Engine

Cust ’69 Corvette Coupe Yenko

Completed kit 1

Pirate Ship "Black Swan" Part Three

Finished

Su-27UB Flanker-C

Finished 5

Shinmeiwa SS-2 'Rescue Seaplane'

Headlights

Mercedes Benz Actros MP4 Giga Space

Left

SH-3G Sea King Helicopter

Sprue closeup

Versuchsflakwagen Fuer 8.8cm Flak.37 Auf Sonderfahrgestell (Sd.Sfl.IVc)

Finished Instrument Panel

F-104G Cockpit

Fuse to wing join

FH-1 Phantom "Demonstration Teams and Trainers"

Left side

British Self-Propelled Anti-Tank Gun Archer

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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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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.

Parts Packaging

Soviet R-60 Missile Sets
Review Author
Rod Lees
Published on
Company
Aero Line
Scale
1/48
MSRP
$14.60
  • Product / Stock #AL 4014, Missile R-60 with simple launcher, $14.60
  • Product / Stock #AL 4015, Missile R-60 with double launcher, $14.60

Aero Line is a new company to me; I offered my services, and am glad to have had a chance to evaluate these missile sets. Thanks to Petr Vesely for providing the sets and IPMS/USA for sending them to me to review.

First: Set AL 4014: Comprised of three missiles, two adaptors, and a transport box. The set contains 19 resin parts, (missiles with the aft fins attached, clear seeker heads, and a set of protective caps for the seekers); a photoetched sheet with forward fins and rail adaptors; and decals for the missiles and the transport box. I would say this was an excellent set for the diorama builders out there.

Parts Packaging

P-39/P-400 Landing Gear
Review Author
Rod Lees
Published on
Company
Scale Aircraft Conversions
Scale
1/48
MSRP
$15.00

SAC continues its prolific output of gear to handle the loads on our models. Thanks to Russ at SAC for providing IPMS/USA this set, and IPMS for sending it to me for review!

This is yet another drop-fit set designed for the Hasegawa P-39/P-400, an aircraft that can use it – metal replacements on a long nose-gear-legged bird…particularly true if you choose to put weight in the nose (and the P-39 needs it) to keep the aircraft sitting on all three tires.

Everything was a perfect fit. Main gear legs fit tightly into the square attachment points. The nose gear slid into place as easily; the actuating ram was from the kit in plastic, but it all went where it needed to, and I have no complaints. One thing I really like about metal gear is the ability to expand parts and attachment points to fit around trunnion lugs and fittings, and then squeeze them together to help hold them in place.

Cover

Model Art Modeling Magazine, #856, November 2012
Review Author
Mike Van Schoonhoven
Published on
Company
Model Art
MSRP
$14.35

For those unfamiliar with Model Art Modeling Magazine, it is a Japanese-produced modeling magazine that is released monthly. Along with the monthly releases, the company also releases several special issues. These special issues cover a multitude of subjects from IJN submarine depot ships to F1 race cars to airbrushing, as a few examples. The text is primarily in Japanese with some English subtitles but the photography is phenomenal.

The main article in the November issue is a continuation of articles from the September issue on heavy and medium IJN aircraft carriers. In the current issue, they cover IJN light carriers. Each of the carriers is represented by a 1/700th scale model kit. The carriers are the Hosho, Ryujo, Shoho, Zuiho, Ryuho, Chitose, Chiyoda, Taiyo, Unyo, Chuyo, Shinyo and the Kaiyo.

Box Art

Mitsubishi A6M2b Zero Model 21
Review Author
Keith Gervasi
Published on
Company
Tamiya
Scale
1/72
MSRP
$28.00

History

There is so much out there on the Zero that I will not take up too much time with the history of it. The A6M2 Model 11 went into operation in 1940. After a short production run it was modified in November, 1940, to have folding wings (Model 21).

The Kit

This kit is made up of 2 sprues of grey injected plastic and 1 clear. The parts are flash free and have very fine detail and I did not notice any sink marks. The decal sheet gives you markings for 3 different aircraft of the 2nd strike unit and was flawless.

Box Art

Il-2 Sturmovik Single Seat Ski Version
Review Author
Pablo Bauleo
Published on
Company
Academy Models
Scale
1/48
MSRP
$43.00

Academy has re-boxed the rendering of the Il-2 originally released by Accurate Miniatures in 1997. The box shows a “Mold by Accurate Miniatures” on the cover, so no doubts about it and that is a good thing. The Accurate Miniatures Il-2 model is a nice one that is now available again in the market.

This boxing has decals printed by Cartograf, including seatbelts and instrument panel details. A bonus you get in this boxing is that all the standard parts for the landing gear with wheels are included, in addition to the landing gear with skis. So, you can build either version (wheels or skis) with the parts in the box.