Underside

Short Sunderland Mk. I

Wheel mockup

Her Majesty’s Estafette

Sprue Attachment Point

Shenyang J-31 Gyrfalcon (Airshow China 2014)

Trunk also opens and closes, revealing correct-looking fender well panels

1957 Chevy Bel Air

Image 3

Dog House with Dog

Completed Model

Hasegawa J2M2 Raiden (Jack) Prototype

Engines

Luftwaffe JG73 Operation Sniper 2003, Mig-29-12

Finished

Christie T3E2 (E3) Tank

Cockpit

F/A-18E Super Hornet 'VFA-27 Royal Maces 2013

Blanking plate

Nisseki Trust Porsche 962C Limited Edition

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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

Book Review: The North American P-51 "Early Mustang"
Book Author(s)
Richard A. Franks
Review Author
Chris Smith
Published on
Company
Valiant Wings Publishing
MSRP
$36.00

I’ve always been a fan of the early Allison powered Mustangs so it’s nice to see publishers filling the gap for historians and modelers alike. This publication goes even farther by including the merlin powered B and C models. This is a second edition of a book first printed in 2013. It is broken down into three sections, Airframe, Miniatures and Appendices.

Cover

Model Dioramas Handbook
Book Author(s)
Mat Irvine
Review Author
Andy Taylor
Published on
Company
Crecy Publishing, Ltd.
MSRP
$34.95

This is a good introduction book to the world of dioramas by author Mat Irvine. His English roots are evident throughout this amazing book, and it is great to see his perspective across multiple genres of modelling, and not just fixated on one sub-genre. While some want dioramas for a specific style, this book does a great job of covering dioramas from basic to movie sets and museum displays. I also appreciate the author’s Dedication page to Andrew Yanchus before the table of contents. Andy worked for Aurora, a “colorist” for Marvel Comics, and as an advisor for the newly formed Atlantis Model Company. He was a friend of author Mat Irvine for almost 50 years and was a “highly knowledgeable historian on all matters to do with model-making, and I still often think, when tackling a particular problem: ‘Ah, Andy would have known.’” It is in this vein that the book is written.

Mat Irvine’s introduction starts with,

Package

Cessna O-2 Skymaster Instrument Panel
Review Author
Chris Smith
Published on
Company
Yahu Models
Scale
1:48
MSRP
$8.99

As I get older, I’m appreciating things that make model building easier on the eyes. Instrument panels are a real challenge even when they come with a decal or in the case of the ICM O-2 kit, separate decals for each instrument on the panel.

Thankfully, Yahu models offer this set to upgrade a highly visible area of the kit. This set is comprised of two-color photo-etch parts covering the instrument panel/sub-panel and fuse panel for the left fuselage half.

Unlike some color photo-etch panels with dots on a circle, these look like actual instruments. They are built up in layers that allow the instruments to slightly recess and have a semi-gloss sheen for a glass-like finish over the dials.

Installation is easy. Remove any raised details from the kit parts-except the elevator trim wheel on the main panel-first. The panel part is cut into three sections since the lower panels are on a different plane than the top.

Box front

Type 320 (W142) Cabriolet B
Review Author
David Hochheimer
Published on
Company
ICM
MSRP
$43.49

ICM Holding has put out a new model of their Type 320 (W142). This rendition is a Cabriolet B, a pre-war period German passenger car.

The box art for the kit is first-rate and lends itself well to the actual kit. The box is compact and will fit well in any stash until you decide to build it. Although the box is small, no damage was noted when breaking out the materials from the box.

An overview of the sprues once removed from their respective plastic covers reveals crisp moldings with no short shots, and minor mold lines on the smaller parts such as the door handles and window hand cranks. Some of the sprue connecting points are at points where caution is needed when removing the part so as to not damage the part or result in clean-up issues. Although the box art depicts the car with chrome bumpers and other small parts, be aware that none of the sprues are chrome plated.

Package

AH-1G Cobra

Review Author
Rick Reinert
Published on
Company
ICM
Scale
1/48
MSRP
$44.99

BLUF - Bottom Line Up Front

It has been a while since I built a helicopter. The last time was an aborted attempt in 2014 give or take. That did not end well. I feel that going outside your lane (mine is aircraft) improves your skills a bit. And that certainly happened with building the Cobra. The kit itself builds up to a very nice replica of a Vietnam era Cobra. The build is straightforward. The only thing I would do differently is attach the landing skids after the kit is built, painted, decals applied, and any weathering is done. Otherwise, you run the risk of damaging the skids as you handle, or mishandle, the kit as you accomplish those tasks. I must have broken the skids about 5 times. The last step, of course, is to attach the rotor blades.When the kit arrived, I inspected the box and its contents, and immediately noticed that a sprue bag had been ripped and noticed a number of loose parts floating around.