Prepping for Paint

Centurion Mk. 3 Korean War

Intake

McDonnell Douglass F-4C Phantom II

Top engine attachment

Kawasaki Ki-45 Toryu (Nick) - Finished

Sprue Close Up

Mirage F1.B

3

Unimog S 404 German Military Radio Truck

Sprue 3

Soviet Heavy Infantry Weapons and Equipment

Cockpit to fuselage, spar, and wing center section 2

Il-2 Sturmovik Single Seat Ski Version

Hindenburg Complete 3

Hindenburg

Wing

Mirage IIIE/O/R/RD/EE/EA

Ejection Seat

Saab SK 37E Stör-Viggen

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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.

Box top

USN JM-1

Review Author
Michael Scott
Published on
Company
Minicraft Model Kits
Scale
1/144
MSRP
$18.00

This is a small scale kit of the USA JM-1 in two schemes: Joe’s Banana boat and US Marine Corps MJ-1. It is a basic 1:144 kit with limited interior, no painting masks and a small, but nice set of decals.

I opted for the JM-1 Banana Boat scheme. As you can see from the kit instruction sheet - one large fold out - there are minimal parts. There was little flash, but some of the detail was very soft on some parts. The kit provides the option to build the model on the ground, or in flight. I chose the latter. The issue with this decision was with the poorly fitting nose gear doors. The main gear doors were a much better fit.

Box top

F-4C Phantom II “Vietnam”
Review Author
David Horn
Published on
Company
Academy Models
Scale
1/48
MSRP
$75.00

Aircraft and History

The F-4 Phantom II was originally developed for the United States Navy and made its first flight on 27 May 1958. Exactly 5 years later, the first USAF Phantom II flew and that version was the F-4C. These early Phantoms did not have an internal gun which was an issue in close combat and when the missiles were unreliable. This kit represents Col Robin Olds aircraft as it appears in the National Museum of the US Air Force and the box art shows the phantom during Operation “Bolo” on 2 January 1967. During “Operation Rolling Thunder”, F-105 fighter bombers (heavily loaded) were being attacked by North Vietnamese Mig-21 fighters and sustaining high losses of F-105’s. In response to these attacks, Col Olds devised a tactic to trick the North Vietnamese air force into thinking the Phantoms were F-105 on a bombing run which were being attacked by Mig-21 aircraft.

Publication Cover

Scale Aircraft Modelling, Vol. 36, Issue 1
Review Author
Dave Morrissette
Published on
Company
Scale Aircraft Modelling
MSRP
$7.50

Each issue of Scale Aircraft Modeling follows a basic design and format and this one is similar. There are usually two Feature Articles, an Aviation in Profile piece, industry news and a series of Compact Build Reviews.

The Feature articles for this issue covers a build of Wing Nut Wings 1/32 S.E.5a and a 1/48 Eduard PKZ-2. The WNW S.E5a is a fantastic kit to begin with and the author, Phil Roger does a spectacular job. He uses a special method for oxidizing the exhaust pipes and shows the rigging and weathering in many detail shots.

Product Package

BAC Lightning - Pitot Tube
Review Author
Dave Morrissette
Published on
Company
Master Model
Scale
1/48
MSRP
$5.50

Master Models now provides coverage of the Airfix 1/48 Lightning kit with a perfectly formed replacement pitot tube. Master Models is well known for their superb turned brass parts and this set is another fine example. The set is one part of perfectly turned brass to replace the kits parts.

Here's a great picture of the pitot tube and how far it sticks out from underneath the front of the plane.

Pitot Tube Photo

The instructions are great. In this case , the kit part is cut off of the support, a small hole drilled and the new part inserted. As you can see by the comparison pictures, the kit parts is straight, much thinner and too scale and also has the durability of brass. Another hit for Master Models.

Highly recommended for both accuracy and toughness. My thanks to Master-Models and IPMS/USa for the chance to review it.

Packaging

Hawker Hurricane Mk IIC - Hispano Mk I 20mm cannons (with flat recoil springs)

Review Author
Pablo Bauleo
Published on
Company
Master Model
Scale
1/48
MSRP
$12.50

Master Model from Poland specializes in metal turned parts for aftermarket kits. In my personal option, they are among the best in the market. I really like their products.

This set is devoted to the weapons of the Hawker Hurricane Mk IIC. There are several kit options in 1/48 scale: Hasegawa, Hobbycraft and Italeri. This set can be used with all of the above, with different modifications in each case.

For any of the base kits, you are instructed to drill holes in the wings for the fairings and to replace the plastic parts with the metals ones. In the case of the Hasegawa model (see photo), it could be possible to modify the wing fairing and just use the cannon barrel. You’ll lose a bit of detail, but you “gain” less effort needed to modify the kit.

Be aware that the outer and inward cannon fairings have different sizes, and should not be used interchangeably. The instructions are very clear about which one is which and how to position them.