Cockpit 3

F4U-4 Corsair Late Version with Propeller and Cowling Upgrades

Finished

R.A.F. Victor K.2 Tanker

3

McLaren MP4/2C

6

Highway 32: 1982 Z/28 Camaro

Finished kit

WWII US Army Kitchen Truck

Staff car alongside Wolfgang Falck’s Me-110.

German Staff Car

38 Port Side View

Battleship USS Missouri BB-63, Part 3

Panzer Ausf. D V2 prototype, front quarter view.

Panther Ausf. D V2 Versuchsserie

2

Convair B-36D/F/H/J Peacemaker

Body & End Caps

Roland Leong’s Hawaiian Charger Funny Car

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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

Blohm & Voss BV178 Jet Bomber
Review Author
Allan Murrell
Published on
Company
Bronco Models
Scale
1/72
MSRP
$44.00

This is the first aircraft kit from Bronco Models kit and it’s a Luft 46 subject and it’s a strange but great subject of a design that never made it of the drawing board. The BV 178 is the usual Blohm and Voss asymmetrical design with one Jumo 004B under one wing. I personally love this type of aircraft configuration and makes for a great looking display model.

  • 5 sprues molded in grey styrene
  • 1 clear sprue
  • 1 decal sheet
  • 1 instruction booklet

Construction

The kit makes a great quick build and has a lot of great detail in its design and manufacture.

There are few options given in the build such as landing gear in raised or lowered positions, and cockpit open or closed.

Package

Tirpitz Photoetch Set

Review Author
Luke R. Bucci, PhD
Published on
Company
Eduard
Scale
1/700
MSRP
$32.00

Bottom Line

Eduard has produced a single fret of finely detailed, finely scaled brass photoetch parts specific to the 1/700 scale Revell 05099 DKM Tirpitz injection-molded, polystyrene model. Highly recommended for this kit.

What You Get

A single, medium-sized, brass photoetch fret of railings, C30 20mm single guns, some masts and spars, multipart cable reels, catapult, aircraft props, radars, searchlight covers, ladders, ladder rails, pulleys, cranes, funnel grate, air intake grates and other parts to super-detail Revell’s 1/700 Tirpitz. Separate detail parts are numbered, with 116 different parts numbered on the fret, and 147 overall counting duplicates. Metal is intermediate in thickness and strength compared to other photoetch companies, which I prefer for handling and folding (the Goldilocks Syndrome – just right).

Product Packaging

Jig
Review Author
Dick Montgomery
Published on
Company
UMM-USA
MSRP
$28.99

While this jig is sold by Vertigo-Miniatures on the web, the review item was supplied by Unique Model Miniatures, so a big shout-out to Jon of UMM!

Some Assembly Required

This Vertigo-Miniatures jig requires assembly, and that is just a bit ironic since it will be of considerable help to the hobbyist during the assembly process of one’s latest modeling project. Assembly is straight-forward requiring a little super glue and about 10 minutes of one’s time.

The instructions provide a parts list and a couple of diagrams which identify parts and illustrate how they are attached. Just follow the instructions and it’s a very simple process.

There are a few points about assembly that one should note.

Product Picture

Spitfire Mk. I Exterior Details
Review Author
Rod Lees
Published on
Company
Eduard
Scale
1/48
MSRP
$20.00

Thanks to Eduard for providing more of their excellent aftermarket parts for IPMS USA to review, and to IPMS leadership for sending it my way.

This set improves on the fine detail of several exterior areas: the radiator and oil cooler; the landing gear; the wheel wells; the gun doors; and the rudder actuator arm.

Begin with the Radiator and oil cooler. This modification requires you to sand off the detail on the intake and outlet bulkheads on the radiator and the oil cooler, and then you can attach the Eduard parts. These fit perfectly. Then you install a 1/32” wide mount plate and probe for the temperature sensor for the radiator. This change will try your patience, but I did it, so you should be able to as well. Then put the radiator and oil cooler fairings on the wing and you are done with them.

Front Cover

Panzer IV vs Sherman, France 1944
Book Author(s)
Steven J. Zaloga, Illustrated by Richard Chasemore
Review Author
Tim Wilding
Published on
Company
Osprey Publishing
MSRP
$18.95

Overview

Osprey describes this newest Duel series book this way: “As the Allies attempted to break out of Normandy, it quickly became apparent that there would be no easy victory over the Germans, and that every scrap of territory on the way to Berlin would have to be earned through hard fighting. This study concentrates on, the ferocious battles between the German Panzer IV and US Sherman that were at the heart of this decisive phase of World War II. The two types were among the most-produced tanks in US and German service and were old enemies, having clashed repeatedly in the Mediterranean theater. Throughout their long service careers, both had seen a succession of technical developments and modifications, as well as an evolution in their intended roles - but both remained at the forefront of the fighting on the Western Front.