Cockpit 2

MV-22B Osprey

Finished model

Grunau Baby IIb

Completed interior

"Pave Hawk" HH-60G, Part 1 Interior

Right wing rigged

Sopwith Snipe (late)

Quarter view

F9F-8 & F9F-8P Cougar

Finished Model

SR-71 Blackbird Egg Plane

Front View

Batman Stock Car

10 Opel Ambulance Finished 3

Opel Kfz. 305 Ambulance

Assembled kit

M10 GMC

Sprue 2

Siebel Si204

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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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Detail Parts

F-14A Tomcat Exhaust Nozzle – Varied Positions
Review Author
Floyd S. Werner Jr.
Published on
Company
Aires Hobby Models
Scale
1/48
MSRP
$26.50

The F-14, now retired from Navy service, is one of my favorite airplanes. Blame “Top Gun” and “The Final Countdown”. Who can forget the immortal line, “Splash the Zeros!”? Anyhow, the Academy F-14 is a nice kit and much cheaper than the Hasegawa kit. There are a couple of options for those wanting to add more detail. Aires provides three separate options for the turkey feathers – closed, open and varied positioned. This review is for the varied positioned offering.

The F-14 exhaust section can be seen in any of the positions, which is why Aires offers the varied set. Normally, while sitting on the ground following the shutdown procedures, the nozzles are controlled hydraulically. During the shutdown, it is normal for the right nozzle to be closed and the left one opened. It makes for a unique look. Here is a good synopsis of what happens: http://www.anft.net/f-14/f14-detail-engine.htm

Parts Packaging

Bf-110E/F/G Main Undercarriage Wheels
Review Author
Floyd S. Werner Jr.
Published on
Company
Eduard
Scale
1/48
MSRP
$7.95

The Eduard Brassin range of parts continues to grow from strength to strength. The latest set is no exception. Designed for the Eduard Bf-110 series of aircraft, this set includes four main resin parts and a set of masks.

The parts are molded in light grey resin that is perfectly cast. The resin pour blocks are easily removed. The level of detail is superb, including the raised portion of the rubber tires. The wheels are molded in two parts. The wheel where it mounts to the kit axle is perfectly sized for the kit strut. This will ensure that the wheel is properly aligned.

Painting is made easy by the inclusion of a set of Kabuki masks for the wheels. Only one mask per wheel is included, but that is because that is all you need. Since the back part of the wheel hub is separate, it can be painted as such.

Box Art

Rumpler C. IV Late
Review Author
Chris Durden
Published on
Company
Wingnut Wings, Ltd
Scale
1/32
MSRP
$89.00

Having established themselves as the leading manufacturer of WWI aviation kits, Wingnut Wings continues their program of releasing quality kits of previously unavailable subjects in 1/32 scale. The Rumpler C. IV Late does not disappoint in the slightest, providing an intricate model that is a joy to build.

Cover

Windsock Worldwide, Vol. 28, No. 1 - January/February 2012
Review Author
Roger Rasor
Published on
Company
Albatros Productions, Ltd.
MSRP
$11.00

Each quarter, WW I aircraft enthusiasts begin to pace back and forth, nervously waiting for the latest issue of Windsock Worldwide to show up in their mailbox or at their local hobby shop. Now, that may sound like something of an exaggeration, but is an understandable occurrence if it should happen, because Ray Rimell’s labor of love has come to be recognized all over the globe as the single best source for information about WW I aircraft model building. The latest issue, Vol. 28, No. 1, is no exception. It is stocked full of what enthusiasts and model builders are hungry for.

Cover

Sci-Fi & Fantasy Modeller, Volume 24
Review Author
Phil Peterson
Published on
Company
Happy Medium Press
MSRP
$29.95

This is the 3rd issue of this magazine I have had the privilege to review and it is undoubtedly my favorite one to date. Why, you ask? Well, not only did I like almost every subject in this issue, but mainly because of 3 very awesome dioramas. But, more on those later.

First off, a pet peeve of mine is articles that continue through 2 or more issues. Problem is, you may miss an issue with the conclusion or even start of a project or, as in this instance, an article may not continue in the next issue. This is spelled out in the editorial that two of the articles I covered part I of in Issue 23 were held up for production issues but should appear in issue 25. I did appreciate that Mike took the time to spell this out, as I was a little lost on my first glance through. Oh well, these things happen but the stories in this issue more than make up for the unfinished stories.

Volume 24 contains a whopping 15 articles in its 100 pages, all about modeling projects.