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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.

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Review Author
Phillip Cavender
Published on
October 23, 2016
Company
Academy Models
Scale
1/48
MSRP
$28.00

The Polikarpov I-16 was the world’s first single-winged fighter plane with retractable landing gears designed by Nikolai Polikarpov and Dmitri Grigorovich while in prison. Service trials of the I-16 began in 1934. Several variants were produced until the Type 24 was brought into service. The Type 24 contained four7.62mm × 54mmR ShKAS machine guns (two located in the wings and two in the fuselage). Landing flaps were added replacing drooping ailerons. Tailwheel added and starboard side cockpit door were also added. The Type 24 was powered by a Shvetsov M-63 radial engine with 1,100 hp at 2,300 rpm for takeoff. The Polikarpov was produced from 1934-1942 with a total 8644 built. An interesting note is that there are only six airworthy I-16 Type 24s in service today.

Review Author
Frank Landrus
Published on
October 23, 2016
Company
Hauler
Scale
1/35
MSRP
$12.10

A perfect addition to your diorama is this WWII era upright piano and bench. Hauler provides nine resin parts and eight photo-etched parts to build the kit. The instructions provide a pictorial on where the parts go, but do not contain any guidance for color. A quick internet search revealed that most were painted in black with a few fancier ones showing a fine wood grain for the main body. The resin is packaged in a re-sealable plastic bag with the photo-etc h in a folded plastic bag secured with a staple.

Review Author
David Wrinkle
Published on
October 23, 2016
Company
Eduard
Scale
1/48
MSRP
$49.95

I have always loved the look and lines of the Westland Lysander so when given the chance, I didn’t hesitate to build the profipack kit from Eduard. To be honest I have the older Gavia boxing in my stash but it doesn’t contain all the little extras that Eduard has added over and above the original boxing of the Gavia kit in 2001. From reading reviews of the Gavia boxing there was small issue in the original tool that involved the location of the alignment holes for the wing strut attachment points. On the recommendation of a friend, I compared the molding of Eduard’s Lysander to the original boxing and Eduard have retooled the lower wing pieces to relocate the alignment holes to the correct position. Go team! The rest of the box o’ parts were top notch and included the great Eduard instruction sheet, color painting guide, decals for five different aircraft, pre-painted photoetch, kabuki masks and of course the polystyrene parts.

Book Author(s)
David Doyle
Review Author
Frank Landrus
Published on
October 22, 2016
Company
Squadron Signal Publications
MSRP
$19.95

David Doyle’s latest book continues to expand on Squadron Signal’s long standing In Action series that initiated back in 1971. This is actually the third book to cover the F-105 in the In Action series. Lou Drendel authored the first in 1974 (1017) followed by Ken Neubeck in 2002 (1185), both of which are out of print. This edition by David Doyle adds considerably to the material provided in the first two. Veteran illustrator Don Greer provides the artwork for the full page length color profiles within this tome.

Book Author(s)
Robert J Kowalski and Tommy H. Thomason
Review Author
Rob Benson
Published on
October 22, 2016
Company
Ginter Books
MSRP
$46.95

Thank you to Ginter Books for providing a review copy of their new release, Naval Fighters Number 10, the first of a three volume set covering the Grumman S2F/S-2 Tracker and the WF-2/E - 1 B Tracer. I also appreciate all of those in the IPMS Reviewer Corps, who do the heavy lifting to get the reviews done, from start to finish.

Overview

The Tracker holds a special interest for me beyond my personal enthusiasm for USN aviation, an interest honed after hearing two Navy veterans argue about how effective the aircraft was. Naturally, one was a submarine officer, and the other an S2F aviator. This volume is the first of three projected volumes covering the Tracker, with development, testing, variants and foreign users described.