Left rear

F-16XL Experimental Fighter

Lead Foil Interior

Mirage F-1 CT/CR "Special Edition" with Tru-Color Paints

Fully-assembled kit

F6F-5(N) Nightfighter

Sprue B

L-29 Delfin

Lots of small parts

Light Tank M24 Chaffee

Turret details

M3A3 Bradley CFV, Standard Edition

Pete 2

IJMNS Yamato, Part 2

Hatch

M3A3 Bradley w/BUSK III

Model Carrier In Use

MiG-15UTI Soviet Air Force

Chief Inspector

SKYMECHMAN TRENT 900 LED Turbofan Engine Model Building Kit Aircraft Engine for Kids

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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

USAAF Boeing B-29A
Review Author
Jim Pearsall
Published on
Company
Minicraft Model Kits
Scale
1/144
MSRP
$18.99

I’ve built several B-29s, one of them a Minicraft kit for an earlier review. That being said, I’m still waiting for the moment of inspiration to strike when I get out another B-29 kit and build the Tu-4 “Bull” which is almost identical to the B-29. Or a Washington, also a B-29 with RAF decals.

Minicraft has reissued this kit with very different markings. Little attention has been paid to the early B-29s, which were painted OD. I built this particular kit with the kit markings because it is different, and the markings are certainly visually and historically interesting. In fact, the location of the B-29 I built, Vladivostok, USSR, in November 1944, probably points to it being one of the prototypes for the Tu-4.

Box Art

SH-3D Sea King
Review Author
Chris Smith
Published on
Company
Cyber-Hobby
Scale
1/72
MSRP
$39.95

Introduction

The Sikorsky Sea King first flew in 1959 and entered service in 1961. It served in many roles, including SAR, troop transport, and perhaps most memorably as the helos that recovered the Apollo missions after splashdown. These were not the missions the S-61 (company designation) was originally designed for. As the cold war developed after WWII, the US Navy was concerned about the expansion of the Soviet submarine fleet. They needed helicopters capable of pinpointing subs with a mobile sonar unit. This kit represents that version of this highly useful aircraft. Twin turbine engines gave the Sea King the ability to carry impressive payloads (including a sonar unit) over practical distances. Cyber-Hobby has graced us with no less than four versions of this great machine. Two are Westland-built versions used by the UK’s Royal Navy and Air Force. The other two, including this kit, are US Navy birds.

Box Art

Scooby-Doo Mystery Machine
Review Author
Dave Koukol
Camden Koukol
Published on
Company
Polar Lights
MSRP
$20.99

Once again, Round 2 Models’ Polar Lights brand brings modelers (young and old alike) another great classic TV subject – the Scooby-Doo Mystery Machine, complete with everyone’s favorite mystery-solving K-9 and his best friend.

Re-released and touting “All New! Simplified Assembly,” the Mystery Machine comes molded in black, turquoise, and clear plastic, and is accompanied by steel axles, a full-color sticker sheet, and pre-painted Scooby and Shaggy figures.

Assembled in under 30 minutes by 7-1/2 year-old Camden, the kit’s design is simple and fit is pretty good, although he did need an assist from large hands to snap in the clear windshield piece and a couple of drops of super glue to hold the wheels onto the axles.

Box Art

P-2H Neptune JMSDF
Review Author
Keith Gervasi
Published on
Company
Hasegawa
Scale
1/72
MSRP
$64.98

History

First flown in May of 1945, the P2V-7 was the final variant of the P2V produced by Lockheed. It was powered by R-3350-32W and J-34 engines and fitted with lower drag wingtip tanks, AN/APS-20 search radar in a revised radome, and a bulged cockpit canopy. 287 of this type were built, with 48 of them being assembled in Japan. First delivery of P2V-7s to the Japanese was in 1959, the last in 1965, and the model was retired in the early ‘80s. Kawasaki built 80 more Neptunes (P-2J), but with a few refinements that included using GE T-64 turboprops, Ishikawajima J-3 turbojets, a lengthened fuselage, increased rudder area, and a 10,000lb weight reduction. These were flown well into the 90s before being retired.

Box Art

Nakajima B5N2 Type 97 Model 3 Kate “Folding Wing”
Review Author
Keith Gervasi
Published on
Company
Hasegawa
Scale
1/48
MSRP
$33.95

History

The B5N2 Kate entered service in 1939, replacing the B5N1. The B5N2 was given a more powerful engine and streamlined a bit to try and make it capable of outrunning enemy fighters. The B5N2 was replaced by the B6N Tenzan starting in 1943, but continued to serve right through to the end of the war.

The Kit

After opening the box, I was impressed by what I found – 8 sprues of medium grey and 1 sprue of clear injected plastic, 1 small (but very nice!) fret of photo etch, and, in the bag of PE, 4 white metal parts (for the folded wings). Also, for some reason, the cowling is on a sprue by itself and attached in a most peculiar manner. The plastic is flash free, the clear pieces are very nice, and the detail is above average on this kit. There are a few pin marks but nothing that is un-fixable.