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.

Book Author(s)
Slawomir Zajaczkowski
Review Author
Pablo Bauleo
Published on
Company
Mushroom Model Publications - MMP Books
MSRP
$11.99

MMP Books continues to expand its “Colour and Scale” series, this time with an installment on the Fairchild A-10A Thunderbolt II.

This booklet has 5 pages of line drawings for the Thunderbolt II in 1/72 scale, providing side views (both port and starboard) top view, bottom view and side-view without the wing or rudder obstructing the fuselage profile.

In addition to the scale drawings, there are 8 pages of full-color profiles and, in some cases, also top and bottom views.

Some of the camouflages are relatively well known as the two-gray early scheme or the “Flipper” scheme, but others are unique, like the “Jawa” one, which reminds me of Italian World War 2 camouflage schemes.

The book covers camouflage schemes from the late ‘70s (early production) to the ‘90s (Desert Storm). I am not sure if the book includes all and every type of camo scheme used by the Thunderbolt II, but it certainly has a significant selection.

Review Author
Michael Novosad
Published on
Company
ICM
Scale
1/48
MSRP
$133.00

One of the Last B-26 variants was the B-26F which featured angle-of-incidence of wings increased by 3.5º; the fixed .50 caliber machine gun in the nose was removed; the tail turret and associated armor were improved. The first B-26F was produced in February 1944. One hundred of these were B-26F-1-MAs. Starting with 42-96231, a revised oil cooler was added, along with wing bottom panels redesigned for easier removal. In total, 200 of the 300 aircraft were B-26F-2s and F-6s, all of which were used by the RAF and SAAF as the Marauder Mk III. The F-2 had the Bell M-6 power turret replaced by an M-6A with a flexible canvas cover over the guns. The T-1 bombsight was installed instead of the M-series sight. British bomb fusing and radio equipment were provided (300 built).

The B-26G variant was a B-26F with standardized interior equipment; in total, 150 bombers were used by the RAF as the Marauder Mk III (893 built).

Book Author(s)
Dennis Olver
Review Author
Andy Taylor
Published on
Company
Pen & Sword
MSRP
$29.99

TankCraft 44, StuG III Assault Gun – German Army, Waffen-SS and Luftwaffe Units, Eastern Front, 1944 breaks the StuG III’s (Sturmgeschütz, abbreviated as StuG, also known as the Sonderkraftfahrzeug 161) long service life into the closing struggles in the Eastern Front in 1944. Older and newer StuG IIIs and IVs fought side by side on all fronts as the Allied ring closed in on Germany. This book focuses on the StuG IIIs on the Eastern Front, which is fantastic as it complements an already published book of StuGs on the Western Front (TankCraft 19: StuG III & IV, German Army, Waffen-SS and Luftwaffe, Western Front 1944-1945) and hints at a StuG IV book.

This 64-page book is outlined in the familiar TankCraft format and is loaded with incredible black and white photographs, color illustrations, supporting text and detailed captions, modeling references and a bibliography in the following chapters:

Review Author
Phillip Cavender
Published on
Company
ICM
Scale
1:35
MSRP
$78.00

Brief Background

The description below is taken from ICM’s product website.

Among the many factors that determine the course of battles, one is not immediately obvious but is crucial—food supply in combat conditions. A quality hot meal for a soldier is of great importance and sometimes influences the combat effectiveness of units more than modern weapons or equipment. Taking this into account, the Wehrmacht paid significant attention to soldier nutrition during wartime. In combat conditions or during marches, field kitchens on wheels of various types were used: large kitchens for 125 to 225 personnel and smaller kitchens for 60 to 125 soldiers.