Decals

Hurricane Mk IIC

Decals

Junkers Ju88S-1/3 ‘KG 66’

Hardpoint Issue

P-51D Mustang "Aces of the Eighth" Dual Combo

7

Supermarine Spitfire IA [Mid]

Osprey Sponson Stripes

MV-22B Osprey

Deck detail

USS Forrest Sherman

Finished

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

Hull

Tiger I (Late Version)

Finished Model

F-15C "Strike" Eagle "Gulf War" 25th Anniversary

Completed Build

Zil-131 with Trailer

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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.

Front Cover

The Development of Crude Oil Tankers. A Historical Miscellany
Book Author(s)
Dr. Ray Solly
Review Author
Luke R. Bucci, PhD
Published on
Company
Pen & Sword
MSRP
$60.00

Thanks to Casemate Publishing & IPMSUSA for the review copy!

Casemate Publishers presents The Development of Crude Oil Tankers. A Historical Miscellany by Dr. Ray Solly. This book is a large hardbound with glossy pages chock full of photographs, detailed line drawings, and explanations of how tanker design progressed to the present day. Our current lifestyles and national security depend on these ships, so learning more about them is a joy. Learn why supertankers are the safest and most regulated form of transportation in the world.

The author, Dr. Ray Solly, started as a Navigation Officer in the Merchant Marine, including supertankers. His hobby was coasters, smaller tankers dispersing oil and petroleum goods to smaller markets. Dr. Solly was a schoolmaster for twenty years, and lately is a marine author of non-fiction books and many articles.

Product Package

Avro Vulcan B Mk.I Landing Gear (Replacement for Airfix, 2021 Mold)
Review Author
Rod Lees
Published on
Company
Scale Aircraft Conversions
Scale
1/72
MSRP
$21.94

Here we are with one more of SAC’s white metal replacement to improve the longevity of the models we slavishly spend so much time and cash on. In the case of the new-tool 2019 release Vulcan, it’s a LARGE model and the metal replacement is a good idea.

How do I know this? Wellllll, back in 1984, around May, I had purchased the then-new Airfix Vulcan in 1/72 scale as my first acquisition while stationed at RAF Mildenhall. I bought the kit at a housewares store on the high street. What a concept, model kits for sale EVERYWHERE back then it seems. I took a year to build it due to a lot of reasons, but in the end I had a great model. And the gear wheels and tires kept breaking off. Particularly when I moved and boxed up my built up kits.

I know this because I still have this same model baking in the garage, in it’s Xtracolor Grays and greens, and I noticed there were some missing bits over time, much of it the landing gear.

Front Cover

Mar Verde - The Portuguese Amphibious Assault on Conakry, 1970 - Africa @ War Series No. 55
Book Author(s)
Jose Augusto Matos
Review Author
Luke R. Bucci, PhD
Published on
Company
Helion & Company
MSRP
$29.95

Headlines: Cold War Intrigue. Secret MilOps. Prison Camp Raid! Merry Band of Mercs & Rebels Overthrowing a Corrupt Regime. Freedom Fighters vs. Commies. Sean-Connery-James-Bond Style / Peter Graves Style Mission Impossible Skullduggery. Government Disavowal of Actions. Records Expunged. Postmortem Analysis From Forgotten Document.

Guinea is the setting of this Africa@War Series book, describing the little-known commando assault by Portuguese and Guinean ex-pats to overthrow the current government and rescue Portuguese prisoners to thwart the Guinea guerilla tactics trying to overthrow and absorb neighboring Portuguese Guinea (now Guinea-Bissau).

Product Package

Razor Saw Profi Set
Review Author
Rick Taylor
Published on
Company
CMK
MSRP
$20.45

The growing number of 3D printed kits is a boon to the hobby. We are now getting 3D printed kits of subjects that are not economically viable in styrene and for subjects long ignored by the big manufactures. But, new technologies bring new problems. Removing the 3D printed parts from the support structures and rafts can be a bit of work and as I have discovered the resin will quickly dull your expensive sprue cutter! CMK from the Czech Republic comes to the rescue with a new razor saw handle with a triangular blade that is perfect for dealing with these supports.

Product Package

F4F-4 Wildcat, Martlet V Landing Gear (Rev)(for 1/32 Revell)
Review Author
Scott Hollingshead
Published on
Company
Scale Aircraft Conversions
Scale
1/32
MSRP
$22.93

Scale Aircraft Conversions now has over thirty years of experience supplying resin and white metal parts to model builders, and their product listing continues to expand. This is the twelfth landing gear set from SAC that I have reviewed, and once again, they have provided an excellent metal option for kit-supplied landing gear. This set is intended for the 1/32 scale F4F-4 released by Revell and I happen to have kit 85-6876 that was released in 2004 in my stash. The purpose of this replacement set is to provide stronger landing gear that is adjustable, if necessary, to obtain the proper angles. Even with no previous experience in using white metal parts, this set will provide an upgrade that most modelers will have no issue installing.