Complete cockpit tub before touch-up, seats will be installed in a later step, and after I get aftermarket belts. Note that the CRT screens are slightly cracked from Solvaset. Paint will easily fix this.

F-4S Phantom II: Part 1, Comparison and Cockpit Build

Flash Example

P5M-2G Marlin "Coast Guard"

Finished model 02

J-15 Chinese Navy – Limited Edition

Completed model

Do335 A-0 Pfeil - The Big Finish, Part 3

Interior

M-ATV (MRAP – All Terrain Vehicle)

Midships

USS Indianapolis

Finished

Tempest Mk. V

Finished

Bf 109F-4 with German Ground Personnel

Painted Cockpit

Captured Heinkel, He 111H-20, Part 1

Note protective sprues around props

L2D Type Zero Transport & C-47 Skytrain

Previous Next

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

The Corr-U-Gator
Review Author
Ben Morton
Published on
Company
Masterpiece Models
MSRP
$25.00

When you click the 'About Us' tab on Masterpiece Models website this is what you'll read...

'Masterpiece Models manufactures and sells the highest quality resin assembly kits on the market today. Featuring kits for a variety of interests including WWII, Vietnam, Sci-fi, and aircraft bases. We have acquired the rights to a large selection of the Custom Dioramics line that are now available through us as resin assembly kits. Our kits are manufactured at our Vancouver, Washington, USA fabrication and casting shop.”

What they have left out is that this company also has a line of dinosaur stuff: a T-Rex tooth in one to one scale, several different dinosaur skulls (Velociraptor/Triceratops in 1:9th scale), and a superb, 31” Nautilus submarine of Jules Verne fame, to name a few.

Product Image

First Aid Basics Pigments
Review Author
Ben Morton
Published on
Company
AMMO by Mig Jimenez
MSRP
$19.90

I am often in a quandary with how to begin an IPMS/USA product review (It usually doesn’t last too long.) More often than not I'll just use the material that the manufacturers have made available via their websites. So, without further ado, via AMMO/MiG's website:

“Which are the most basic pigment colors a modeler needs to get started? Which are the most used colors across all types of modeling subjects including aircraft, ships, military vehicles, or spacecraft? This set (First Aid Basics) provides the easiest solution to the novice modeler who is just starting in the hobby and does not really know what is needed.

Box Art

Focke-Wulf 190V-1
Review Author
Blaine Singleton
Published on
Company
Classic Airframes
Scale
1/48
MSRP
$85.00

In the Box

Instructions

The instruction booklet was divided into four pages of clearly marked parts and their construction sequence. Illustrations for the parts and their construction sequence were very clear and crisp. The instructions contained 10 separate steps to complete the model. My instruction book was missing step seven but that appeared to be the step when the wing is attached to the fuselage.

Included with the instructions is a drawing for paint and decal applications for either of two aircraft. One version was in natural metal finish and the other was in German camo markings.

Clear Plastic

Supplied was one piece of vacuum formed plastic with two canopies molded into it.

Canopy Mask

For painting the canopy I used my own masks cut from Tamiya tape.

Packaging

Browning .50 and .30 Caliber Shells and Cartridges
Review Author
Mike Kellner
Published on
Company
Master Model
Scale
1/16
MSRP
$19.95

Total number of parts: 25 each package.

As I’m scratch building a 1/16 scale PT boat, when I saw these neat little shells and cartridges I was curious. What arrived was 4 small packages which included 25 shells or cartridges each in both .50 caliber and .30 caliber. For a large scale I was surprised at how small they were. I was able to compare the .50 caliber ones with a real .50 caliber cartridge and shells, and there is a gigantic difference in size.

These detailing parts are made from brass, have the right dimensions for their scale, and the shell cases even have a hollowed-out end on them. I have photographed them with a real shell just to show the relative size of them. Overall they are very consistent and I’ll bet they will look awesome on any 1/16 scale vehicle, boat, or tank. Their Master-Model website calls them the Ground Master Series.

I want to thank Master-Model and IPMS USA for the opportunity to review these accessories.

Box Art

8 Inch Howitzer M1 WWII
Review Author
Bill O'Malley
Published on
Company
AFV Club
Scale
1/35
MSRP
$68.00

Background

The 8-inch Gun M1 was a 203 mm towed heavy gun developed in the United States and was also used in small numbers by the British Army. Serious development began in June 1940 of an 8-inch (203 mm) gun that would have the longest range of any US Army field artillery weapon in World War II. The gun used the same projectile as the 8-inch coastal gun and the US Navy's 8-inch cruiser gun. The M1 consists of equilibrator assemblies, elevating and traversing mechanisms, two single-wheel, single-axle heavy limber, and a two-axle bogie with eight tires and two trails. After 1962 it was designated the M115 Howitzer.

AFV Club Kit

Originally issued in 1997 & reissued in 2000 as the post-1962 M115 Howitzer, this kit release has been modified to the original WWII M1 version with new parts. The new parts include: