Rear View

FWD Type B WW1 U.S. Ammunition truck

Sprue 2

Messerschmitt Bf-109F-4

Marking Guide

Russian 9P149 Launching Vehicle w/9K114 Shturm-S

Complete left side

Nakajima B5N2 'Kate'

Finished Model

Focke-Wulf Ta-152C1/R14

Finished e

Ki 27 Type 97 Fighter Nate '1st Flight Regiment'

Misc Image 4

Royal Marine Officer

Sprue 3

FW 190A-8 - Royal Class

Parts 1

British Nuffield Assault Tank A.T.2

Finished

Cactus Air Force Deluxe Set – F4F-4 Wildcat and P-400/P-39D Over Guadalcanal

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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.

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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.

Box Art

B-24D Liberator "Mission Centenarians"
Review Author
Chris Smith
Published on
Company
Eduard
Scale
1/72
MSRP
$64.95

Editor's note: This build includes parts from Quickboost.net as noted below:

  • B24 Liberator Oxygen Cylinders, P/N 72--319
  • B24 Liberator Turbo-supercharger, P/N 72-307

Dedication

I would like to dedicate this model to SSGT M.G. Hobelman who served with the 376thHeavy Bombardment Group based in San Pancrazio Italy. SSGT Hobelman flew 38 combat missions from September 21, 1944 to April 15, 1945 manning the nose turret of a B24J. Thanks to his son, a good friend of mine, I had the pleasure of meeting SSGT Hobelman and sharing conversation over breakfast about what he experienced during the war. Unfortunately, “Hobie,” as he was affectionately known passed away last year. I thought often of the stories he told me during this build and will never encounter the B24 in the same way as a result. Rest in Peace my friend.

Front cover

Vulcan's Hammer, V-Force Projects and Weapons Since 1945

Book Author(s)
Chris Gibson
Review Author
Perry Downen
Published on
Company
Hikoki Publications
MSRP
$49.95

I would like to thank Specialty Press for submitting this book for review and thank IPMS/USA for allowing me to do the review.

During the latter stages of World War II strategic bombing methods had become very effective. In Europe the USAAF was carpet-bombing targets in daylight and the RAF was bombing at night. The planes used on these missions carried out their tasks with brutal efficiency. But, in August 1945 the existing strategic bombing philosophy was made totally obsolete when a single B-29 dropped an atomic bomb on Hiroshima.

Box Art

F-111C RAAF "Special Edition"
Review Author
Tom Pope
Published on
Company
Academy Models
Scale
1/48
MSRP
$69.00

Introduction

My thanks go out to MRC-Academy for providing this up-dated kit for review and to IPMS USA for letting me do the review. My apologies to Academy & IPMS for this review taking so long - I hate it when my job gets in the way of my hobbies but I had some issues at work for a while there.

In the Box

The box contains 7 gray and 1 clear sprues (including the new sprue "S" with many new detail parts), a nicely scaled, turned brass air data tube, instructions, a full-color (11.75" x 16.5") poster depicting painting and marking placement and a superb new decal sheet by Cartograf. There are about 287 parts but you won't use 70 of them so you'll have a good set of extra bits when you're done.

The instructions are very clear and well organized. There are still a couple typos along the way so pay attention (the lever arms that rotate the pylons when the wings sweep in the right wing in step 6 should be labeled #37 vs. # 36 as indicated.

Kitset package

AH-1W Cobra Exhaust
Review Author
John Lyons
Published on
Company
Werners Wings
Scale
1/35
MSRP
$25.00

Werner's Wings has released a 5-piece resin set to transform the 1/35 Academy AH-1W NTS into the latest version flying in Afghanistan with turned exhausts to provide a lower heat signature. The parts look very clean and the edges are nicely formed with crisp edges.

The set includes the exhaust housing and outlets, 2 inserts for inside the exhaust outlets, the inner engine bulkhead, and a cover for the tail rotor shaft.

It also comes with a detailed instruction sheet showing you how to install the parts.

It requires that you cut part of old exhaust attached to the fuselage and replace it with the resin parts. Also warns about cutting the area around the driveshaft cover, recommends that you cut the exhaust area first then measure area for the driveshaft cover.

Because the parts have some weight to them you will have to drill out some of the resin from the front of the exhaust. This will help balance the aircraft so it sits correctly.

Package cover

B-17G Flying Fortresses 353rd BS/301st BG & 401st BS/91st BG
Review Author
Phil Peterson
Published on
Company
SuperScale International
Scale
1/72
MSRP
$12.00

The B-17 is one of my all-time favorite aircraft and with the new Revell kit out in 1/72nd scale I was very excited to get this sheet of decals to give me some additional options when I acquire the kit.

I have used SSI decals before and they have always performed well for me. This sheet is printed in perfect registration and gives full markings for two B-17Gs including stencils and stars and bars for both aircraft. The only flaw I can see is the nose art on both planes lacks detail.

The aircraft depicted are: