
Mushroom Model Publications - MMP Books
MSRP
$29.00

This issue of the Spotlight On series deals with the three major types of fighter used by the Royal Air Force against the Luftwaffe during the Battle of Britain. The book is aimed primarily towards modelers who are interested in modeling the three major types used in that conflict, the Hurricane, Spitfire, and Defiant. The author begins with a one page summary of the battle, telling who was involved, and the types of aircraft used. The British, Canadians, New Zealanders, Australians, and South Africans are mentioned, along with the Poles, Czechs, and Belgians. Oddly, the Americans are not mentioned.

Book Author(s)
Didier Andres
Review Author
Bill O'Malley
Published on
December 21, 2020
Company
Casemate UK
MSRP
$37.95

Introduction

This book covers the search for and the development of all types of ambulances, medic jeeps, medical trucks, and litter carriers used by the US Army during World War II. The book details many modifications made in-theater to vehicles, and other missions for medical vehicles including use by the American Red Cross and American Field Service.

US Army Ambulances & Medical Vehicles in World War II is part of Casemate’s Illustrated Special Series that uses hundreds of B&W photographs, color illustrations, and diagrams to provide a wealth of information for the historian, modeler, or researcher.

Author Didier is passionate about military history, in particular American vehicles of World War II. He has accumulated an impressive collection of technical documents and photographs on the subject, which he has shared through his writing, both books and magazines, over the last two decades.

Review Author
Gino Dykstra
Published on
January 4, 2021
Company
ICM
Scale
1/35
MSRP
$24.00

It never rains but it pours. The first company to release styrene figures from the Civil War was Dragon, which released a terrific set of Union soldiers in 1/32nd scale some decades back. Unfortunately, they never followed up with the promised Confederate infantry, as they apparently didn’t feel the sales merited it (hard to understand, as I literally bought a case of them for myself).

However, recently two different companies have suddenly released figures from that era – Masterbox and now ICM. ICM, in my opinion, has taken the lead in this arena by releasing BOTH Union and Confederate troops.

Review Author
Gino Dykstra
Published on
January 4, 2021
Company
ICM
Scale
1/35
MSRP
$32.99

It’s a little hard after all this time for the average person (like me) to really understand the magnitude of the disaster that was the 1986 Chernobyl Reactor #4 meltdown. Although the Russians themselves are pretty tight-lipped about the whole thing, it is roughly estimated that somewhere above 300,000 workers ( called “liquidators,” ironically) were cycled through the clean-up process between 1986 and 1989, although as many as 500,000 might have been involved. At least 40 died immediately or only shortly thereafter, and of the rest . . . well, the stories aren’t pleasant. One worker from a team of around 30 states that he and four others are the only ones alive today, all others having succumbed to cancers of various sorts. What the ultimate death toll was (or will be) is unknown, but it may have resulted in as many as a million premature deaths worldwide.