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.

Review Author
Dave Morrissette
Published on
Company
Tamiya
Scale
1/48
MSRP
$12.50

Another quick addition to the lovely new Tamiya 1/48th scale F-4B is this decal set which includes decals to recreate the numerous numbers and cautions found on the aircraft's access doors. Also included are decals to recreate yellow canopy rain seals, as well as adding details to engine nozzles.

Inside the package, there is a large foldout sheet with large enough print to add all the appropriate decals for the door markings. What I found nice is the size of the instructions which open to 10” x 14” and are dual sided; top on one side and bottom on the other. Also included in this set are additional markings for the F-4J. The instructions are color coded with black being both B and J versions; Red is specific for the B version and Green is specific for J versions only. And did I mention they are big enough to actually read!

Book Author(s)
Mike Guardia
Review Author
Floyd S. Werner Jr.
Published on
Company
Magnum Books
MSRP
$14.95

The MiG-25 conjures up, at least for me, huge engines and wicked speed. I remember when the Russian pilot defected to Japan in one. It was impressive looking. That was at a time when the Russian military was very secretive. I’ve always had a love of the bad guys, and in my early military days there was none badder than the MiG-25.

This paperbound book contains 122 pages of information that is easy to read. Once I sat down with the book, I did not want to put it down. There are close to 50 black and white photos, some show unique markings. This book is unique in its ability to follow the combat career of this fighter type. Starting in the first chapter we are taken through the development of the aircraft.

Book Author(s)
Bert Kinzey and Rock Roszak
Review Author
Dick Montgomery
Published on
Company
Detail & Scale, Inc.
MSRP
$23.99

When visiting the D&S website, note that when the page opens it will feature a series of publications labeled, “Detail & Scale Series”. To find the publication being reviewed here, scroll down to find the “Colors & Markings Series” in which this publication is listed.

About the Authors

Bert Kinzey is well known as the creator/author of the Detail & Scale series of publications. These publications, as noted in Kinzey’s bio on page 121 of the F9F Cougar publication focused on the details of aircraft featured in the D&S series. Those details included “the cockpit, weapon systems, radars and avionics systems, differences between variants, airframe design and much more.” (D&S F9F Cougar, Page 121).

Book Author(s)
David A. Wilson
Review Author
Gino Dykstra
Published on
Company
Helion & Company
MSRP
$59.95

As a figure modeler for roughly half a century, I’d like to think I know a wee bit about the Napoleonic Wars. And yet, up until recently I really had no idea that the Danes were much involved in that series of scuffles until I sat down with this little volume. Although the author David Wilson doesn’t dwell a great deal on Denmark’s direct involvement, apparently Denmark joined sides with Napoleon when the British attacked the Danish fleet in Copenhagen’s harbor in 1801 and then the city itself in 1807. Napoleon’s eventual defeat also led to the disintegration of the Denmark-Norwegian union and the end to almost a century of peace in the region.

Book Author(s)
Amaru Tincopa
Review Author
David Horn
Published on
Company
Helion & Company
MSRP
$29.95

“Air Wars between Ecuador and Peru” is volume 3, Operations over the Cenepa river valley 1995 is the final book in the three part air war series between these two countries. The author who is from Peru goes through great detail from both sides with a strong emphasis from the Peruvian perspective which is understandable. The book is 80 pages of print and eight pages dedicated of colorful aircraft art, photos and a map. There is a list of abbreviations included at the beginning of the book.