Finished model

De Havilland Mosquito FB.VI Final Part

Resin antenna for L2D

L2D Type Zero Transport & C-47 Skytrain

Parts 1

City House

Halftrack Chassis

Hasegawa Pz.Kpfw IV ausf.F2 & 8t Half Track & 88mm Gun Flak 18 "Rommel Afrika Korps"

Repaired fender

Russian Self-Propelled Gun SU-152 (KV-14)

Top view

Sea Vixen FAW 2

Internal Weapons Bay

USMC F-35B VMFA-121 "Green Knights"

Front suspension

1983 Hurst Oldsmobile

Bathtub 3

Bathroom Accessories

stripes 3

MV-22B Osprey

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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.

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Decal Packaging

F3H-2/F3H-2M Screamin' Demons Decals Part 1
Review Author
Dave Morrissette
Published on
Company
Furball Aero-Design
Scale
1/48
MSRP
$19.99

Wow – this is such a great first release by new company Furball Designs and its chief cook and bottle washer, Geoff Martin. The decals are for the new Hobbyboss 1/48 F3H Demon and include markings for 9 (yup, NINE) planes:

  • F3H-2M, 1957, VX-4 (with the Playboy bunny logo)
  • F3H-2, 1963, VF-14
  • F3H-2, 1962, VF-21
  • F3H-2, 1963, VF-54
  • F3H-2M, 1958, VF-61
  • F3H-2, 1959, VF-101
  • F3H-2M, 1958, VF-24
  • F3H-2, 1961, VF-31
  • F3H-2, 1959, VF-41

The decals come in two sheets – one is color and is 8" x 10" and the other is all black and is 7.5" x 8". Printing is by Cartograf and is superb, is in register, and is colorful. One thing that is excellent is the decals are separated for things like the speed brakes or the wing fences and there is no need for the modeler to cut.

Cover

MiG-3 Aces of World War 2
Book Author(s)
Dmitriy Khazanov and Aleksander Medved
Review Author
Hub Plott
Published on
Company
Osprey Publishing
MSRP
$22.95

This is number 102 in the well-known Aircraft of the Aces series from Osprey. Like others in the series, this book does not disappoint! This is the first English language publication with information about the aces that flew the MiG-3.

The book is broken down into six chapters. Chapter one covers the development and deployment of the MiG-3, with the next four chapters covering VVS combat experience with the MiG-3s. The last chapter covers the MiG-3 in the hands of Soviet naval aviators. I particularly enjoyed the account of Sr. Lt. Aleksey Storozhakov’s forcing an Hs-126 to land. He then landed alongside the Henschel and ordered the crew to surrender. After having secured the aircraft, he removed the camera and rear machine gun, which he presented to his CO!

Cover

Propliners of the World Vol. 1
Book Author(s)
Gerry Manning
Review Author
Hub Plott
Published on
Company
Flight Recorder Publications
MSRP
$19.95

This book is a photographic look at classic prop driven aircraft around the world. Some of the aircraft covered in volume one are the DC-3, DH Beaver, Twin Otter, Beech 18, Norseman, and Connie, as well as some of the early turbo-props.

Chapter one is a photo essay on the venerable DC-3, covering both restored examples and those still earning a living, as well as the turbo-prop variants. Over one third of the book is devoted to the DC-3.

Chapter two covers bush and floatplane operations, predominantly in Canada and Alaska. All the classics are here in photos – the Otter, Beaver, Goose, Albatross, and more.

Chapter three covers the preserved prop liners and pleasure flyers. Beautiful color photos of preserved Connies, DC-4, 6 & 7s, Convair 580s, Martin 4-0-4, as well as Ju-52s and many others are here.

Cover

Model Art Special – Japanese Battleship Yamato
Review Author
Bill Kluge
Published on
Company
Model Art
MSRP
$24.95

This Model Art Special edition exclusively covers the battleship Yamato (and, in a limited fashion, her sister Musashi). With the exception of one short translated section covering the operational history of Yamato, the text is entirely in Japanese. However, the beautiful photography and numerous illustrations speak for themselves. The selection of articles is roughly divided between historical information and model illustration and building techniques and includes:

Box Art

Jagdpanzer 38(t) Hetzer-Starr
Review Author
Tracy Palmer
Published on
Company
Trumpeter
Scale
1/35
MSRP
$53.99

The Jagdpanzer 38(t) (Sd.Kfz. 138/2), later known as Hetzer ("baiter"), was a German light tank destroyer of the Second World War based on a modified Czechoslovakian Panzer 38(t) chassis. Panzerjaeger 38(t) Starr was a simplified version of the Hetzer which attached the 7.5cm PaK 39 gun to the chassis and was fitted with a Tatra diesel engine. 10 were built, 9 converted back to normal Hetzers. The remaining prototype was destroyed at the end of the war.

This was one of the top five kits I have built—EVER. This is my third Hetzer and 5th 38(t) chassis’d vehicle in the last 3 years. Hands down the best fitting kit of all. It did have some issues though.