Completed model - underside

Stinson Reliant SR-9

Noses

Royal Class MiG-15 Quattro Combo

Cockpit Assembly with Corrected Yoke Positions

B-47E Stratojet - Air Research and Development Command

Finished Cockpit

Messerschmitt Me 410 B-6 / R-2

Completed overhead view

Bf 109F-4

gun-rocket pod elec conn

Cessna O-2A Skymaster

Assembly

Gunslinger Series Kit No. 3

Panel Line Wash

MiG-21PFM - Vietnam

Completed

Avia B.534 Quattro Combo

Rubber tires, with a very small Phillips screwdriver with mounting hardware for display stand.

Vought F4U-1A Corsair

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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.

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To learn more about IPMS/USA, please see our About Us page.

Big Sin Box

Spitfire Mk.IX - Big Sin Advanced Set
Review Author
Floyd S. Werner Jr.
Published on
Company
Eduard
Scale
1/48
MSRP
$69.95

Having built the Royal Class Spitfire kits, I had an idea of what to expect from Eduard’s 1/48 scale Spitfire Mk.IXc: a perfect fitting kit from a maker at the pinnacle of their craft. The Spitfire Mk.IX kits are literally perfect models of the real thing. Building the kit out of the box, there is no need for filler anywhere. However, I wondered what would happen if I added some of the many available Eduard Brassin items to this baby?

Big Sin

Eduard’s 1/48 scale Big Sin Spitfire Mk. IX Advanced set has given me just the opportunity I was looking for. The Advanced Big Sin set includes a collection of four Eduard Brassin items: engine, gun bay, radio compartment, and photo-etch flaps.

Box Art

Spitfire Mk.IXc Early Version ProfiPACK
Review Author
Floyd S. Werner Jr.
Published on
Company
Eduard
Scale
1/48
MSRP
$49.95

I recently had a chance to review one of Eduard’s Big Sin sets, a collection of their Brassin-brand resin accessories, designed for Eduard’s own 1/48 scale Spitfire. For this task, I elected to use Eduard’s superb 1/48 scale Spitfire Mk.IXc early version ProfiPACK edition. While my full build of this kit, incorporating the Big Sin set, the ProfiPACK kit itself is reviewed below.

The ProfiPACK editions of Eduard’s model kits contain a nice selection of bells and whistles that can really enhance a finished model. Besides the actual kit, you are treated to world-class decals, colored photo-etch, and painting masks. These items are the things I always like to use on my models, so for me, this is the best deal for my money.

Profiles

Brazilian Navy AF-1 (A-4M) Skyhawk "15 Years"
Review Author
Pablo Bauleo
Published on
Company
Caracal Models
Scale
1/48
MSRP
$9.99

Caracal Models has released a decal sheet for the 1/48 Hasegawa A-4M. This decal set includes three sheets with markings for two airframes in Brazilian Navy service. One option is a special scheme to celebrate the Skyhawk’s 15 years of service in the Brazilian Navy. The sheet provides the full markings and enough stencils to build both of the two options:

  • Brazilian Navy, N-1004 (Special Scheme)
  • Brazilian Navy, N-1017

As the AF-1s are former Kuwaiti A-4KUs, the instruction sheet describes how to convert the standard A-4M or A-4KU kits into the AF-1. In most cases, the conversion process is just using alternate parts already provided with the kit.

Packages

MiG-17F & MiG-17PF Photo-Etch Sets
Review Author
John King
Published on
Company
Brengun
Scale
1/144
MSRP
$7.20

Attack’s 1/144 scale MiG-17s are nice little representations of the Fresco, but they are missing a key ingredient—a cockpit. Thanks to Brengun, the 1/144 scale community now has a two very nice photo-etch (PE) cockpit sets to correct this omission: one for the MiG-17F and one for the MiG-17PF.

Before starting, I will admit that my PE skills are not the greatest. However, the parts that required folding were clearly marked, and with the help of a couple razor blades, they were easy to bend and fold.

Box Art

German Elite Infantry Eastern Front, WWII Era
Review Author
Tom Moon
Published on
Company
Master Box Ltd
Scale
1/35
MSRP
$17.95

Master Box’s latest release, German Elite Infantry Eastern Front, WWII Era, is a new set of 1/35 scale figures. The set has very minimal flash and no ejector pin marks. The few mold lines present are easily removed with a sharp blade. There set includes no decals and no painting instructions. You will need to copy what you see on the box’s illustration. There are no part numbers on the sprues; however, the back of the box has a picture of each sprue with the part numbers listed next to each part. In addition, there are two inset photos depicting the camouflage painting options for the figure’s smocks, but there no paint callouts listed for the camouflage colors. You will have to use your own references to choose the colors.