Finished 4

Dornier D0-335 B-6 Pfeil Night Fighter

Left Side

US Navy Oxygen Cart

Hub fix

US Coast Guard HH-65C Dolphin Helicopter

Interior

Where Are the Damned Roads?

Completed

Bf-109G-10 Mtt Regensburg

Exhaust

F-4EJ Kai "8SQ Panthers"

Right rear

P-2H Neptune JMSDF

Sprue C

Bristol Beaufort Mk. I, Bombing Raid (Part 1)

Rear deck

M4A3E2 'Jumbo'

Wing spar attachment

F6F-5 Hellcat, Part 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.

IPMS/USA Members: We encourage you to submit reviews, both here and to the Journal. To volunteer for membership in the IPMS/USA "Reviewers Corps" and submit your own reviews, please read the Guidelines For Submitting Product Reviews.

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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Box top

Odessa NI Russian Improvised Armored Tractor
Review Author
Eric Christianson
Published on
Company
Vargas Scale Models
Scale
1/35
MSRP
$49.95

The ever-busy Vargas Scale Models has recently released several World War I Russian armored tractors; each one slightly different from the others. One would think that this would make for a great opportunity to use an economy of scale, but that would be wrong - each version appears to have a different chassis, superstructure, armament, and armor. I guess Luis Vargas just woke up one day, and, for our benefit, decided to create a bunch of Russian tractors!

Vargas has historically occupied a niche specializing in unusual, 3-D printed, limited-run, resin armor models, mostly pre- and between the World Wars. So far, this has been a winning strategy for this prolific company, fleshing out all those subjects ignored by others. This offering continues in that tradition.

Cover

Araguaia War, Volume 2: Counterinsurgency Operations Against the Communist Guerilla in Brazil, 1967-1974. Counterinsurgency and Legacy: The Struggle for Control in Araguaia
Book Author(s)
Antonio Luis Sapienza
Review Author
Andy Taylor
Published on
Company
Helion & Company
MSRP
$29.95

This is the second volume on the Brazil’s Araguaia War. The author, Antonio Luis Sapienza wrote,

In Volume 1, the military regimes that ruled Brazil during the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s were examined. This included an overview of the various guerilla groups operating within Brazil, as well as an analysis of the military strength of the Brazilian armed forces. This current volume focuses on the operational aspects of the conflict, detailing the guerilla actions and the military operations that ultimately dismantled these groups. The efforts targeted not only the guerillas in the Amazon region but also the urban factions. The military government’s directive was explicitly to ‘wipe them off the map’ at any cost, or, as they phrased it, to ‘root out the communist cancer’ – a mission that was ruthlessly executed.

Box Top

Acrylic Paint Set for US Special Operations Aircraft
Review Author
Andy Taylor
Published on
Company
ICM
Scale
N/A
MSRP
$25.00

ICM continues to be prolific with both kits and paint sets. The Acrylic Paint Set for US Special Operations Aircraft continues this trend and consists of six 12ml wide mouthed paint bottles. These paints are designed to be used with the following ICM kits (48290 – Cessna O-2A Skymaster; 48278 – B-26K Counter Invader (Early); and 48279 – B-26K Counter Invader). The colors include:

  • Deep Green (No. 1009)
  • US Dark Green (No. 1072)
  • Extra Dark Green (No. 1069)
  • Tan Earth (No. 1058)
  • Rubber Black (No. 1039)
  • Sky Grey (No. 1033)

Painting instructions are on the side of the packaging, stating

Package

Ju 88 WWII USAAF/RAF Bomber
Review Author
Will Kuhrt
Published on
Company
ICM
Scale
1/48
MSRP
$99.99

ICM continues to manufacturer interesting subjects, and this plane fits that mold. Per Scalemates, this Ju 88 kit is the newest iteration with the first ICM Ju 88 kit appearing in 2015. It was followed by two releases in 2016 with new parts, five Ju 88 kits released in 2018, one in 2019, two in 2022 and 2023 and finally two in 2025.

The standard ICM box lid depicts beautiful artwork of the USAAF version flying over a deep blue sea and islands. Inside the box is a large plastic bag containing seven gray sprues and a separate bag with clear parts. The assembly manual, decals and an ICM painting chart is also provided. The manual has clearly labeled parts and color callouts. There are several mislabeled parts (discussed later). Also, the sprue diagrams only depict two parts which are not used. In reality, there are many more parts that are not used in this kit build due to them being optional. The last page has two full-color painting diagrams of each version (USAAF and RAF).

Cover

HOTOL - Britain's Spaceplane
Book Author(s)
Dan Sharp
Review Author
Frank Landrus
Published on
Company
Tempest Books
MSRP
$65.00

Mortons Media Group was established in the 19th century and has been producing book-length publications since the early 2000s. The company established a dedicated books division in 2019, and Mortons Books has already earned a reputation for publishing high-quality titles by authors who are true experts in their field. For the best reads on rail, aviation, nostalgia and history, look no further. This book is part of their imprint: Tempest Books address all aspects of aviation history are covered in authoritative detail. The aviators and aircraft of the Second World War are profiled by our titles alongside more modern fighters, bombers, reconnaissance, and transport aircraft. 'Secret projects' and experimental designs are also an important part of the Tempest Books portfolio.