Fuselage Assembly

Cessna T-41 Mescalero

Starboard side

USS Essex LHD-2

KC pilot director lights

KC-767J & E-767 AWACS – J.A.S.D.F.

Finished model

Magirus-Deutz 360M19 Canvas Truck

Close-up of IJN Mamiya hull showing oversize pipes and plating ridges

IJN Mamiya Kanmusu

2

Truppenluftschutzwagen

Finished model closeup of cockpit area

P-39K/N

Cockpit

D.H. 98 Mosquito NF Mk. XXX "Night Predator"

Right Front

Pz.Kpfw.VI Ausf.B Tiger II

Outer Wings

Horten Ho-229: Part 2 - Cockpit, Wheels and Wings

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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.

Detail Parts

P-47D Wheel Wells
Review Author
Bill Hollis
Published on
Company
Aires Hobby Models
Scale
1/32
MSRP
$32.00

This is a fine addition to the model maker’s resin arsenal by our friends over at Aires. It goes a long way toward addressing one of the weaker areas of many Thunderbolt kits.

The design of the original plane presents mold makers with something of a difficulty, given that the wheel wells of the lower mid-mounted wing extend into the fuselage. The fact that the wells on any P-47 model are eminently visible, and the full size version fairly complicated to boot, make matters more gnarly yet for the finesse- and detail-conscious modeler.

Box Art

Panzer III Ausf M with Wading Muffler
Review Author
Tom Moon
Published on
Company
Dragon Models
Scale
1/35
MSRP
$58.95

This is a multimedia kit comprised of 650+ styrene parts on 17 sprues, magic tracks, one braided metal wire (which is very stiff even after annealing), one photo-etched fret, decals, and the set of instructions that need to be reviewed very carefully before gluing any parts together.

Most Dragon models today are a collection of old sprues with new sprues added to create a new kit variant. In this case, Dragon has done so and you will have some sprues with the same letter but are called out by the color or upper or lower case (see Sprues Black G, Blue G and Black g).

Step 1. This step is the assembly of the idler wheel, drive sprockets, road wheels, and return wheels. There are no problems here other than the removal of the mold line which is noticeable on the road wheels.

Step 2. This step is the chassis build. There are 4 mold stubs on the top of the chassis tub that need to be removed. If you don’t remove these stubs the fenders will not fit.

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.