Profile

Spinner Car From "Blade Runner"

Cockpit

Kawasaki OH-6J Cayuse

Rear chassis

Corvette C5-R Le Mans 2003

Rear

Aichi D3A1 Type 99 Bomber Model 11 Limited Edition

Kit Sprue

USS Gato Submarine

Finished wing detail

F-4E Phantom II

Finished

M60A3 "Patton" Main Battle Tank

Marder rear

German Marder I on an FCM 36 Base

Finished

Bristol Beaufort Mk.1A (With Tropical Filters)

Finished Model with Optional Polar Lights Aztec Decal Set Applied

Star Trek U.S.S. Reliant NCC-1864

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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.

Book cover

Travis Air Force Based USAF’S Transport Superbase in action
Book Author(s)
Scott Cuong Tran & Nick Tran
Review Author
Rod Lees
Published on
Company
Key Publishing Ltd
MSRP
$24.95

First, thanks very much to Casemate Publishing for providing IPMS USA a copy of this well formatted and image-rich minigraph. We appreciate the opportunity to review this book!

Travis AFB almost 30 years ago, (’93-‘]96) was one of my frequent TDY locations while overseeing the KC-10 fleet as the KC-10 Maintenance Chief for Air Mobility Command. Lots of great memories in working that place, and the people are still doing a fantastic job as the West Coast hub for Air Mobility Command.

Cover

Black Sunday – When Weather Claimed the US Fifth Air Force

Book Author(s)
Michael John Claringbould
Review Author
Andy Taylor
Published on
Company
Avonmore Books
MSRP
$44.95

“There were lots of ways to get killed in the Southwest Pacific and weather was one of our worst hazards.” – Lightning Pilot Leroy Ross.

Author Michael John Claringbould begins his book with the following first paragraph of the Preface,

“The day of Sunday 16 April 1944 marks the biggest non-combat loss the USAAF incurred in any theater in World War II. After a delayed morning departure more than three hundred Fifth Air Force aircraft departed to attack Japanese airfields and installations at Hollandia in Dutch New Guinea. Not one aircraft was lost to enemy action, but over three dozen were lost to a vicious weather front. The date quickly became known as Black Sunday within the Fifth Air Force.”

Box Art

US M1240A1 Sagged Wheel Set
Review Author
Michael Novosad
Published on
Company
DEF Model
Scale
1/35
MSRP
$19.95

Base Model Background - From Wikipedia

The Oshkosh M-ATV is a Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicle developed by the Oshkosh Corporation for the MRAP All Terrain Vehicle (M-ATV) program. Intended to replace M1114 HMMWVs (Humvee), it is designed to provide the same levels of protection as the larger and heavier previous MRAPs, but with improved mobility.

Base Model - Ryefield Models

Normally I prefer to build 1/48th scale aircraft, but will occasionally build 1/35th scale military vehicles. I saw an article on the M1240A1 M-ATV on line and was taken with the detail and the appearance of the vehicle itself. In searching for models I found that Panda and Rye Field Models both offered versions of the vehicle. I especially liked the Rye Field Models RFMRM5032 version as that offered the option for an open hood, revealing the nicely detailed engine compartment, as well as a full interior. I ended up ordering the kit on line.

Box Art

Hurricane Mk II D
Review Author
Steven J. Corvi
Published on
Company
Arma Hobby
Scale
1/72
MSRP
$40.00

What is in the Box

  • 2 gray injection molded plastic sprues
  • 1 clear sprue
  • 1 3-D printed resin parts
  • 1 set of pre-cut masks
  • 1 decal sheet with 5 markings options
  • 1 instruction book

Construction

This Arma 1/72 Hurricane IID starts with an unconventional build sequence, wings first, which includes the modification for the [-IID] 40 MM canons armament. This is really the only part of the kit that may cause concern for the neophyte builders. The plastic is a bit soft so careful sanding and re-scribing is necessary. Arma does give you a nice little resin [3-D printed] template for the upper wing. This provides the access panels to the 40mm underwing canons. You have to remove the four 20mm Hispano Suizo canon details on the upper & lower Hurricane IIC wing. Essentially, the plastic in this kit is the previously released Arma Hurricane IIC kit.

Box Art

B-17F Flying Fortress
Review Author
Floyd S. Werner Jr.
Published on
Company
HK Models Co.
Scale
1/48
MSRP
$125.00

The B-17 Flying Fortress. Is there a more iconic aircraft of WWII? I’ve always loved the aircraft, especially the B-17F. The beginning of the air war in Europe was spearheaded by the B-17F. The most famous is the ‘Memphis Belle’, but there were other B-17s that flew much longer than that. One of those was assigned to the 303rd Bomb Group, ‘Knockout Dropper’ was one of the first B-17s in the 303rd, it was also the first to finish 50 and 75 missions over Nazi occupied Europe.

Until recently you were only able to build a B-17F by using the old Revell kit. When HK Models announced the B-17F and after seeing it at Telford in 2019 I had to build one.