Interior Primed

Masterpiece Models Mark 49 Hellcat

Left-rear, above

Martin B-57B

Left Side

Datsun Off-Road Pickup

Right rear high

StuG.III Ausf.G Late December 1944

Parts

Texaco Doodlebug

Wing fold detail 2

A-6E TRAM Intruder, plus Cockpit Detail Set

Finished model

USN F-14A VF-2 "Bounty Hunters"

Finished

A-24 Banshee

Deck Bow

IJN Akagi Aircraft Carrier Full Hull Limited Edition and Super Detail Set

Complete Rear Underside 3

CF-188A '20 Years of Service RCAF'

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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.

To learn more about IPMS/USA, please see our About Us page.

Cover image

USMC F-4J Phantom II "VMFA-333 Fighting Shamrocks", Part 1
Review Author
Pat Villarreal
Published on
Company
Academy Models
Scale
1/48
MSRP
$74.00

Academy has released a re-boxing of their 1/48 scale F-4J Phantom II, this time with markings for VMFA-333 “Fighting Shamrocks” and VMFA-232 “Red Devils”. The first boxing of the Academy “J” variant was in 2014, and this re-boxing was produced in 2024.

In the Box

The kit is enclosed in a sturdy box and each sprue is enclosed in its own plastic bag, except for the ones that are doubled up, primarily the ordnance. The sprues are injected in three colors (gray, white, and black) and one clear sprue for the windscreen, canopy, and light parts.

Book Cover

The Modern British Army Volume 1: The Path to a Future Soldier, 2010s and Beyond
Book Author(s)
Richard A Rinaldi
Review Author
Andy Taylor
Published on
Company
Helion & Company
MSRP
$29.95

Being combat-ready for operations is our highest priority. The British Army is ever vigilant, always ready and steadfast in its commitment to the defense of the UK and its citizens. The Army on One Page - British Army website

This book covers the British Army after the Cold War and Operations Telic (Iraq, 2003-2011) and Herrick (Afghanistan, 2001-2014) as it transitioned from large, armored formations designed to fight on the plains of western Europe to the counterinsurgency operations that consumed the western world’s military from 2001 to the mid-2010s. The British Army, like its American counterpart, has been struggling against the peace dividends and counter-insurgency requirements to become smaller and more lethal in heavy warfighting against a peer enemy.

Packaging

Rubis-class Submarine
Review Author
Ben Morton
Published on
Company
OKB Grigorov
Scale
1/350
MSRP
$34.12

OKB Grigorov is a Bulgarian company that has been producing resin accessories and after-market bits for several years. My first experience with them was several years ago when I was searching for some embellishments for a 1/72-scale Merkava. I must admit that that was the last experience I had with OKB Grigorov. That was a mistake on my part, and this kit is how I fixed it.

As a member of the Reviewers Corps for IPMS/USA, we have access to several kits and modeling accessories that one might not otherwise have, and best of all, these accessories and/or kits are free if you conduct the review. Anyway, when several kits became available to the Reviewers Corps, I noticed the offerings from OKB Grigorov and thought, why not? Time to see what 'these guys' are up to, and I am delighted to inform you that OKB Grigorov has been up to quite a lot. All of it to a modelers favor. I will skip a full-blown review of their product line and simply suggest that you visit their website.

Cover

Vergeltungswaffen: The Third Reich’s V-Missiles
Book Author(s)
Jean Paul Pallud
Review Author
Frank Landrus
Published on
Company
Pen & Sword
MSRP
$39.95

The origin of Pen & Sword Books is closely linked with its sister company, the Barnsley Chronicle; one of the UK's oldest provincial newspapers, established in 1858, and one of the few weeklies still in private ownership. The first books published by the company were in response to public demand following of a series of articles published in the newspaper: Dark Peak Aircraft Wrecks told the story of crash sites in the Dark Peak area of the Peak District National Park, and a further weekly feature on the history of two Kitchener battalions, known as the Barnsley Pals, aroused a thirst for more information. Following on from the success of those books, a number of local history paperbacks were produced along with a series of battlefield guidebooks. Battleground Europe proved immediately successful, and the company made the decision to launch a book publishing arm of the group.

OKB Weapon Sets

Weapons Sets
Review Author
Ben Morton
Published on
Company
OKB Grigorov
Scale
1:35
MSRP
$15.25

OKB Grigorov is a Bulgarian company producing resin after-market bits, full kits, and accessory items. Some of their most recent releases are some 1/35th scale weapons sets. These include The M1 Garand semi-automatic rifle (35037), the M79 Grenade launcher (35005), a 30K Panzerfaust (35009), and the M16A1 assault rifle with M203 grenade launcher ( 35035).

The weapons sets appear to be 3D printed and are made from dark grey resin. The detail is excellent, with a plethora of detail for each specific weapon. They are packaged in clear, poly-vinyl zip bags, with eight examples for both the Garand and the M16A1. The 30K Panzerfaust has fourteen weapons, and the M79 grenade launcher has ten weapons in the bag.