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.

Review Author
Doug Cole
Published on
Company
Revell
Scale
1/25
MSRP
$22.95

Not only did they give the seventh version of the Corvette stunning looks, it has a matching performance clocking in at 0 to 60 mph in only 3.8 seconds. The new Stingray has everyone turning heads, and it’s still a great bargain for a personal luxury roadster.

Book Author(s)
Matthew Willis Drawings by Richard J. Caruana
Review Author
Dick Montgomery
Published on
Company
Scale Aircraft Modelling
MSRP
$21.00

This is the first WWI title in the Warpaint series and includes all the usual Warpaint features – historical text, a glossary for the modeler, color artwork by Richard Caruana and a three page color walk-around by author Matthew Willis.

This softcover publication is 38 pages, including the inner front and rear covers, of data, information, illustrations, period B&W images, and a 3 page walk-around of the fully restored aircraft owned by the Shuttleworth Collection at Old Warden in Bedfordshire, UK.

Not as well-known as the Sopwith Camel, the Pup distinguished itself during its operational lifespan, and was a stalwart aircraft during the RFC’s most difficult time, Bloody April, 1917. Although a bit slower than some of its contemporaries, it proved to be a nimble and powerful Air-to-Air warrior which contributed much to the control of the air over the Western Front.

Book Author(s)
Aaron Skinner
Review Author
Dick Montgomery
Published on
Company
Kalmbach Publishing Company
MSRP
$22.99

Walk into any modeler’s hobby room and you will find a library. Scan through the publications and titles on the shelves and you will find a book or publication on “airbrushing”. Airbrushing is an essential skill for almost all modelers and those modelers need to develop a high level of competency to use and master this basic tool.

Kalmbach has released a new publication by Aaron Skinner entitled, “Airbrushing for Scale Modelers” that provides a comprehensive guide to airbrushing from “basic” to “advanced”.

You probably recognize Aaron’s name as he is the senior editor for FineScale Modeler and also a very well-known modeler. In this publication Aaron guides the reader through airbrushing basics and then uses “project models” to demonstrate airbrushing techniques.

Book Author(s)
Adam Wilder
Review Author
Dick Montgomery
Published on
Company
Meng AFV Modeller
MSRP
$49.00

Mr. Wilder provides a series of YouTube video’s displaying some of the same techniques that are in Adam’s Armour 1. The book, however, contains far more information than the videos.

Two publications are now available through Casemate and AFV Modeller Publications. Adam Wilder, a talented and gifted modeler, as well as an excellent writer, has authored “Adam’s Armour 1” and “Adam’s Armour 2”. This review focuses on “Adam’s Armour 1”.

“1” focuses on the construction of the model while “2” covers painting and finishing.

Reviewing the Table of Contents is an appropriate and enlightening place to start. There are ten chapters (the ToC mistakenly identifies two chapters as Chapter 8):

Review Author
Greg Wise
Published on
Company
Hasegawa
Scale
1/48
MSRP
$42.95

History Brief

Given the codename "Grace" by the Allies, the Aichi B7A Ryusei was a large and powerful single engine, two-seat carrier-borne torpedo-dive bomber. It was produced by Aichi Kokuki KK for the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service during the Second World War. The B7A first flew as a prototype in May 1942, but problems with the experimental NK9C Homare engine and airframe issues delayed the type and it didn’t enter into production until two years later in May 1944. Despite the plane's weight and size, it displayed fighter-like handling and performance, it even outperformed the A6M Zero which was in service at the time. Not only was it was a fast, agile and highly maneuverable machine it could also carry a single 800 kg bomb, two 250 kg bombs or six 60 kg bombs at once.