Tail Detail

F-16CJ Block 50 Fighting Falcon

Left front low

Sepecat Jaguar Gr.1/Gr.3

Front view

British Tank Riders (NW Europe)

Sprues

M1917 6-Ton Light Tank or FTS

Chassis

Panzer IV Ausf.H - Late Production

Radar

Mirage 2000

Engine Stand, Boarding Ladder, Tail Stand

F-104G/S Starfighter

Left front

Lil Hot Dogger

Finished underside

Israel IAI Kfir C2/C7

Decals

Daimler Benz Project F - German Service

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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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Box art

SAS 1/4 Ton 4x4 Truck ETO – Smart Kit
Review Author
Dave Koukol
Camden Koukol
Published on
Company
Dragon Models
Scale
1/35
MSRP
$43.39

Background

One of the most recognizable Allied vehicles of World War II was the Jeep – or ¼ Ton 4x4 Truck. Outfitted for a variety of roles, one of the most dashing was the role of British Special Air Services (SAS) “raider” operating far behind enemy lines. Equipped with extra fuel tanks, Vickers machine guns, and bullet-proof driver and passenger windshields, the SAS Jeeps were lightweight, agile, rugged vehicles well-suited for commando operations focused on disrupting enemy activity.

Box art

Flakpanzer IV Ostwind Ausf.G w/Zimmerit
Review Author
Dave Koukol
Camden Koukol
Published on
Company
Dragon Models
Scale
1/35
MSRP
$71.59

Background

With increasing Allied air dominance in the European Theater in World War II, German armored forces found themselves in need of mobile and survivable anti-aircraft defenses to cover and protect their operations on all fronts. Originally equipping wheeled and half-tracked vehicles as self-propelled anti-aircraft platforms, the requirement for a more robust solution was quickly recognized. The solution came in the form of salvaged chassis from damaged Panzer IV variants retrofitted with anti-aircraft armament. One of the final variants to see combat operations was the Flakpanzer IV "Ostwind" (“East Wind”). The Ostwind’s single rapid-firing 3.7cm Flak 43 and increased armor was a marked improvement over its “Wirblewind” predecessor’s quad 2 cm mount. Of the 100 Ostwinds originally ordered, only 44 were completed by March 1945.

Product Picture

Scale Aircraft Modelling, Vol. 35, Issue 11
Book Author(s)
Various
Review Author
Dave Morrissette
Published on
Company
Scale Aircraft Modelling
MSRP
$12.00

Each issue of Scale Aircraft Modeling follows a basic design and format. 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 magnificent build of Airfix new Gloster Javelin Mk 9 and also a 1/48 Academy BAe T-59 Hawk. The Airfix Javelin build by Mike Williams covers the construction and painting in detail with excellent shots of the cockpit and all internal detail. He finishes with an excellent paint scheme and the kit looks fantastic.

The other Feature article from Brian Wakeman covers building the Academy BAe Hawk in Korean trainer markings. The Korean trainer version requires adding a replacement nose. Detail is provided on this and upgrading the cockpit and also an excellent painting and weathering guide. This finished shots look awesome.

Package

Vampire Landing Gear

Review Author
Walt Fink
Published on
Company
Scale Aircraft Conversions
Scale
1/72
MSRP
$12.95

SAC continues their production of replacement landing gear parts for various kits. This set, engineered for the newly tooled 1/72 Airfix Vampire T.11, is a faithful and delicate copy of the kit parts, but undoubtedly stronger. In the photo below the plastic kit parts are on top with the SAC parts below them for comparison.

I was impressed with the thinness of the main gear doors and the smooth surface texture of all the parts. No pits, no holes, and compared with the kit parts, all was true, including the keyed axles. There’s a little bit of flash needing cleanup, but then, that exists on the plastic parts, too. A few swipes with a fine file will take care of it.

Vampire models are notorious tail-sitters and need a fair amount of weight in their small nose cavities, but the SAC nose gear won’t help much in that regard---it’s about the same weight as the kit’s plastic one.

Product Picture

Pz.Kpfw.III (5cm) (T) Ausf.G
Review Author
David Wrinkle
Published on
Company
Dragon Models
Scale
1/35
MSRP
$67.00

The Kit

This is my first Dragon Pz. III build and my overall impression of the kit is very favorable. The parts are very well molded with fine, delicate detail and no flash to speak of… almost. I found only a few small fit and engineering issues that take away from the overall build experience. In general the kit builds up like any other newer Dragon armor kit. The other thing I noticed was a bunch of parts. However, you will notice that nearly half of them are not used in this version of the Pz. III.

The Hull comes with no interior detail other than the hull mounted MG and the torsion bars for the suspension. With an aftermarket interior, you wouldn’t see much if any of the bars anyhow. The turret does have some detail, but it is limited to the gun breech, spent shell basket, commander’s step / seat and the interior portion of vision slits.