Overhead

IDF Merkava Mk IIID

Hangar floor view - main gear and ball turret

B-17G Final Assembly and Conclusions

Finished Mustang 10

North American P-51D Mustang

Interior

Where Are the Damned Roads?

9A completed build

F-14D Tomcat

Completed 7

M1A2 SEP Abrams TUSK II

Close-up 1

Großer Hund Ausf. K KYKLOP Humanoid Unmanned Interceptor

Image 10

Northrop Delta Mk. II/III

8

Jagdpanzer Marder I (Sd.Kfz.135)

Wire Ties Installed

Alfa Romeo 2300 8C Monza Race Car

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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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Cover

M7 Priest 105mm Howitzer Motor Carriage
Book Author(s)
Steven J. Zaloga
Review Author
Greg Wise
Published on
Company
Osprey Publishing
MSRP
$17.95

Based upon the Grant/Sherman tank, the M7 Priest was a self-propelled howitzer with a high-mount machine gun ring resembling a pulpit. It was utilized by the US, British, Canadian, and Free French forces. This book tells the complete story from design and development to deployment. In addition, this book covers all variants of the Priest, including the British/Canadian Sexton 25-pounder version and the US M12 155mm GMC.

I found the book to be well thought out with a very coherent outline. It’s written with easy to understand explanations. It has beautiful color paintings, cutaway artwork, and is packed with a wide range of period b&w photographs.

The book itself is well printed with a hearty gum binding. The print is easy to read and the photographs are very clear. The artwork and cutaway illustrations are colorful and honestly represented. The maps and charts are rendered so that any layperson can understand them.

Cover

F4F Wildcat vs. A6M Zero-Sen
Book Author(s)
Edward M. Young
Review Author
Greg Wise
Published on
Company
Osprey Publishing
MSRP
$18.95

These are two of the most iconic fighter aircraft that came out of World War II. They’re the Mitsubishi A6M Zero-sen and the Grumman F4F Wildcat. This book covers the ways in which these two contemporaries, with very different design influences, each possessed its unique strengths and weaknesses. The book includes information on the pilots who flew them and technical data including performance specifications. The author explains in plain English how each of these aircraft was developed in a side-by-side chronology. He further explains how these two enemy aircraft existed in the harsh, war-ravaged Pacific Ocean and jungle island environments.

The book itself is well printed with a hearty gum binding. The print is easy to read and the photographs are very clear. The artwork and cutaway illustrations are colorful and honestly represented. The maps and charts are rendered so that any layperson can understand them.

Box Art

The Super Wing Series He 219 Uhu, Cockpit
Review Author
Rob Benson
Published on
Company
Zoukei-Mura
Scale
1/32
MSRP
$191.00

Many, many thanks to Mr. Hideyuki Shigeta for honoring me with the privilege of building the Super Wing Series He 219 Uhu (Eagle Owl) model kit for public review as an IPMS Reviewer Corps representative. I am deeply appreciative of the trust and confidence shown in me by both Mr. Shigeta and the IPMS Reviewer staff. I am delighted to report on the next stage of construction: the cockpit.

Cover

Polish Wings 17
Book Author(s)
Tomasz J Kopański
Review Author
Hub Plott
Published on
Company
Stratus
MSRP
$23.95

This book takes a look at the most famous of the Polish bomber type in WWII and its developments. The PZL 23 was known as the Karas (or Carp, according to Google translation) to the Polish Air Force and, along with its offshoot variants PZL 42, 43 and 46, did the lion’s share of bombardment work for Poland.

The majority of the book (65 pages) gives us a brief history of the main variant, the PZL 23, and its service with both Poland and Romania. There are many previously unpublished black and white photos used to illustrate this aircraft, along with gorgeous color profiles. The Poles had some of the best group insignias I have ever seen. Who could resist doing a model of a Karas with a flying fire breathing dragon with a bomb clutched in his talons?!

Parts Package

Spitfire Mk.IX Cockpit Door
Review Author
Ken McDevitt
Published on
Company
Quickboost
Scale
1/48
MSRP
$4.39

This is the second Quickboost piece that I have acquired for my 1/48 Eduard Spitfire Mk.IXc build. The other is the cockpit seat.

Quickboost has produced a detailed resin cockpit door that provides details that are missing even in the excellent Eduard kit. This is not to diminish the Eduard kit that has been reviewed by Bret Green as the definitive (his opinion) 1/48 Spitfire kit. In the photos, obviously, the Quickboost piece is still attached to the casting block. The Quickboost web link to the picture brings out more detail than my photo. A word of caution – there seems to be a size difference with the Eduard door being larger. I won’t know about final fit until I get to the build.

I highly recommend this highly visible replacement part. Thanks to Quickboost for providing these parts and to IPMS/USA for the opportunity to review this item.