Overhead View

Horten 229, Part 1

Detail View

17 Pounder Ant Tank Gun and Crew

Left side

A-6 Intruder Egg Plane

Turret Installed & Detailed

T-34/85 "Berlin 1945"

top right finished

Alpha Jet A/E

Clear sprue

Mitsubishi Ki-67 Heavy Bomber Hiryu "14th FR"

Completed Model

P-61 Black Widow and True Details Wheels

Left side

PanzerKampfwagon II Sd.Kfz.122 (F) w/UE Trailer

Track detail

M109A7 Paladin Self-Propelled Howitzer

Completed diorama

Diorama with Park Wall

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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.

Box Art

Captain America
Review Author
Dave Steingass
Published on
September 9, 2011
Company
Polar Lights
Scale
1/8
MSRP
$23.99

In 2003, Polar Lights re-tooled and re-released the classic 1966 Aurora kit in a larger 1/8” scale. This 2011 re-release includes 31 parts molded in blue and clear styrene. Parts had no flash and includes a new face sculpt, giving you the option of 2 different faces within the kit. This release also includes a newer comic book cardboard back highlighting a scene from the included comic book instruction manual where through the flames of war behind Captain America, visions of Bunker Hill and Iwo Jima can be seen among other American icons.

The overall construction is very simple, the comic book instruction manual has color instructions presented in the classic Aurora style. The Manual suggests that different sub-assemblies be constructed and painted separately, but I felt this method was too complicated for such a simple kit.

Cover

Model Art Modeling Magazine, #41, Waterline Model Special - Katori class, Hatsuharu class
Review Author
Luke R. Bucci, PhD
Published on
September 9, 2011
Company
Model Art
MSRP
$27.95

Model Art No. 41 Autumn 2011 is devoted to several classes of more obscure Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) warships in WW2. Specifically, Katori class light/training cruisers, Hatsuharu class destroyers, and Fuso class battleships. For each class, you get to see builds of the most recent kits, drawings, figures and photos showing intimate details of each class/kit, and background history with photos (in Japanese of course). Scales are mostly 1/700 since 1/350 kits are not available for Katori and Hatsuharu classes yet. Battleships kits are mostly 1/350 scale model kits. Coverage is comprehensive, with emphasis on historical accuracy of appearance. This edition is perfect for those modeling these ship classes.

Cover

Model Art Modeling Magazine, #828, September 2011
Review Author
Luke R. Bucci, PhD
Published on
September 9, 2011
Company
Model Art
MSRP
$15.00

In Model Art No. 828, September 2011, the ever-popular Takao class of WW2 Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) heavy cruisers in 1/700 scale is featured. Pages 12-45 are filled with a comprehensive review comparing commercial kits and aftermarket sets, along with very detailed build information on super-accurizing each ship in the class (Atago, Chokai, Maya, Takao). Builds range from straight out of the box to superdetailing with aftermarket photoetch. Pages 50-52 are a history of Chokai. Except for this history, the non-English language is not a problem for understanding the builds and modifications. If you want to build 1/700 ships of this class, this magazine is a must-have.

Cover

US Air Force Special Operations Command Datafile
Book Author(s)
Rick Llinares and Andy Evans
Review Author
Jim Pearsall
Published on
September 8, 2011
Company
SAM Publications
MSRP
$15.95

If you’ve ever spent time at Hurlburt Field, Florida, near Mary Esther, and mostly surrounded by Eglin AFB, you probably know something about Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC). The first time I was there, they had AC-130s, HH-3s, and MC-130s. Each time I went back they had something new and more esoteric. I haven’t been back since they got the Ospreys, but I’ve seen one fly, and they are a hoot.

This book is aimed at the modeler and aviation enthusiast interested in the less-traveled and publicized areas of the modern Air Force. Each chapter contains a few pages of text, with photographs which illustrate and flesh out the subject of the text. Then come side color profiles of the aircraft, and finally a walk-around showing all those things we’re interested in and those details we can’t find photos of.

The contents are, by chapter:

Decal Sheet

F-100 Thunderbird Decals
Review Author
Ed Kinney
Published on
September 8, 2011
Company
Custom Aeronautical Miniatures
Scale
1/32
MSRP
$45.00

If you attended the Nationals in Omaha and had occasion to stop at the National Office Managers Table, you have probably seen these on display with a notice that they were soon available. Well, soon is now. Fellow IPMS member Ray Beyers has beautifully crafted this set of markings to fit the 1/32nd scale Trumpeter F-100D in both schemes (P32-025 for the 1965 show season and P32-026 for 1967). Each set of markings comes with 4 separate sheets and a partial containing the extremely complex flag markings, as well as the Thunderbird logo. Even a pilot’s helmet decal with the logo and scallops is included. These decals are custom-printed by Microscale Decals.