Whirlwind cockpit

Westland Whirlwind FB Mk.1

Finished Model Right Side

Focke Wulf Fw 190A-8/R2 (Overtrees)

Cockpit installed

P-51B Birdcage

Stern detail

U-295 type U-VIIC/41 + "Biber" German Submarine

Turret

Light Tank M24 Chaffee

Cockpit underway

SIAI-Marchetti SF.260/AM/M/W

Right Side

Sturmpanzer IV Brummbar

More parts

F4D-1 Skyray Part 1

Top

SnapTite Abrams M1A1 Tank

Finished model

Yak-23 "Flora"

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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.

Product Picture

SH-2G Super Seasprite
Review Author
Tyler Shepard
Published on
Company
Kitty Hawk
Scale
1/48
MSRP
$55.95

History

In the early 1980’s the US Navy was looking to replace their old ship based helicopter fleet with something new as their current the helicopter at the time the SH-2F Seasprite was showing its age as it was approaching being close to 30 years old. They first looked into getting the new MH-60 but it was too large for some of the Navy’s ships. So with there being no newer options the Navy decided to just upgrade their existing fleet. The first prototype flew in 1985 which was a SH-2F fitted with two new engines. The Navy started receiving them in 1991 and finally retired them in 2001.

The Super Seasprite is also used by 5 other countries. Australia, New Zealand, Egypt, Peru, and Poland.

Package

FM-2 Engine

Review Author
Rob Benson
Published on
Company
Quickboost
Scale
1/48
MSRP
$7.50

Thank you to Aires-Quickboost and the IPMS Reviewer Corps for the privilege of reviewing this excellent aftermarket resin engine. The replacement engine adds an eye-catching crisp detail in a highly visible part of the Hobby Boss FM-2 kit, which represents the latest tall-tail version of the Wildcat.

The package contains the engine on a single casting plug, molded in medium brownish-gray polyurethane resin. The application is very simple; trim the engine off the plug, clean up, and replace the kit parts. This is nearly a direct drop-in replacement; all you need to do is carefully remove the engine from the plug, trim out the casting webs from the cylinder backs, and modify the new engine to fit the kit engine mount. Be sure to mount the new engine in the correct orientation, since the replacement engine does not have a locating slot. This is not a problem; just ensure that up is up!

Front cover

Dornier Do-335 Pfeil/Arrow

Book Author(s)
J. Richard Smith and Eddie J. Creek
Review Author
Dave Morrissette
Published on
Company
Crecy Publishing, Ltd.
MSRP
$79.95

For fans of aviation, the names J. Richard Smith and Eddie Creek are well known for their unparalleled work on Luftwaffe subjects and the detail and history they put into their efforts. Their four volumes on the Me-262 is the definitive set on the subject. And now, they give this same treatment to the Do-335 Pfeil/Arrow. I will say upfront that if there is anything you want to know about this plane, get this book and it will be there.

The hardback book is 288 pages lavishly illustrated with color and black & white photographs as well as many drawings. The table of contests lists:

Package

Rumpler C.IV Landing Gear
Review Author
David Wrinkle
Published on
Company
Scale Aircraft Conversions
Scale
1/32
MSRP
$16.95

Upfront, I want to thank Scale Aircraft Conversions for providing outstanding aftermarket bits for our beloved model kits, and to IPMS USA a big thank you for allowing me to review the Scale Aircraft Conversions metal gear. I’ve had a chance to build two Wingnut Wings kits now and let me assure their kits are TOP NOTCH and fit and finish is unrivaled. In my humble opinion though, the weakest point of these large 1/32 scale kits are the beautiful scale landing gear, and the most obvious place to add some aftermarket metal bits.

Product Picture

Case Red: The Collapse of France
Book Author(s)
Robert Forczyk
Review Author
Frank Landrus
Published on
Company
Osprey Publishing
MSRP
$30.00

Dr. Robert Forczyk is a prolific author with over 27 books published by Osprey and Pen & Sword. He graduated from Notre Dame, the University of Virginia, and the University of Maryland with a PhD PhD in International Relations and National Security. Robert was commissioned from ROTC in 1983 and ended up going to Fort Knox to become an armor officer. He trained in the both the M60A3 and the M-1 but spent his 18 year career in the M60A3 with the US 2nd, 4th, and the 29th Infantry Divisions. Dr. Forcyzk is currently living in the Laurel, Maryland and works as a management consultant at Aviation ISAC. Catch him on LinkedIn.

There are 464 pages of text and two sets of 16 glossy pages containing 60 black and white photographs. There are also ten maps with notes to depict the engagement’s progression.