In-Progress Build

Seafire FR Mk. 47 "The Last Royal Navy Propeller Fighter"

Finished model

Table Top Navy - Zuikaku and Yamato

Face

US Navy Pilot WWII Pacific Theater

Finished model

Bf-109T-2

Front fuselage

MiG-25 PU

Wheel detail

VW New Beetle

Repairs

Tempest Mk. V

Top view

XB-35 Flying Wing

Body

The Flintstone’s Flintmobile

Gloster 16

Gloster Gladiator Mk.1

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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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Cover

Katyusha: Russian Multiple Rocket Launchers 1941–Present
Book Author(s)
Jamie Prenatt; Illustrator: Adam Hook
Review Author
Frank Landrus
Published on
Company
Osprey Publishing
MSRP
$18.00

The newest in Osprey’s New Vanguard series is authored by Jamie E. Prenatt is a Department of Defense senior analyst, with a particular interest in weapon systems development. He has over 30 years of military and civilian intelligence experience. He holds a Masters in Government/National Security Policy from Georgetown University. He has taught military history, war-gaming, and historical miniature painting at the Smithsonian Institution for several years.

Adam Hook began working as an illustrator in 1983. He specializes in detailed historical reconstructions, and has illustrated Osprey titles on subjects as diverse as the Aztecs, the Ancient Greeks, Roman battle tactics, several 19th-century American subjects, the modern Chinese Army, and a number of books in the Fortress series.

Cover

Roman Army Units in the Western Provinces (1) 31 BC-AD 195
Book Author(s)
Raffaele D’Amato; Illustrator: Raffaele Ruggeri
Review Author
Gino Dykstra
Published on
Company
Osprey Publishing
MSRP
$18.00

During its heyday the Roman Empire sprawled across the better part of three continents, making it one of the greatest political bodies of its day. To maintain such an empire required an enormous military budget and huge numbers of men at arms (an approach to militarism we can, alas, observe to this day). One of the chief duties of this sprawling military was to hold the edges of this empire from incursion from without.

Osprey Publishing and author Raffaele D-Amato have put together a surprisingly exhausting study of the military units comprising Rome’s Western borders – more specifically, what would someday become England, Germany and France.

Box Art

Pz.Kpfw.V Panther Ausf. G Late
Review Author
Phillip Cavender
Published on
Company
Italeri
Scale
1/35
MSRP
$39.99

This kit by Italeri is a rebox of their 2012 Pz. Kpfw. V Panther Ausf. G kit # 6493 with the addition of upgraded moulds, photo-etch fret and new gluable rubber tracks as stated on their website. Let me preface my review by stating that as modelers we do not always follow the instructions step by step. We tend to skip around completing steps in advance while letting previous steps dry or bond. For this build and review, I did indeed skip steps, but I will describe what I found in each step, pros or cons, so the builder will be enlightened as to what needs addressed during the build. I also will not review any historical data pertaining to the Panther tank as I assume the builder will review historical data prior to the build. The Panther tank I will be constructing represents Panther #122 under the command of Oberleutnant Rasim, which was destroyed and knocked out east of Berlin in late April 1945.

Front cover

Tips to Master advanced techniques building 700th IJN ships Vol. 2
Review Author
David Wrinkle
Published on
Company
Model Art
MSRP
$20.82

Since April of 2013 when Kodakawa games released their free browser game Kantai Collection (aka Kancolle), featuring cute anime girls each of which represent ships from the Second World War IJN, there has been an increased interest in ship modeling in Japan. Tamiya, Hasegawa and Aoshima, have long worked in harmony releasing a sizable number of 1/700 warships represented by the waterline series of kits. These three companies as well as Fujimi are capitalizing on the popularity of the game and anime series by re-releasing many of these kits, as well as creating new kits, with extra decals of the girls as well as game specific box art.

Admittedly, because of the game as well as the anime series, I too have become a bit more interested in ship modeling. After my review of Model Art Advanced 1/700 model (1), why not continue on with number 2.

Again, I was not disappointed.

Package

BAC TSR.2 Pitot Tube
Review Author
Jim Pearsall
Published on
Company
Master Model
Scale
1/144
MSRP
$2.38

There are three 1/144 TSR.2s available currently. Great Wall Hobby and Pit Road appear to be the same model in different boxes. I could be wrong here, but I don’t think so. On the other hand, the third 1/144 TSR.2 kit, which I have in my stash is the Kami de Korokoro kit. Since it’s a paper model, I’ve put it off. I’m sure I won’t need a new pitot for the paper plane.

The model I used is the Pit Road kit, in “what if” markings for the Gulf War.

Installation

Installation instructions show 3 steps. I’ve expanded that to 4