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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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Book Author(s)
Mariusz Motyka
Review Author
Luke R. Bucci, PhD
Published on
Company
Kagero Publishing
MSRP
$30.00

Kagero's Super Drawings in 3D version was released in 2020. Kagero Top Drawings are geared for model builders in a more affordable and benchtop-useful format.

Another excellent pictorial book with large line drawings in color and B&W of an obscure subject - the most numerous class of post-war destroyers until the US Navy Arleigh Burke class, all started post-WW2. Project 30bis served as the backbone of Soviet fleet destroyers until the 1960s. This publication is designed for modelers, including scratch-builders, for any scale desired. The accuracy and number of views of the entire ship, ship sections, and ship fittings (even down to fairleads and bollards) are stunning, as usual. Even the colors appear to be accurate. This issue shows the class (named Smelyi class in Russia) as originally built - keep in mind there were many variations throughout a long time of service in Soviet and other navies.

Review Author
Bill Kluge
Published on
Company
Squadron
MSRP
$12,101.00

Squadron’s Basic Sprue Cutter is the foundation tool in Squadron’s three-piece collection of cutters, a collection that includes a Precision Cutter and a High Precision Cutter. These tools can be purchased individually or in a 3-piece set.

This Basic Cutter is designed to remove larger, less fragile parts from sprue trees, as well as to render large trees into smaller, more manageable ones. As with any cutter, it can be used to remove any part from its tree, depending on the finesse of the operator. This tool is exceptionally sharp and cuts very cleanly for a “basic” cutter. Its 5” length is easy to grip, with well-padded handles.

Book Author(s)
Ian Allan
Review Author
Brett W Scholten
Published on
Company
Crecy Publishing, Ltd.
MSRP
$16.50

A pleasant memory for me. Military Aircraft of the 1950s is a combination/reprint of four Ian Allan books released during the Cold War. I had the Jane’s equivalent growing up. A hardbound book with 306 pages of data, each page with multiple photographs of iconic military aircraft.

The first section covers British Military aircraft (including helicopters), the next section covers U.S. and Canadian fixed-wing aircraft. The next section covers “Continental” (European) aircraft. and the last section is dedicated to helicopters, which is interesting as the first two sections also have helicopters in them.

The biggest benefit for a modeler is the three-view drawings of each plane. These photographs provided an additional source of data on wing and engine placement (and landing gear for fixed gear aircraft).

While black and white photos are not overly useful as a paint guide, markings on the aircraft can be used for decal placement

Review Author
Jarrod Booth
Published on
Company
Syhart Decal
Scale
1/72
MSRP
$18.00

Sylvain Hautier started Syhart Decals in 2005. Syhart Decals being derived from SY (Sylvain) HA (Hautier), ART (design), Decal (Decals.).

The are several manufacturers of the 1/72 scale Rafale kit and represent various versions, whether Air Force, Marine or two-seater. These decal sets do not seem to be specific to any one manufacturer.

The decals were presented on bright blue paper that looked very similar to the paper used by several other European decal manufacturers. Most decals on each sheet were sharp and in register, with minimal excess clear film. The printed part of each decal had more of a satin finish, while the excess film was glossy.

Book Author(s)
Damian Majsak
Review Author
Pablo Bauleo
Published on
Company
Kagero Publishing
MSRP
$8.35

Kagero has started a new series known as “References for Modelers”. This issue is devoted to the Vought F4U Corsair.

I should clarify the book is devoted to the earlier marks of the Corsair, i.e. all the “dash one” versions, including F4U-1, F4U-1A, F4U-1C, F4U-1D, FG-1D and F4U-1P.

The references include a few period pictures (black and white) plus line drawings in 1/48 scale showing mainly side views, with a few front/back or top views. There is also a series of line drawing in 1/72 which show the evolution across the marks and highlights the differences between each one of them -sort of a ‘cheat sheet’ on how to tell them apart.

There are also a dozen color profiles, mostly in US Navy service plus the booklet includes a small decal sheet (in 1/48 and 1/72) for a Corsair Mk.II coded P54 in Extra Dark Sea Grey/Dark Slate Grey and Sky underside.