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
Dave Steingass
Published on
Company
Gecco
Scale
1/16
MSRP
$24.99

I’ve never met a Japanese kit that wasn’t top-quality, and the Tales From The Apocalypse series from Gecco Models is no exception.

This series of figures carries a 1980s-era B-Movie Horror theme. In what may be the most brilliant packaging of any models I’ve ever seen, these figures are packaged in look-alike VHS tape boxes.

Number 5 in the series, is a Diner waitress, wearing a Blue Dress, white smock, and pink Chuck Taylors. Like the Traffic guard, she has recently experienced some trauma. A broken arm, multiple leg wounds, and a gouged out right eye and a machete seems to have hacked her neck. She is carrying a very gruesome Blue-plate Special of severed arms. Tasty.

Review Author
Rob Booth
Published on
Company
PJ Production
Scale
1/48
MSRP
$8.50

PJ Productions is a Belgian firm that specializes in the creation and production of resin scale models and accessories aimed at modelers of military aircraft kits and aviation-related dioramas in 1/72nd, 1/48th and 1/32nd scale. Their lines include fine and accurately detailed cast resin replacement and supplemental parts for model kits in the most commonly produced scales.

PJ Productions has produced a resin set of two (2) LRF 4 rocket launchers for use with aircraft armed with such types. An out-of-box evaluation (see photos) indicates two reproductions of the French-manufactured weapons and options for either CES 3 or ADP 2 pylons that provide a realistic scale-detailed assembly for mounting to your kit. The panel detailing is extremely fine, with fore and end caps cast separately.

Review Author
Andrew Birkbeck
Published on
Company
MiniArt
Scale
1/35
MSRP
$79.99

Background

The T-54/55 series of Soviet tanks are the most important tanks to see operation in the Cold War era, if for no other reason than sheer numbers: some estimates put total production at over 100,000 units. This series of tanks have also been used in almost every conflict of the second half of the 20th century, large and small, beginning with the invasion of Hungary by Soviet forces in 1956, the Arab-Israeli wars of 1967, 1973, 1982, the Vietnam war from 1967-75, the Iran-Iraq wars of 1980-88, the conflicts in Afghanistan, the Yugoslav Civil wars, and conflicts across Africa. This new, super detailed kit from MiniArt represents the initial production variant of the T-54 which started rolling off production lines in 1947, but suffered from a great many teething troubles. For a superb blog on the T-54, please check here: https://thesovietarmourblog.blogspot.com/2017/01/t-54.html

Review Author
Scott Hollingshead
Published on
Company
Hasegawa
Scale
1/700
MSRP
$34.99

One of the latest releases from the folks at Hasegawa is a re-release of the waterline Type VIIC and IXC U-Boats in a limited edition form that includes photoetch parts and decals for the markings of four “Aces”. The kit includes four submarines in all, two of each type, as well as the bow and stern sections of two sinking merchant ships. Basic assembly is quick and easy, but installation of the photoetch railings requires removing the kit’s plastic representations and forming the metal replacement parts, which could challenge less experienced modelers. I would still highly recommend this kit to those interested in adding some small U-Boats to their collection.

Review Author
Allan Murrell
Published on
Company
Eduard
Scale
1/32
MSRP
$22.95

This is a photoetch Interior set to for the Hong Kong Models B-17 E/F. This set is colored and adds a lot of additional detail to the cockpit and other areas This set adds some nice touches to the cockpit.

In the packet is:

  • 1 colored photoetch sheet
  • 1 instruction sheet

Summary

This is a really nice set for the set for a kit that needs it. I do find some of the small parts were very tricky to add to the instrument panel and the levers. Also you do need to remove some more raised details of part number 033 which is not highlighted on the instructions.

Thanks go to Eduard for providing this set to review and IPMS USA for allowing me to review it for them.