7

Audi R8 LMS GT3 2 in 1

Finished Model

Fw-190A-7

Finished

IA-58 Pucara

Aircraft

USS Oriskany

Interior

1937 Chevy Coupe Stovebolt

Antennas Left Wing Top

Focke Wulf Fw 190A-8/R11 (Overtrees)

Completed model

Latrine

Inner Box

Batmobile

TARPS Pod

F-14D Tomcat, Part 3 - The Finale

Turret

USS Olympia

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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.

Product Picture

Renault UE Tank
Review Author
Allan Murrell
Published on
Company
Mirage Hobby
Scale
1/35
MSRP
$12.00

This is a new version of the Renault UE Tankette and is the Scout version. This version has two options you can build one which has two machine gun turrets while the other has one machine gun turret and a load carrier at the rear.

The kit contains

  • 3 x sprues molded in grey styrene
  • 1 color guide sheet
  • 1 decal sheet
  • 1 instruction booklet.

Construction

Firstly you must know the instructions are in Polish which will be a problem for a novice modeler, but many will have no real trouble with the instructions.

Packaging

UH-1D Big Ed Set
Review Author
Floyd S. Werner Jr.
Published on
Company
Eduard
Scale
1/48
MSRP
$46.71

As someone who was very involved in developing the Kitty Hawk UH-1D, I know of some of the shortcomings of the kit. Some things that were not able to be addressed or were caused by the limitations of the plastic. Some things are just better in photoetch.

The key about these Big Ed sets is that they are a one stop shop for a kit. Not only are they a one stop shop but they are discounted significantly than if you were to buy the sets separately. In this case the saving is almost $20.

Packaging

P-40B Warhawk Cockpit Set
Review Author
Floyd S. Werner Jr.
Published on
Company
Aires Hobby Models
Scale
1/48
MSRP
$22.00

The new Airfix P-40B is an excellent example of the iconic fighter made famous by the Flying Tigers. The kit is nice but there are some things in the cockpit that need to be ‘fixed’. Aires has released this new cockpit set for the kit.

Inside the typical Aires blister pack are 21 pieces of molded in light grey resin. My example was flawless despite damage to the blister package. The set also has a small fret of photo etch that includes the instrument panel and seatbelts. A film of acetate is also provided for the instruments.

This set will require some thinning of the sidewalls to get it to fit properly. But once you get past that, the set fits together simply and easily. The parts breakdown is very similar to the kit breakdown. The pour stubs are easy enough to remove.

Packaging

F-14A Tomcat Beaver Tail
Review Author
Floyd S. Werner Jr.
Published on
Company
Quickboost
Scale
1/48
MSRP
$6.50

The Tamiya F-14A Tomcat set a standard for plastic model kits. If there is a drawback it is that the aircraft can only be built as a very early Tomcat. Some things that need to be addressed to change your Tomcat to a later A model and B model is the so called Beaver Tail, as well as, the chin pods and gun vents. Quickboost addresses all of these areas with individual upgrades.

This offering is a single piece of light grey resin. It represents the beaver tail as seen on later F-14As, B, and Ds. It includes the fuel dump port and the ECM pod. Removing the part from the pour stub is easy enough. It is a drop in replacement part for the kit part. Simple and very easy to add.

If you want a later Tomcat then you need this part. No two ways about it. This part is an important addition from the Late F-14A onward. Now you just have to decide which chin pod you’ll need. Don’t forget the gun vent panel too.

Highly recommended

Product Picture

Ju-87B Seat with Harnesses
Review Author
Rob Booth
Published on
Company
Quickboost
Scale
1/48
MSRP
$4.00

Quickboost has produced replacement seats with molded on harnesses for the Hasegawa 1/48 Ju-87B kits. The resin replacement is a simple drop-in for the kit’s plastic parts. The supplied item includes both the pilot and gunner seats cast in resin. There is no modification required to the kit parts to use these resin replacements.

A side by side evaluation (see photos) indicates a replacement of superior detail that will provide a more accurate rendition of the Stuka’s seat assemblies. Check your references for the appropriate seat to use. Be sure to wash the parts in soapy water to remove mold release agents and prime prior to using your favorite modeling paints.

Highly recommended.

Thanks to the IPMS Reviewer Corps and Quickboost for the opportunity to review this item.