14

Russian Medium Tank T-34/85

Pre-assembled kit 1

Battlestar Galactica Viper Mk II

Resin Head

German Luftwaffe Pilot WWII with Life Vest

Cockpit 4

F-4B Phantom

Finished He-111H-3

Airfield of the Luftwaffe Bomber Group

Parts

1961 Jaguar E-Type, Part One

Radar Cockpit 2

Dornier D0-335 B-6 Pfeil Night Fighter

Fuselage Joined 2

F-14D Tomcat, Part 2 - Airframe and Weapon Construction

Cher3 (11)

Chernobyl #3: Rubble Cleaners

Finished

U.S. Airborne Scooter with Machine Gun

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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.

Box Art

U.S. Navy/Marine Fighter Pilot
Review Author
Jack Kennedy
Published on
Company
Master Details
Scale
1/32
MSRP
$17.25

Here is another new company producing military figures. If this is their first offering, I am very impressed. Not only is the subject matter refreshing, but the figure is very well cast.

This pilot is in 1/32 scale which would make it ideal for any WW II Navy or Marine aircraft in that scale. The pose is rather casual, which is a nice change of pace. It’s cast in three grey resin parts and three metal parts. The kit includes two heads, one with a soft cap and the other wearing a flying helmet. It even includes a chin strap – nice touch. The castings are crisp and sharp and required only minor cleanup.

Box Art

Livestock Set, Vol. 2
Review Author
Don Norton
Published on
Company
Riich Models
Scale
1/35
MSRP
$15.99

A relative newcomer to the model world, Riich Models has given us some little jewels in armor, ships, and aircraft. Their latest effort, Livestock Set, Vol. 2, will provide some useful animal figures to liven up dioramas of all periods. Included are a grazing horse, two cows, and two birds which look like pigeons. All armies of World War II used horses to varying degrees, and civilians commonly used horses everywhere. The cows would most likely be found in rural scenes; I’m guessing many modelers will use these in a Normandy diorama. The pigeons can be used anywhere, perched in a tree or on a telephone wire. Don’t forget that pigeons were used for carrying messages, even by U.S. troops (who often carried the birds in captured German gas mask canisters).

Box Art

Imperial Guard French Grenadier, Napoleonic Wars
Review Author
Don Norton
Published on
Company
MiniArt
Scale
1/16
MSRP
$31.00

MiniArt has released several figure kits in 1/16th, giving us a wide range of ancients, medievals, and Napoleonic figures for our building pleasure. This figure represents one of Napoleon’s own Grenadier Guards, his Old Guard, which were his bodyguards both on and off the battlefield. Napoleon took a personal interest in these men, ensuring they were better paid and equipped than the average French soldier. It was not simple to get into the Old Guard – there were height requirements, the men had to be able to read and write, and they had to be veterans with combat experience. The figure is in the Full Dress Uniform, which includes white leggings and gloves, and tall red plume on the bearskin cap, so it had to be finished clean, with no “battle wear”. I had a great reference in the Osprey Men-At-Arms book, Napoleon’s Guard Infantry (1), by Philip Haythornthwaite.

Box Art

Douglas C-124C Globemaster II
Review Author
Jim Pearsall
Published on
Company
Roden
Scale
1/144
MSRP
$35.99

The Aircraft

The C-124 Globemaster II was the ultimate piston-powered cargo aircraft. The C-124 entered service in 1950, just in time for the Korean War. Based on the C-74 Globemaster, which first flew just after VJ day, the C-124 used the same wing as the C-74, but the fuselage was enlarged so the C-124 could carry 10 tons more cargo than the C-74.

Based on lessons learned in the Berlin Airlift, the 124 featured clamshell nose doors which allowed drive-in loading of vehicles. Until the advent of the turboprop C-133 in 1957, the C-124 was the only US transport capable of carrying tanks and large trucks.

The C-124 remained in service with the ANG until 1974, the last ones retiring from the 165th Airlift Wing of the Georgia ANG.

Box Art

USS Indianapolis
Review Author
Rod Lees
Published on
Company
Academy Models
Scale
1/350
MSRP
$59.00

Once again, sincere to thanks Akiko at MRC for providing IPMS USA and this fortunate reviewer the opportunity to build and comment on a new kit… This was “a most excellent effort” and we appreciate it. (And thanks to Steve and Dick for sending the kit my way…hope I did it justice)

This was a kit that I did not expect to do a review on; I was going to spend the cash and just chill on the build until I could collect all the requisite PE sets and all that nonsense, and then have an AMS fit for about a month. “We can’t have no’ut that!” cried the elves…and when I threw my hat in the ring to review the kit, I was surprised. My criteria: if nobody else volunteered to do it, I would. Now, I know ships take a lot more time than a snap kit. But the USS Indy? Whoa! A famous cruiser worthy of the effort.