Finished Model - Nose Closeup

TF-9J Cougar

Completed 3

P-40 E/K Warhawk “Flying Tigers”

Engine assembly installed on fuselage

Mitsubishi A6M7 Zero Fighter Type 62 "302nd Flying Group"

Wheel Detail

Soviet JS-4 Heavy Tank

Finished Model, top

Zil-131 With Driver – Armed Forces of the Ukraine

Getting There

TBD-1A on Floats

Engine mounted on stand

Mirage III E/R

Finished 2

MiG-15UTI

Left Side

Tecnokar Trailer with 20' Tank

Chest Detail

Captain America - The Winter Soldier, 1/9 Scale Figure

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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.

Box Art

Horten Ho 229 Set, Part 2
Review Author
Phil Peterson
Published on
Company
Zoukei-Mura
Scale
1/72
MSRP
$39.00

This is the 72nd scale build from this box. John did the 1/144th scale one a bit earlier.

Zoukei-Maru are known for very detailed kits with interior parts in 1/32nd and 1/48th but this is the first time they have delved into the smaller scales, and on this 72nd scale kit they have decided to go for the full interior structure as well.

While I haven’t seen any of their larger kits in detail, I was a bit disappointed in the molding of this kit. There are lots of molding seams and bits of flash throughout this kit. While that isn’t a real problem, as it cleans up easily, it was just something I was not expecting.

Front Cover

The Royal Dragoon Guards, A Regimental History 1685-2018
Book Author(s)
Peter Macfarlane
Review Author
Jim Pearsall
Published on
Company
Osprey Publishing
MSRP
$20.00

Lieutenant Colonel Peter Macfarlane served with the Royal Dragoon Guards. The Colonel of the Regiment commissioned this history to make it accessible to the public. Histories cover the facts, but there has to be a lot of research and digging to get the information which is presented here.

Contents

  • Foreword
  • Introduction
  • Regimental Life
  • Keeping the Peace
  • Small Wars
  • Major Wars of the 17th Century
  • Major Wars of the 18th Century
  • Major Wars of the 19th Century
  • The First World War 1914-18
  • The Second World War 1939-45
  • The Cold War
  • 21st Century Operations
  • Appendices
  • Bibliography
  • Index

An explanation. Dragoons were originally organized as infantry but were mounted to give them mobility. As things advanced, they were used as heavy cavalry, armed with swords and pistols.

Box Front

Ki-43 Hayabusa

Review Author
Jim Pearsall
Published on
Company
Platz
Scale
1/144
MSRP
$18.59

The Aircraft

The Ki-43 has been described as the “Army Zero”. The Hayabusa and Zero were contemporaries, and the Ki-43 was quite successful in the first part of WW2. The Allies code named the aircraft “Oscar”. But like the Zero, the Oscar had some design problems, mostly the lack of self-sealing fuel tanks, armor protection, and light armament. Nevertheless, it did well against the early Allied fighters like the Buffalo, the P-36, the P-39, and Spitfire I. Almost all of the Japanese Army aces got victories in Oscars early in their careers.

The Model

This is a Platz/Bego kit. The molding is delicate and outstanding. You get 2 kits in the box, nice extra parts, and decals for 4 Ki-43-1s. There is a nice fuel tank for beneath the fuselage, and bombs with the necessary attachments.

Front Cover

Petsamo and Kirkenes 1944, The Soviet Offensive in the Northern Arctic
Book Author(s)
David Greent
Review Author
Jim Pearsall
Published on
Company
Osprey Publishing
MSRP
$24.00

This book covers a short but brutal campaign near the end of World War II where the Soviets took northern Finland from the Germans, pushing them back into Norway. Finland had capitulated in September of 1944, and the Germans were seriously considering leaving when the Soviet Army (and Navy) attacked in early October. The battles lasted from October 7 to November 5.

Contents

  • Origins of the campaign
  • Chronology
  • Opposing commanders
  • Opposing armies
  • Orders of battle
  • Opposing plans
  • The campaign
  • Aftermath
  • The battlefields today
  • Further reading
  • Index

The area in question was somewhat political, but there also was a port at Kirkenes, which is in Norway, and Petsamo has iron and nickel deposits and mines which the Russians wanted to deny to the Germans.

Box Front

3cm Flak Panzer IV Kugelblitz
Review Author
Jim Pearsall
Published on
Company
OKB Grigorov
Scale
1/72
MSRP
$52.99

OKB Grigorov produces resin kits and accessories. The kits are 1/700 submarines and 1/72 armor. The accessories are for 1/35 and 1/72 armor. The kits aim for great detail. This is one of those kits, and it hits the mark.

The Vehicle

The Flak Panzer IV Kugelblitz (fireball) is a Panzerwaffe ’46 model. There was an idea for a Panzer IV armed with anti-aircraft weapons, something like the Wirbelwind, but with 3cm guns instead of the Wirbelwind’s 2cm guns. The concept was for an enclosed turret, providing protection lacking in the Wirbelwind, and greater stopping power from the larger caliber guns.

The Kugelblitz never made it into production or even prototype. Nevertheless, it’s an interesting vehicle based on an interesting idea.