Body brace

Magirus-Deutz 360M19 Canvas Truck

Assembly

NASAMS (Norwegian Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile System)

Left Side

PzKpfw IV Ausf G Early Version

Gondola Assm

German Railway Gun K5(E) "Leopold" w/ Figures

Can Assembly

American Gasoline Loaders (1910s)

Sprues 6

Sd.Kfz.10 Ausf.A w/5cm PaK 38

11

Jagdpanzer Marder I (Sd.Kfz.135)

Completed Model - Rear

'70 Ford Torino GT 2 'n 1

Construction details 7

StuG.III Ausf.G Late December 1944

Right-rear

F4F-4 Wildcat

Previous Next

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.

Cover

Cessna 152
Review Author
Allan Murrell
Published on
Company
VFR Models
Scale
1/72
MSRP
$25.25

VFR Models is a UK producer of 3D Printed 1/72 General Aviation Aircraft Kits. This kit is baby brother to the Cessna 172 the Cessna 152 which is a two-seater.

The parts are very nicely 3D printed using DLP (Digital Light Processing) Resin Printing.

The parts need to be removed from the print support mounts and this is easily done with Spue cutter or sharp blade.

The construction starts with the cockpit and is very easy. There is no real guide to painting the interior, so you need to look up for references. Painting the interior should be completed before installation of the cockpit. The Cockpit is then installed into the fuselage, this was not very easy, and the cockpit base needed a lot of cleaning up and material removed to sit correctly. I also added some simple seat belts at this stage as not were molded in to supplied.

Cover

XA2D-1 Skyshark Landing Gear & Wing Folds for Clear Prop
Review Author
Rod Lees
Published on
Company
Scale Aircraft Conversions
Scale
1/48
MSRP
$19.95

SAC is an interesting company; started around the year 2010 or so, they continue to provide model landing gear and other stress-handling parts in a world that some would say at the time “has no place for them here”. I differ in this view, one of their first sets was for the Italieri S-3 Viking, and I learned they had released a 1/32 set to replace the Revell JU-88 plastic set that was notorious for breaking off the wheel axle just in moving the model around; I was sold. SAC proves itself resilient where the naysayers are proven wrong (continually, I add) in the value of these vital bits. Others make stronger brass versions, but you will pay dearly for them in my experience, and they are more difficult to install due to being too stiff. I like SAC’s choice of metals.

Book Cover

The British Aircraft Carrier HMS Furious
Book Author(s)
Witold Koszela
Review Author
Pablo Bauleo
Published on
Company
Kagero Publishing
MSRP
$24.95

The HMS Furious started its service with the Royal Navy towards the end of WWI, converted from a “great light cruiser” as it combined a flying-platform (for take-off) and one very heavy gun of 18-inches. In the interwar years it was modified and the flying platform was extended to allow both for take-off and landing, including a brief period in which the take off and landing platforms were installed but the superstructure was still in place. Eventually the superstructure was removed and reinstalled on the starboard side, the funnel was rerouted to the side and in this configuration the carrier saw service during WWII mainly with the Home Fleet and in Norwegian waters.

Box Art

Tu-2T
Review Author
Greg Kittinger
Published on
Company
ICM
Scale
1/72
MSRP
$31.99

The Tupolev Tu-2, along with the Petlyakov Pe-2, are arguably two of the most eye-pleasing twin-engine attack aircraft of World War II. In 1/72 scale, the Airfix Pe-2 has been available to modelers since the 60’s. An injection-molded Tu-2 kit in this scale was finally boxed by ICM in the late 90’s.

The “T” is the torpedo-toting version of the venerable attacker, and the sprues containing the torpedoes, pylons and support struts are clean and crisp – comparable I suspect to recent ICM releases. However, the remaining sprues have to be first-mold, and are heavily draped in flash. The plastic is also very soft – similar to new Airfix kits – and the sprues gates are thick and ill-placed, like a Trumpeter kit. My review deadline for this build came and went partially because I spent an inordinate amount of time carefully cleaning parts and removing sprue nibs. Builder be warned.

Box Art

British Cruiser Tank A34 Comet
Review Author
Michael Reeves
Published on
Company
Tamiya
Scale
1/35
MSRP
$55.00

The A34 Comet was a late-war addition to Britain’s armored arsenal of cruiser tanks. With a borrowed chassis from the Cromwell, the larger turret ring allowed for a more compact effective gun in the Q.F. 77mm. Exclusively welded, the larger turret had frontal armor up to 100mm. The heavier design led to the need to update the Christie suspension which was refitted with upper return rollers. Many were outfitted with the Normandy cowling over the rear grill to help cut down on exhaust gases affecting the crew and passengers.