Left Rear View

H-21C Shawnee "Flying Banana"

Engine, propeller, spinner

F6F-5 Hellcat Late - Profipack Version

Body

De Lorean - Back to the Future Part II

Cover

Jungle Patrol

Cowling and prop in place

TBD-1A on Floats

Layout 2

Vickers Vanguard

Left rear

Petlyakov Pe-2

17

Pz.Kpfw.III Ausf. Type J/L/M, Part 2

Cockpit & Engine

SPAD VII c.1(w/Skis)

Finished 2

A-1H Skyraider 'USS TICONDEROGA' with 2 kits

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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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Terraform Road Sand

Terraform Premium Textures: Road Sand
Review Author
Ben Morton
Published on
Company
AMMO by Mig Jimenez
MSRP
$8.50

“Communication Chief Lizbeth informed me that we were receiving an automated distress signal from a terra forming station on the planetoid LV-426. While not exactly on our current flight path we were the closet ship available to investigate....”

AMMO by Mig Jimenez offers a plethora of finishing and diorama accessories for just about any modeling need: paints, static grass, scenic plants, and pliable terrain among others. One such item is from their Terra Form Premium Textures line of acrylic base ground textures. Case in point is item 2178: Road Sand.

For those that are not that familiar, AMMO's line of products has previously produced a series of ground textures (mud, concrete, etc.) that trend toward a somewhat course texture. The products in the Premium Textures line are similar to those, but with what appears to be a finer grain. When applied, these products make for a much smoother and, for me, more realistic surface.

Package

WWII US Tank Tools
Review Author
Ben Morton
Published on
Company
Brengun
Scale
1/144
MSRP
$7.00

For modelers, in the one true scale (1/144), Brengun has added an especially useful photo-etched set of WWII armor tools to their catalog. Associated with the U.S., that label shouldn't prohibit anyone for using them in any setting where appropriate.

The small, metal sprue contains four examples each of the following:

  • shovel
  • starter crank
  • pickax handle
  • pickax head
  • sledgehammer
  • axe
  • hex wrench
  • two styles of pry bar.

Quite the variety. The choice by Brengun to 'etch' the pick as two parts is a bit curious. Maybe a test of ones skill level? Then again, spares were sometimes stowed separately. Owing to the diminutive size of these tools, removing the parts from their attachment points may be problematic. Caution and a new hobby knife blade are recommended.

Front Cover

Attack Aircraft of The U.S. Navy And Marine Corps
Book Author(s)
Bert Kinzey
Review Author
John Shimek
Published on
Company
Detail & Scale, Inc.
MSRP
$21.99

Attack Aircraft of The U.S. Navy and Marine Corps by Detail and Scale Aviation Publications was published 17 June 2022. This is the fourth publication by Detail & Scale that covers aircraft flown by the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps from the end of WWII through the deployment of the AV-8B Harrier II.

The book covers 13 aircraft – Vought AU-1 Corsair, Grumman AF-2 Guardian, Martin AM Mauler, Douglas AD / A1 Skyraider, North American AJ Savage, Douglas A2D Skyshark, DouglasA3D / A-3 Skywarrior, Douglas A4D / A-4 Skyhawk, North American A3J / A-5 / RA-5C Vigilante, Grumman A2F / A-6 Intruder, Ling-Temco-Vought A-7 Corsair II, Hawker SiddleyAV-8A / AV-8C Harrier and the McDonnell Douglas AV-8B Harrier II.

Guide Cover

Building a 1/35th Scale Caterpillar Sixty Tractor, The Marmo Method Modelbuilding Guide # 16
Book Author(s)
Richard Marmo
Review Author
Bill O'Malley
Published on
Company
Richard Marmo
MSRP
$3.99

Marmo’s Model Building Guides

Richard Marmo publishes model building guides for specific kits that provide greater insight than is usually included in the kit’s basic instructions. Richard uses photographs plus thorough written descriptions of his actual build to aid the modeler step-by-step building the kit. Richard‘s writing style is very informative and often includes humorous advice on how to avoid the pitfalls of model building. His written narratives go into much more detail than can be provided in the basic kit instructions. The photographs are high quality and because they are in a digital format can be zoomed in to magnify detail. This is particularly useful when a kit has many small parts like the one reviewed here. The guides provide additional tips on modeling techniques, tools, and materials, to expand the modeler’s knowledge. At four bucks each these model building guides are a must have for modelers.

Package

F-104, TF-104, CF-104 Landing Gear (2 sets) (Has)

Review Author
Pat Villarreal
Published on
Company
Scale Aircraft Conversions
Scale
1/72
MSRP
$14.95

Scale Aircraft Conversions (SAC) specializes in white metal replacement landing gear parts for aircraft kits. This review is for the 1/72nd scale Hasegawa F-104 Starfighter from the 1989 original mold and its reissues (which there are several). Two full sets are in the blister pack, so two kits can have metal landing gear. These are drop-in replacements for the F-104 (parts D7, C12, B11 & B12) and TF-104 (parts F15, C12, B11 & B12). Attached pictures are for the F-104 comparison.