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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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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
Keith Gervasi
Published on
Company
Dragon Models
Scale
1/35
MSRP
$59.95

History

(From the Dragon web site) The Sturmgeschütz IV (also known as Sd.Kfz.167) was an assault gun produced in similar fashion to the more numerically common StuG.III. However, as its name suggests, it was based on the hull of the Panzer IV tank rather than the Panzer III. This came about because Alkett (a manufacturer of the StuG.III) was bombed in November 1943. Therefore, in an effort to increase assault gun production numbers, Krupp installed slightly modified StuG.III superstructures on the chassis of the Panzer IV. After production was approved on 6 December 1943, Krupp proceeded to build 1,108 StuG.IV vehicles between December 1943 and May 1945. While this number was far less than the StuG.III, Krupp did help ensure continuity of assault gun production. Crewed by four men, the StuG.IV proved an effective tank hunter. It weighed 23 tonnes and was armed with a capable 7.5cm StuK40 L/48 gun.

Review Author
Gino Dykstra
Published on
Company
MiniArt
Scale
1/35
MSRP
$60.00

I must confess at the outset of this review that I am not, for the most part, a fan of vacuform diorama buildings. I will always prefer ceramic which is far easier for me to assemble and paint. That being said, I was quite curious to tackle this kind of project and found myself quite impressed with this kit.

My first impression of this kit came before I even opened the box. It was remarkably heavy - not what I’d expected of a kit that was largely vacuform parts. However, on opening the box I could see why – the nine vacuform sheets are quite stout, with remarkable detail on roughly 74 parts. The kit also comes with five sprues of injection molded details, making a total of well over 150 parts – far more than will be needed in this diorama. Everything you desire to create a large and detailed diorama is provided here, including the base. There is a LOT of plastic in this kit.

Review Author
Floyd S. Werner Jr.
Published on
Company
Eduard
MSRP
$6.25

Got a Bf-109 that you want to add some detail to the radiator faces? How about some side skirts for your German vehicles in 1/48th? Maybe some cooling screens for your AFV. Well here is your solution.

Eduard provides you a 5 ½ x 2 ¾ sheet of steel mesh with a square pattern. Just measure your pattern and cut and shape this steel mesh. The possibilities of this scratch building item is limited to your imagination.

Highly recommended

Thanks to Eduard and IPMS/USA for the review copy. You can obtain your copy by contacting them directly at https://www.eduard.com/ Let them know you heard about it here. They are also available from your local hobby shop or online retailer.

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.

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