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B-17F Flying Fortress "Knock-Out Dropper" Limited Edition

Sprues

German Horch Kfz.15 “North African Campaign”

Finished Model

Kayaba "Katsuodori" Ram-Jet Fighter

P-38J armament

P-38 H/J Lighting "European Theatre"

Right view

U.S. M-107 Self-Propelled Gun

Nearly complete

Soviet T-64 Mod 1972

Grader Blade

U.S. Motor Grader - Part 2

Completed Build

Kawasaki Ki-45 Kai Ko/Hei Toryu (Nick) - Finishing the Build - Part 3

Finished model

Panther Ausf. D V2

Tailplanes

XF10F-1 Jaguar

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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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Packaging

Bf 109E Fabric Seatbelts
Review Author
Floyd S. Werner Jr.
Published on
Company
Eduard
Scale
1/48
MSRP
$12.95

One of the things that I find challenging about photo-etch seatbelts is that they are difficult to drape properly, especially the pre-painted type. It can be done, but inevitably some paint will chip or the metal just won’t bend properly to simulate the look of real fabric. Well, Eduard has a new twist on belts; actual fabric seatbelts that are pre-painted.

This set comes packaged in Eduard’s standard bottom-opening package. Inside you’ll find a nickel-plated photo-etch fret and a fabric “fret.” The nickel-plated PE features the shiny buckles and bits. There are no extras, so don’t lose them to the carpet monster! Some extra pieces would have been a nice addition. The fabric “fret” is a flexible material mounted onto a fabric backing. With the backing peeled off, you are left with a really thin fabric seatbelt. Another advantage of the fabric is that the belt is the proper color on both sides and it won’t chip.

Packaging

Soviet Air Force Fighter Pilot - Winter Suit
Review Author
Floyd S. Werner Jr.
Published on
Company
Aerobonus
Scale
1/48
MSRP
$10.00

With the release of newer modern-era Soviet aircraft, such as the MiG-21, MiG-29, Su-27, Su-25 and others, there is a market demand for a figure to stand beside the aircraft for scale appearance. Until now there has been a very limited selection. Aerobonus answers this call with their simple, but effective, figures.

The latest release is a winter-dressed pilot. He has his helmet on and his hands in his pockets. The figure’s head is tilted up slightly, as if looking at the cockpit or an overflying aircraft. The pilot figure comes as a one-piece molding that is flawless. I don’t see any mold lines that need to be cleaned up. Just a simple cut at the feet and this figure is ready for paint. The painting instructions are printed on the back of the packaging insert. The painting instructions are very basic, with a simple drawing calling out generic colors like white, black, and gray-blue. That said, the callouts are adequate for the figure.

Packaging

FW-190A-F Prop & Spinner VDM-9-12176A Wide Wooden Blades
Review Author
Floyd S. Werner Jr.
Published on
Company
Ultracast
Scale
1/48
MSRP
$12.25

Ultracast has cut out a niche market for itself with propellers. Their latest releases are designed for the Hasegawa Focke Wulf 190A/F.

Late-war Focke Wulfs were often fitted with wider-blade wooden props. This particular model of prop blade has a pointed tip, which is hard to replicate. Until now they have been difficult to find and their shape has not been quite correct. Ultracast has captured the shape perfectly for the first time.

This set is packaged in a small plastic bag secured onto a cardboard backing. The resin is typical Ultracast, molded in a light caramel color and free of blemishes. There are minimal pour blocks, which can be cleaned quickly and easily. Minimal flash is present on the spinner and cooling fans. Clean up of these castings will be easy with a new hobby blade.

Box Art

Last Exile: Fam, The Silver Wing - Tatiana's Vanship and Fam’s Vespa
Review Author
Phil Peterson
Published on
Company
Hasegawa
Scale
1/72
MSRP
$54.99

I like sci-fi and weird designs, so this Hasegawa Vanship, from their Creator Works series, was right up my alley. I had never heard of this model, however after a quick Google search, I found out that it’s the “fighter” ship for a hotshot pilot from the 2011 anime series Last Exile: Fam, The Silver Wing, a follow up to the 2003 anime series, Last Exile. I did find the series on Comcast’s Infinity and watched a couple episodes to try and get some context. Obviously, I need to see the rest of the series but the first few shows were good, so when I get time I’ll finish the rest.

Box Art

Jack Reacher 1970 Chevelle SS
Review Author
Jim Stepanek
Published on
Company
AMT
Scale
1/25
MSRP
$23.99

Round 2 Models, under the AMT banner, has released a Jack Reacher 1970 Chevelle SS as part of their Silver Screen Machines series of kits. The ’70 Chevelle SS was “borrowed” by the title character, played by Tom Cruise, in the 2012 movie Jack Reacher, and had a blaze of glory during an exciting chase scene. This kit will allow you to build your own 1/25 scale copy of Jack Reacher’s Chevelle.

Engine

You get a 454ci engine that can be built with a single 4-barrel carburetor (LS6) or with a fuel-injected unit. I chose the fuelie option because I liked the way it looked.

Chassis

The chassis features nice detail and crisp engraving. The exhaust pipes and front suspension are molded onto the frame. The differential is separate, along with the shock absorbers. Some careful painting can bring out the exhaust pipe detail quite a bit.

Interior

The interior is just a tub with poor engraving. The dashboard is a fairly crisp though.