Underside

Albion 3 Point Fueller

Finished Left Aft

U-Boat Type IX C (U-505 late)

Foil Chrome Trim

Dominic's 1970 Dodge Charger

Pilot and RIO Installed

USMC F-4J Phantom II "VMFA-333 Fighting Shamrocks", Part 2

Complete kit, front-left

Sd.Kfz.182 Kingtiger Porsche Turret w/Zimmerit (2 in 1)

Nose weight

P-38 Lightning Egg Plane

Decals

P-51 Mustang 1a

Finished 7

Focke Wulf FW-190F-8 Weekend

Overhead view of interior of fighting compartment

German Self-Propelled Howitzer - Wespe "Italian Front"

Aircraft close up, right rear

Kawanishi E7K1 Type 94 Model 1 Recon Seaplane 'Izumo' w/Catapault

Previous Next

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.

PE Fret

Bf-109G-5 Photo Etch
Review Author
Floyd S. Werner Jr.
Published on
Company
Eduard
Scale
1/48
MSRP
$9.95

When Eduard releases their Weekend Edition or their Overtree issues they release a small ‘essential’ fret of pre-painted photo etch. Such is the case with the latest release from Eduard.

This one fret of photo etch provides the modeler with a pre-painted instrument panel, seatbelts and interior parts. They also provide radiators, exhaust deflectors, antennas and an access panel. Really, can you paint as well as Eduard prints on their instrument panels? I know I can’t. I love the pre-painted instrument panel and the seatbelts.

Typically, these sets don’t come with instructions but the downloadable kit instructions show where they go.

The key to these LEPT frets is that they are only available for a limited time, normally about a month after the release of the overtree kits.

If you have never used photo etch these are great little sets to practice with while adding detail that I think is superior to the plastic.

Package

Matra AS 37 Martel with Pylon
Review Author
Frank Landrus
Published on
Company
PJ Production
Scale
1/48
MSRP
$6.60

PJ Production has jumped in to help 1/48 Mirage III series model builders. This new release provides one Matra AS 37 Martel along with the pylon as featured on the Dassault fighter. This set is probably focused on the new Kinetic 1/48 Mirage III kits, but it should also work well on the Academy, Eduard, Fonderie Miniatures, Heller, and Hobby Boss kits; along with the older ESCI kit that has also been re-boxed by Revell and Italeri.

Notable is the re-sealable packaging that PJ Production uses that makes the parts easy to review and then stuff back into the package securely. You will want to be careful handling the rear resin fins as their small size makes them an easy sacrifice to the carpet monster. Painting instructions are included with the small instruction sheet. I found several air-bubbles in the resin parts, on the missile body. Gap filling super glue with baking soda quickly solved the issue.

Box Top

Atlas ICBM
Review Author
James Binder
Published on
Company
Horizon Models
Scale
1/72
MSRP
$34.95

Horizon Models of Australia has released their third kit, the Atlas ICBM in 1/72 scale. This comes after kits of the Mercury Space Capsule and Mercury-Atlas rocket both in 1/72. If you have built either of those then you know you how good Horizons kits are and if not the following review will show you.

The kit is made up of 3 sprues of gray plastic. Two of sprue A and one B. The biggest difference from this kit to the mercury atlas kit is that it is missing the mercury capsule sprue. Horizon gives you three options for payload though, option A is the first SAC launch, option b is the “New Nickle” launch from 1961 and option C is the Mk4 RV test flight from 1960. My choice was to build option C as it launched from the Cape and the other two were from Vandenberg.

Cover

The Samurai
Book Author(s)
Stephen Turnbull
Review Author
Ron Verburg
Published on
Company
Osprey Publishing
MSRP
$15.00

From the Inside Cover

With their deadly curved katanas, colorful lacquered armor and massive bows, the samurai were the ultimate warriors. Bound by their famous code: bushido, the way of the warrior, they were renowned for their martial prowess and suicidal bravery. In this beautiful new book featuring stunning prints, artwork and photographs, Stephen Turnbull explores their history from its earliest origins, through the Gempei War, Mongol invasions and the Period of Warring States to their tragic demise in the modern period with the Satsuma rebellion of 1877. Examining all aspects of samurai life, their homes and strongholds, beliefs and codes as well as their martial upbringing and equipment, Turnbull clears away the myths surrounding these legendary fighters to tell the complete story of history’s most iconic warrior culture.

Product Cover

US Navy & USMC Colors From 70's to Present
Review Author
Dave Morrissette
Published on
Company
Acrylicos Vallejo
MSRP
$25.95

Vallejo makes several different types of paints- some for hand brushing, some for detailing and some pre-thinned for air brushing. Model Air is a range of liquid acrylic colors developed especially for airbrushing and has very finely ground pigments and an acrylic resin which has been designed for durability.

The set reviewed here is for modern US Navy Colors and contains eight 17ml squeeze bottles of: