Finished aircraft, right view

Mig 21 in Czechoslovak Service Dual Combo

Finished rear

US Staff Car

Completed model

Russian Maxim Machine Gun (1910)

Sprues

Pz. 38(t) Ausf. E/F with Full Interior

5

OV-10D Bronco

Assorted glasswork

The Bride of Frankenstein

Finished Model fender

1969 Nova SS 350

Completed 1

Churchill Mk. III

front 3/4 view completed model

2013 Dodge Challenger SRT 8

Rear

WWII German Mortar (s.Gr.W.34)

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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.

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Package

B-1B Modern Day Bones
Review Author
Pablo Bauleo
Published on
Company
Twobobs Aviation Graphics
Scale
1/48
MSRP
$14.00

Two Bobs decals provides some nice aftermarket decal options for the venerable (and gigantic) 1/48 Revell B-1B, presenting current day –at time of writing- markings for the B-1B Lancer strategic bomber as follow:

  • B-1B S/N 85-0089 489th Bomb Group, Dyess AFB, TX (2015)
  • B-1B S/N 85-0077 77th Weapons Squadron, Nellis AFB, NV (2015)

Both of them are finished in overall Gunship Gray (FS36118). Instructions include color stock number for Federal Standard, Testors, Humbrol, Gunze and Xtracrylics. The instructions are printed in color with very clearly indicated call out for the location of all the decals, including stencils.

Package

Scale Aircraft Conversions Horsa Glider Landing Gear
Review Author
Gino Dykstra
Published on
Company
Scale Aircraft Conversions
Scale
1/35
MSRP
$21.95

Bronco’s 1/35th scale model of the Horsa Glider Mk. 1 is quite an impressive model, as anyone who has built it will tell you. They may also mention that the landing gear of this kit is fairly fragile, as it’s obliged to hold up a fair amount of weight on this over two-foot long kit.

Scale Aircraft Conversions have come to the rescue with a very nice set of white metal parts which are direct replacements for all of the landing gear components including the front fork. The only thing not reproduced is the skid itself.

As you might expect, these are stronger for the most part than the styrene items included in the kit, and should assist in keeping your model from “drooping” over time – something I’ve been a bit concerned about with my own copy.

Front cover

Bradley vs BMP Desert Storm 1991
Book Author(s)
Mike Guardia
Review Author
Frank Landrus
Published on
Company
Osprey Publishing
MSRP
$20.00

The newest in Osprey’s Duel series is authored by Mike Guardia, a six year veteran who served as an Armor Officer in the United States Army. He attended the University of Houston where he earned a BA and MA in American History. Guardia has been published by Osprey before in the New Vanguard series, but this is his first entry into the Duel series. He has also authored The Fires of Babylon, Hal Moore: A Soldier Once…and Always, and Shadow Commander. Hal Moore, of course, was popularized by Mel Gibson in the movie “We Were Soldiers”. He is an active member in the Military Writers Society of America and has twice been nominated for the Army Historical Foundation's Distinguished Book Award.

Box Art

Beer Wagon
Review Author
Joe Porche
Published on
Company
Revell
Scale
1/24
MSRP
$27.99

"It’s Back!"

I was quite caught off-guard when I discovered that the Tom Daniels “Beer Wagon” was to be reissued by Monogram/Revell this summer. There had been nothing noted on any recent publications from Revell that this kit was to coming back out, but I am so happy it has resurfaced. Now, how many different variations to this kit can I build?

Historically this is the single kit that launched my interest in scale modeling. Not the first kit I ever built, but the first kit release from Monogram in 1967 under the Tom Daniel’s banner. Many more would follow of which I have built nearly 50 of the various Tom Daniels designs and have a collection of over 80 of the 80+ he is given credit for drafting.

Front cover

British Submarine vs Italian Torpedo Boat
Book Author(s)
David Greentree
Review Author
Pablo Bauleo
Published on
Company
Osprey Publishing
MSRP
$20.00

Osprey publishing continues to expand the Duel Series, this time with WWII naval enemies: British Submarines and Italian Torpedo Boats in the Mediterranean. The Italian Torpedo Boats were more like a “destroyer escort” or “frigate”-style ship, not a fast attack torpedo craft.

This book follows the typical format of the series including a few chapters on the technical aspects of each vessel, the training of the combatants, the strategic situation, a very detailed narrative of combat, and wraps it up with statistics and analysis.

I have to say that I have found the reading of this book very interesting and I was surprised by how many references –to other books or interviews- this issue of Osprey Duel has. It is clearly an extremely well researched book and some of the main things I learned follow: