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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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.

Book Author(s)
David Doyle
Review Author
Dave Koukol
Published on
Company
Squadron Signal Publications
MSRP
$18.95

Best known as the world’s first atomic bomber, the B-29 Superfortress was arguably the most advanced aircraft to see combat operations in World War II, and was the only American heavy bomber of the era to see combat during the Korean War.

Review Author
Dave Koukol
Camden Koukol
Published on
Company
Revell, Inc.
Scale
1/25
MSRP
$16.99

A throwback to the ’64 original design, the 2010 Mustang captures the classic lines of the original “pony car” in contemporary form and is the subject of Revell’s recent SnapTite series release. As with their ’63 Corvette (reviewed previously), the 2010 Mustang is a beautifully engineered kit for novice and veteran modelers, alike. Once again, at the hands of 6-year old Camden, this review sample went together flawlessly in exactly an hour shortly after being discovered on our doorstep.

The kit consists of 9 sprues (3 black, 2 goldenrod, 2 chrome, 1 clear, and 1 transparent red), the goldenrod-colored body, black interior tub and chassis, 4 vinyl tires, steel axles, 4 self-tapping screws, and a sheet of peel-and-stick decals. Surface detail is both raised and recessed, as appropriate, and appears to lend itself well to those who wish actually to paint the finished product.

Review Author
Tom Pope
Published on
Company
Dragon Models
Scale
1/144
MSRP
$9.95

Introduction

Many of us grew up building the many versions and scales of the utility helicopter of the time – the Bell UH-1 Iroquois of the "Huey" family. Those first flew in 1956 and over 16,000 of them were produced starting in 1960. "Utility" was the key word. They've been used for everything from search and rescue and medical evac to gunships and forward air control to fire fighting and much, much, more. A real workhorse!

Any replacement was going to have some big shoes to fill. So along came Sikorsky’s H-60 with all its “utility” combinations, and many of the H-1's were able to retire to their well-deserved place in history, with no loss in capability to the many who counted on them for the last half century.

Review Author
John King
Published on
Company
Eduard
Scale
1/72
MSRP
$12.95

Hobby Boss has provided the modeler with a nice choice for an Mi-4 “Hound.” Detail on the Hobby Boss kit is crisp. However, some PE would definitely help out. Eduard has answered the call with multiple PE sets for the Hobby Boss Mi-4. For the modeler who chooses to button up the cargo compartment, the Eduard Interior Self-Adhesive “Zoom” set is perfect.

This PE set consists of instrument panel, seat harnesses, overhead panels, and the little instrument panel that sits on the side of the front windscreen frame. The PE set is pre-painted and self-adhesive. The modeler is required to sand away the detail on the center console and the overhead consol. There is no need to sand away the kit’s instrument panel as the PE replaces the whole thing; a nice touch.

Book Author(s)
Mark Lardas
Review Author
Michael Scott
Published on
Company
Osprey Publishing
MSRP
$17.95

As Osprey says, “This book is number 40 in Osprey’s 'Duel' series, which provides accounts of machines of war pitted against each other and the combatants who operated them.” If you are interested in the Civil War, this book is unusual in that it discusses an aspect of the ocean war that is seldom covered in any detail in most Civil War histories. This was the transition period when navies were changing from wood ships to steel and to explosive projectiles. Three single-ship actions were fought during the American Civil War between Union cruisers and Confederate raiders.

This volume focuses on the most famous, that between the CSS Alabama and the USS Kearsarge in 1864 off Cherbourg. It focuses on the crew, the tactics, the commanders, and the weapons used at the time. It is complete with photos and diagrams along with a complete description of the battle.