Fin Markings and Whiskers

MV-22B Osprey

Side Skirt and Name Decal Too Big

Iveco Hi-Way 40th Anniversary

Finished 4

Panzerfahre Gepanzerte Landwasserschlepper Prototype Nr. 1

Canopy and seeker heads

F4D-1 Skyray Part 1

Completed kit 3

Sd.Kfz.254 Tracked Armored Scout Car

All of the styles included

Bird Houses

Interior 2

sWS w/2cm Flakvierling 38 Halftrack

Cockpit detail

Yak-1b

Finished Left Side View

Shed

Cab mounted to chassis - side view

Multicar M-22

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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

Model Art November 2014 No. 904
Review Author
Mike Van Schoonhoven
Published on
Company
Model Art
MSRP
$9.79

Model Art Magazine is a monthly magazine that covers aircraft, armor, ships and car modeling. Model Art started releasing magazines in 1966 and has evolved from there over the past forty eight years.

The November issue starts off with two quick articles. The first is a build article of the Zoukei-Mura SWS 1/48 Ta152H-1 and the second is on the Daco Products 1/48 F-104 Starfighter Improvement & Correction set.

The main article this month covers the design and development of the JGSDF Type 61 Tank. This article features five different 1/35 scale model kits including two different versions of the Type 61. The other three are a M4A3E8, M-46 and a T-34/85. These are used in the article to show the lineage to the Type 61. There is a multitude of color photos of these models throughout the article. Also included is a some technical drawings and a write up about Japans armor progression from the beginning of the JGSDF to modern times.

Package

Fairey Firefly Hispano 20mm Cannons In Long Fairings
Review Author
Roger Rasor
Published on
Company
Master Model
Scale
1/48
MSRP
$8.00

Master-Model provides modelers with exquisite miniature turned metal parts that can be used in place of kit parts to add extra detail to models. Their sets generally are available for builders in all popular scales. This set (AM-48-096) provides parts to assemble crisply detailed 1:48 scale Hispano 20mm cannon in long fairings for the Fairey Firefly.

The parts are designed to replace the injection molded ones in Special Hobby kits without significant surgery. The kits have holes on the wings’ leading edge to install injection molded parts so it is likely the Master-Model barrels will literally drop in place instead. (Although the size of the holes may need to be increased to 1.5mm diameter to accept the plug on the end of the fairings).

Package

HMS Roberts Armament

Review Author
Frank Landrus
Published on
Company
Master Model
Scale
1/350
MSRP
$9.00

This Master Model set provides10 barrels: Two machined aluminum 15”/42 Mark I barrels, eight machined brass 4”/45 Mark XVI barrels, and a single page instruction sheet.

You will need to cut the styrene barrel off and drill a hole in the plastic breach. The directions call out a 1.5 mm bit (~#53) for the 15”/42 Mark I barrels and a 0.5mm bit (~#76) for the 4”/45 Mark XVI barrels. Be careful to center the drill bit on both x-axis and y-axis.

Be sure to use your favorite CA (super glue) or epoxy, as the normal plastic glues or solvents will not react with the aluminum or brass. Be careful painting the barrels, especially the brass ones since paint can easily foul the hollowed out muzzles.

Of note is the re-sealable packaging that Master Model uses making the parts easy to review and stuff back into the package securely. That being said, you will want to be careful handling the brass barrels as their small makes them quite easy to disappear.

Package

Dassault Mirage IV - Refueling Probe Boom
Review Author
Jim Pearsall
Published on
Company
Master Model
Scale
1/72
MSRP
$4.29

A while back (2009 if you want to know) I built a Heller Mirage IVP with the Pavla recce pod. Last week I got a new refueling probe for this kit.

The new probe from Master Model is a single piece of turned aluminum, exactly the same length as the Heller probe. All I had to do was remove the plastic probe from the nose of the Mirage IV, drill a larger hole where the probe goes, paint the new part and install the part with some CA to hold it.

As it turns out, there was one more step to this project. The Master Model part is a tiny bit smaller in diameter than the kit part. But it was the work of only a few minutes to trim the kit nose taper to fit. A little more paint to match, and it was done.

Boxtop

SSW D.III
Review Author
Greg Wise
Published on
Company
Eduard
Scale
1/48
MSRP
$34.95

History Brief

The SSW D.III was a German single-seat fighter built by the Siemens-Schuckert Werke and served as a home defense interceptor. The D.III was a development of the D.IIc prototype. Around 41 D.IIIs were delivered to the front between April and May 1918, most of them went to Jagdgeschwader II. It was powered by a 160 hp (119 kW) Siemens-Halske Sh.III bi-rotary engine. The pilots were enthusiastic about the new aircraft's handling and rate of climb, however, after only 7 to 10 hours of service the Sh.III engines had serious issues with piston seizure and overheating.