Finished Model

Gloster Meteor F.4

Wing-Tail Joint and Step

Mirage IIICJ Weekend Edition

Underside Completed

Horten Ho 229

Assembled Bottom

Hurricane Mk.IIC

Engine left

Scania R730 Streamline

Main gear wells

Focke-Wulf Fw-190A-5 “Nowotny”

Misc Image 2

The Game (Icon of a Square)

Beauty Shot

Spitfire IX: The Longest Day - Dual Combo Limited Edition

4

AH-1G Cobra (Early Production)

Finished model

Stan "Long Haul" Thompson

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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.

Cover

VF-154 Black Knights

Review Author
Dick Montgomery
Published on
Company
AOA Decals
Scale
1/32
MSRP
$21.00

All Phantom Fans have heard of the famous VF-154 Black Knights. This decal set from AOA provides an excellent set of four markings for the F-4J during the 1970’s. This sheet covers one Navy fighter squadron - VF-154 Black Knights - when they operated the F-4J Phantom in the 1970's. From the AOA website:

Marking Options Included:

  1. USS Ranger [Vietnam] (1970-71) - standard scheme
  2. USS Ranger [Vietnam] (1972-73) - CAG & standard scheme
  3. NAS Miramar (1977-78) - CAG scheme

AOA states that there are markings for the centerline fuel tank for the 1972+ period. You will notice that the fuel tank is quite visible on the illustrations of the F-4J provided by AOA in the packaging.

Package

Tempest Mk. V Landing Gear
Review Author
Bob LaBouy
Published on
Company
Scale Aircraft Conversions
Scale
1/48
MSRP
$15.95

This white metal landing gear set was specifically designed as the replacement for the latest 2019 Eduard model of the Tempest Mk.V. There are now two such kits as single kits and dual kit ‘Royal Class’ boxing affording the modeler to build several of the Scale Aircraft Conversions (SAC).

The SAC gear provides the modeler with a replacement while metal landing gear set, including the main gear and the rear tail strut. One great advantage of the SAC metal gear is their ability to be bent where necessary to more accurately sit on the gear.

Product Picture

USAF B-1B 34th BS "Thunderbirds"
Review Author
Ben Morton
Published on
Company
Academy Models
Scale
1/144
MSRP
$44.00

Academy Model Kits is adding to their 1/144th scale bomber fleet with the addition of a Rockwell B-1B Lancer. Academy's previous foray in 1/144th scale aircraft kits was with a B-47 kit. This B-1B is the sixth, depending on how you count them, 1/144th scale B-1. Lindberg, Minicraft, Panda/Dragon, Monogram, and Revell have all had offerings of this aircraft in this scale.

However, Academy's 'Bone' is newly-tooled and molded in multiple colors of plastic so it can be built without the use of paint. The fuselage and other aircraft parts all molded in gray, with the landing gear in white plastic, and the wheels and engine exhaust nozzles in black. (Operational B-1's are overall gunship gray with white wheel wells and ordnance bays.)

Product Picture

Lancaster B Mk.III Dambuster – Part 1 of 3
Review Author
Chris Gibson
Published on
Company
HK Models Co.
Scale
1/32
MSRP
$349.99

In 2012 Hong Kong models entered their first 1/32 scale model the B25J Mitchell and since that time modelers have been seeing a long line of 1/32 scale kits, multiple B25s, B17E, F and Gs, the Dornier Do 335A and B and the De Havilland Mosquito B Mk. IX/ Mk. XVI and Mk. IV Series II. Now we have the Avro Lancaster B Mk.I which has been reviewed by IPMS member Eric Christianson this year, and of course the Lancaster B Mk.III Dambuster that I am reviewing now.

Product Picture

Osprey B-58 Hustler Units
Book Author(s)
Peter E. Davies Illustrator: Jim Laurier
Review Author
Rod Lees
Published on
Company
Osprey Publishing
MSRP
$24.00

Hearty thanks to Osprey for sending IPMS USA one more of their first-class reference books to review, and thanks to John and Phil for the opportunity for me to do something different in reviewing... READ ON!

I have been asked on numerous occasions about what I like to read. I am so busy building and painting and doing “the day job” that I find it hard to define. I like modeling trade magazines for learning what is the new “Shiny thing” that has come along, and also little frammazamits coming available to budget for. I also read of the world we live in (THE EPOCH TIMES comes to mind) or a foot-thick manual on how to save a marriage (yep, me too).