Infantry

American Expeditionary Forces in Europe, 1918

Cockpit

British Army AH-64D "Afghanistan"

7

U.S. Combat Task Force Fleet

Painting Guide

Arado E-377

Finished Model - Starboard Side

HMS Roberts

Rider C

British Tank Riders (NW Europe)

Wing Spar

Kawanishi H8K2 Type 2 Flying Boat Model 12

Wheels

De Lorean - Back to the Future Part II

Completed 1

Horch 108 Typ 40

Top view

XB-35 Flying Wing

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.

Box art

1957 Chevy Belair Convertible
Review Author
Jim Stepanek
Published on
Company
Revell
Scale
1/25
MSRP
$23.95

This Revell ’57 Chevy is just a wonderful kit with very little, if any, flash.

Engine

The kit provides 2 small block engines but only 1 set of heads and oil pan. The parts fit together just perfectly. Instead of the single or dual quad setup, I decided to use the fuel injection pieces left over from the Revell Black Widow kit.

Chassis

Beautiful chassis that has separate front & rear suspensions and 2 separate exhaust systems. I cut off the end tips and replaced with polished aluminum tubing.

Interior

I love it! The side panels are separate pieces and are extremely well engraved enabling easy detail painting. Included in the kit are decals for the dash gauges, seats and side trim. I added a set of “Heartbeat of America” floor mats.

Product

Sukhoi Su-2 Landing Gear
Review Author
Frank Landrus
Published on
Company
Scale Aircraft Conversions
Scale
1/48
MSRP
$14.95

Scale Aircraft Conversions has released replacement gear for the Zvezda 1/48 Sukhoi Su-2. The supplied items include two main gear legs, four main gear retraction struts, and one tail gear / wheel. (Photos 140916_1002, 140916_1005, 140917_1015)

This replacement set will provide stronger landing gear that won’t sag over time, and is somewhat adjustable if necessary to obtain proper alignment. Even with zero previous experience in using white metal parts, this set will provide an upgrade that most modelers will have no problem installing. Scale Aircraft Conversions does not use lead in their white metal mix, so the builder does not have to be concerned with that perceived hazard.

There are no supplied instructions; you simply swap out the kit provided plastic parts with the new white metal items

Package

Hawker Typhoon Mk IB Late Type Cannons with Covered Barrels
Review Author
Phil Peterson
Published on
Company
Master Model
Scale
1/72
MSRP
$7.99

Master Model has been releasing some very neat turned metal items and this set is another hit. You get 4 turned barrels, 2 x outer ones and 2 x inner ones (they are different lengths). You also get 4 PE rings that go over the barrels and attach to the wing leading edge.

The detail is perfect and leaves no seam lines to try and clean up.

Construction is simple, cut off the original kit barrels on the Airfix kit and replace with the new barrels on to the completed wing. Then slip the PE rings over the barrels, bend them to conform to the wing and use super glue to attach them.

Master includes a nice little instruction sheet showing which barrels go where and a final length from the leading edge for each.

This item will make a nice update for the Airfix, Academy or Brengun kits.

Thanks to Master Model and IPMS/USA for the review kit.

Box Art

F-15C Eagle, 57th Fighter Interceptor Squadron
Review Author
Chad Richmond
Published on
Company
Hasegawa
Scale
1/72
MSRP
$53.00

No, your eyes are not playing tricks on you. It is an F-15C with conformal fuel tanks.

By 1984, the USSR had amassed a considerable submarine launched ballistic missile capability which complemented their already powerful ICBM force. The vast majority of the Soviet SSNB submarines, known as ‘boomers’, were based at Archangel and Murmansk. Their pre-launch stations were usually in the White Sea sector. Because of this, the US Navy devoted a large portion of its SSN submarines or ‘hunter killers’ to located and then follow the movement of all Soviet SSNB boomers in the White Sea. To perform this task, US SSNs ran through the Giuk Gap in route to their patrol areas. To counteract the Americans, the Soviet navy began a pattern of deploying an ever increasing numbers of modified Bears, call sing ‘F’, in an effort to track the US SSNs boats before they enter the Sea.

Package

JAS-39 Gripen Pitot Tube
Review Author
Mike Howard
Published on
Company
Aires Hobby Models
Scale
1/48
MSRP
$6.50

Aires and Quickboost (a division of Aires) continue to provide us modelers with very nicely detailed additions to many new and older kits that can greatly enhance the final appearance of the build.

This installment will look at the Quickboost replacement pitot for the fairly new 1/48 Kitty Hawk Saab Jas-39 Gripen (kit #KH80117).

This replacement pitot tube, with associated nose cone tip, is a very simple, two piece addition to the excellent Kitty Hawk Gripen. Quick Boost is kind enough to supply two complete pitot assemblies, just in case something goes wrong on the first try.