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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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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.

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Review Author
Jim Pearsall
Published on
Company
Kits-World
Scale
1/144
MSRP
$12.50

I was given Minicraft’s B-17G for a review. Just as I was about to start the project, I was at IPMS Las Vegas “Best of the West” contest, and found a set of 1/144 decals for the B-17G. The decals included in the kit were perfectly OK, but the subject matter of this sheet made me drag out my wallet and buy it.

The first plane on the sheet is “American Beauty”, 2S*G. A friend and co-worker of my father was the top turret gunner and flight engineer on this aircraft. So it has a personal connection to me.

THE DECAL

The decal sheet itself is very good. When you finish cutting out the decals for one aircraft, you still have a solid sheet, not something that looks like a lace doily. Good planning on their part, and I appreciate that.

The subject matter of the other three planes is also very interesting – “Little Miss Mischief” of the 91st Bomb Group, “My Devotion” (an F model) of the 351st BG, and the famous “A Bit o’ Lace” from the 427th BG.

Review Author
David P. Lennox
Published on
Company
Quickboost
Scale
1/48
MSRP
$5.95

Two seats come packaged in a plastic bag with a folded paper backing sheet. There is no color information and no instructions, as there is no assembly required. However, care should be taken cutting off the pouring plug as part of them may be used for properly spacing the seat away from the cockpit floor.

The seats and seatbelts are very well defined with reasonable undercuts and no air holes or distortions. The resin took my Vallejo paint well after a soaking bath in Wesley’s Bleach White and priming with Alclad II Gray Primer.

If you want a great-looking seat without installing individual seat belts, this is for you. The Roden cockpit is nicely done and these seats go a long way toward improving the front office. Thank you to Quickboost and IPMS/USA for offering these resin seats for review.

Review Author
Andy Renshaw
Published on
Company
Trumpeter
Scale
1/35
MSRP
$63.95

I was quite excited to see Trumpeter start releasing some of the more modern Soviet armored vehicles. Not only are the kits nicely detailed, but they tend to go together quite well. Also, Trumpeter has no problem releasing several variants, unlike some other manufactures that release one base type and leave us modelers scrambling for aftermarket resin to do other variations. So, needless to say, after years of resisting the urge to purchase some resin “updates” to the old Skif T-64 kits, I was delighted to have a state-of-the-art tooling in my hands.

Box Stats

Within the box you get 566 parts in all.

Review Author
Rob Booth
Published on
Company
Master Model
Scale
1/32
MSRP
$7.25

Master-Model has produced replacement AOA probes and a pitot tube for any 1/32 F-16 kit. The metal replacements are a simple drop-in for the kit’s plastic parts. The supplied items include two AOA probes and one pitot tube. There will be no modification required for the installation of the replacements other than a slight drilling out of the pitot receiving hole to accommodate the replacement’s larger base (at least on my Academy kit’s nose cone). You will have to use CA or epoxy glues to secure them, of course.

A side-by side-evaluation (see photos) indicates a replacement of superior detail that will provide a more accurate representation of these tiny exterior details.

Highly recommended.

Thanks to Master Model and the IPMS Reviewer Corps for the opportunity to review these items.

Review Author
Rob Booth
Published on
Company
Quickboost
Scale
1/32
MSRP
$4.50

Quickbost has produced a replacement gun barrel for any 1/32 F-16 kit. The resin replacements are a simple drop-in for the kit’s plastic parts. The supplied items include two replacement muzzles. The only modification required will be the removal of the end of the kit part’s barrels beyond the second sleeve.

A side-by-side evaluation (see photos) indicates a replacement of superior detail that will provide a more accurate view of a true dogfighter’s weapon of choice.

Highly recommended.

Thanks to Quickboost and the IPMS Reviewer Corps for the opportunity to review this item.