Completed model

Avro Lancaster B Mk. I Nose Art Kit

Rear-view of completed kit on stand

EA-18G Growler "USS Ronald Reagan CVW-5 CAG" Limited edition

Left side

Armored Half Track Multiple Gun Carriage

2

German Machine Gun Team Set – Mid WWII

Open with no seats

McDonnell Douglas F-4J Phantom II, Part 1

2

Kozak-001 Ukrainian National Guard

Doors with fixed Angles for Air Bleed

F-4B Phantom, Part 1 - Wow!

Dry Fit

Mosquito B Mk.IV - Part 2

Cockpit Floor

Blue Max Pfalz

Finished

UH-60A Black Hawk

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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.

Package

Russian Missile R-23T (AA-7B Apex)
Review Author
Charles Landrum
Published on
Company
Plusmodel
Scale
1/48
MSRP
$15.50

Distinctive of the Mig-23 interceptor were the large white R-23 (NATO AA-7 APEX) missiles that it carried close to the fuselage. To me, with the large fins, they seem more menacing than the US Sparrow missiles. Now that there is a decent model of the Mig-23 available in 1/48 it is nice to see the aftermarket manufacturers step in and provide more realistic ordnance options. Even though the Trumpeter kit provides R-23 it is nice to see the variants and detail offered by Plus Models. In this case these are the infrared seeking R-23T missiles.

Box cover

P-47D Thunderbolt "Special Italian Campaign"
Review Author
Pablo Bauleo
Published on
Company
Italeri
Scale
1/48
MSRP
$49.00

Review

Italeri’s P-47D in 1/48 scale is re-boxing the well-known Academy P-47D. If you visit different websites (including Italeri’s), you will see “Photo-etch parts” listed as a part of the kit; however in my review sample the photoetch part was not included. I actually think it is an error on the websites, as there is no reference to the photoetch fret neither in the box nor in the instructions.

Once you open the box, you’ll find 5 sprues, plus an extra sprue for the clear parts. There are several options for underwing stores: bombs, drop tanks, bazooka rockets, and HVAR rockets. Just be aware that some of them are for the P-47N and not applicable to the –D mark. You also get an excellent decal sheet with a great selection of markings, two USAAF NMF, plus French and Brazilian markings in Olive Drab over neutral grey, all of them serving in the Italian Front from 1944-45. Stencils are provided for one model.

Package

Landing Gear for Kinetic's Kfir C2/C7
Review Author
Rod Lees
Published on
Company
Scale Aircraft Conversions
Scale
1/48
MSRP
$16.95

Thanks again to Ross at SAC for providing IPMS USA this review set. Keep the production line up, many of us will continue to buy them!

Pardon a quick interlude on the relative merits of Metal gear over plastic. About three years ago I built one of the new 1/32 JU-88 kits on the market. The proprietor of a now-defunct, not-so-local hobby shop asked if I was interested in SAC metal gear for the kit. I said, “naaa”… I was not convinced of the merits. He purchased one of the Junkers for himself, and asked if I would build it for him.

“Certainly” says I.

Cover

French Flying Boats of WWII

Book Author(s)
Gerard Bousquet; Illustrated by Teodor Libiu Morosanu
Review Author
Hub Plott
Published on
Company
Mushroom Model Publications - MMP Books
MSRP
$65.39

When one looks at French aircraft of the period immediately before and during World War Two, it is evident that there were two schools of thought when it came to aircraft design! One school was to design elegant, graceful and beautiful aircraft. The other was to see just how ugly they could make the airplane and it still fly and perform the duties it was designed for. This book is filled with examples of aircraft from both schools.

The book begins with a discussion of the main categories of French flying boats and what these categories entail. The “Croisiere” category is the very long range maritime reconnaissance aircraft with a range of 2100 to 2800 miles. The “Exploration” category was the long range maritime reconnaissance with a range of 1200 to 1900 miles. The last category, “Surveillance” had a range of up to 775 miles. Floatplanes are not discussed in this volume.

Boxtop

MAD MAX 2 The Road Warrior Interceptor
Review Author
Greg Wise
Published on
Company
Aoshima
Scale
1/24
MSRP
$59.79

Car History Brief

Mad Max's black Pursuit Special was a 1973 Ford XB Falcon GT351, limited edition hardtop (sold in Australia from December 1973 to August 1976). The car was modified by Murray Smith, Peter Arcadipane and Ray Beckerley. After filming of the first movie was completed, the car went up for sale, but had no buyers and eventually it was handed over to Murray Smith (film mechanic).

When production of Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior began, the car was purchased back by George Miller for use in the sequel. Once filming was over, the car was left at a wrecking yard in Adelaide since it again found no buyers, then was bought and restored by Bob Forsenko. Eventually it was sold again and put on display in the Cars of the Stars Motor Museum in Cumbria, England. That museum closed and the car is currently in a collection in the Dezer museum in Miami Fl.