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
Chris Vandegrift
Published on
Company
Aires Hobby Models
Scale
1/32
MSRP
$6.00

Here’s a review coming to you from all around the United States! It turns out that this set toured the US for a year before actually arriving at my doorstep. Seems our Postal Service just couldn’t chock the wheels of that truck…So I was extremely happy and surprised to receive this Wheelliant product.

On initial inspection the detail looks like it will show well in close-up photography. In addition to the diamond pattern on the chocks the lateral lines are very finally crafted and show no signs of residual material in the grooves so they look very crisp.

Turning over the info card you’ll get a surprise, a large set of instructions that’s easy to follow and red as it’s not printed in size 2 font like many are prone to. I thought this was a definite benefit, no matter how simple it seems as so many other manufacturer’s are including no instructions these days.

Review Author
Rod Lees
Published on
Company
Kagero Publishing
Scale
1/48 and 1/72
MSRP
$5.25

If you have never opened a Kagero Book, be advised they are some of the most informative out there. In many cases, a decal of the subject aircraft is included as a “bonus” within the pages… A truly worthwhile investment if your subject matter is covered. For Kagero’s staff, IPMS is grateful for your contribution and fully appreciate your support!

Kagero addresses more than a few subjects in their voluminous catalog… one can browse them for a long time and wish for all the time and funds to build models their titles address. I have used some of their specialist titles (such as the P-38 in Pacific Service) to great effect; the profile artwork provides ample impetus to build the subject, and Kagero’s decals ensure a subject out of the mainstream will be the result.

Review Author
Bob LaBouy
Published on
Company
ICM
Scale
1/35
MSRP
$54.00

Fit and Finish

This kit’s fit overall kit is very good to excellent. The surface details are outstanding and compare favorably with what photographs and line drawings show. This model, like so many of the new releases from MiniArt, just look like the real vehicles themselves.

Construction Notes

The kit is moulded in light grey plastic with only two large plastic sprue trees. There are few if any aspects of this build which posed any problems—it goes together in a basic pattern, beginning with the engine, suspension and drive assemblies. Believe me, the 26 pages of kit instructions provide you with a deal of in depth instructions broken down in multiple steps and 71 assembly panels.

Review Author
Tomasz Menert
Published on
Company
ICM
Scale
1/32nd
MSRP
$86.00

The DH.82A Tiger Moth biplane was developed by de Havilland in the mid-1930s. Produced in large quantities—over 8,000 units by the end of World War II—it served extensively as a training and liaison aircraft. The DH.82A Tiger Moth gained widespread adoption, with Norway, Portugal, and Sweden establishing their own licensed production facilities. The aircraft also saw service with pilots from Belgium, France, and the USA. Simple yet reliable, the DH.82A Tiger Moth earned genuine affection and respect from novice and experienced pilots alike. Some even quipped that the letters “DH” stood for “durable” and ” hefficient”—apt descriptors for this remarkable aircraft. The Tiger Moth continues to delight enthusiasts today, gracing both flying clubs and aviation shows with its presence.

Book Author(s)
Les Brown & Robert Brown
Review Author
Luke R. Bucci, PhD
Published on
Company
Casemate Publishers
MSRP
$28.95

Casemate Publishers presents Seaforth's ShipCraft 23, Rodney and Nelson battleships by Les & Robert Brown. This book is an update of the original 2015 ShipCraft of Rodney and Nelson. Les Brown is a well-known and accomplished British warship aficionado and builder of beautiful models, with a long history of championing British warships, typically destroyers and smaller warships. He is also a luminary in the Small Warships Group of the IPMS. Canadian Robert Brown has also authored other craft books, including HMS Warspite and British Aircraft Carriers.

This heavily illustrated paperback is the ultimate single resource for building accurate models of both Rodney and Nelson, some of the oddest but successful battleships of the 20th century. The book has very little open space, crammed full of text, drawings and photos of models.