Finished

IDF ¼ Ton 4x4 SIYUR reconnaissance and TOLAR Recoilless Rifle Vehicle

Clear parts

McDonnell Douglas FG.1 Phantom

Finished cockpit

Bf-109F Overtrees and Overlept Details

Engine

Freightliner Heavy Dump Truck

Contents (exploded)

ZіL-131 AFU with DShKM

Decal Sheet

Vickers Vildebeest Mk. III

More right side

German Military Bicycle, WWII era

Photoetch Fret 2 Closeup

Universal Carrier Mk.II

7 TBF Completed

TBF Avenger

Completed diorama

WWII German MG08 MG Team

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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

Hanomag RL-20
Review Author
Bill O'Malley
Published on
Company
Plusmodel
Scale
1/35
MSRP
$77.00

Background

Hanomag (Hannoversche Maschinenbau AG) was a German producer of steam locomotives, tractors, trucks, and military vehicles in Hanover. During World War II, the car plant made military vehicle engines, a military version of their heavy tractor renamed the SS-100, and halftrack troop carriers. The single most important and iconic military vehicle to be designed and built by Hanomag during World War II was the Sd.Kfz. 251 half-track (commonly called simply "the Hanomag") with a total production numbering just over 15,000.

The Hanomag RL 20 wheeled tractor was manufactured from 1937 to 1942. The 1.9 litre, four-cylinder diesel engine produced 20 HP. At the beginning of WWII many of these tractors were put into service with the German Wehrmacht.

Product picture

F-14A Tomcat Instrument Panels
Review Author
James Corley
Published on
Company
Eduard
Scale
1/48
MSRP
$22.95

Having awaited the Tamiya Tomcat since they were at the museum - measuring the real things (and having to keep quiet about it until they announced it) I was very satisified with the excellent kit they produced. FANTASTIC!! I was even luckier when I found that the Eduard instrument set was available for review.

This set is designed for the Tamiya Tomcat and it fits the kit parts wonderfully. The instructions call for minimal scraping of the raised details Tamiya provides. The only part I had to actually remove was the RIO radar sunshield, but I used a brand new #11 blade and was able to use it instead of the etch piece Eduard provided.

The only part that didn't look quite right, when compared to photos, was #8. The triple fold worked fine, but the part seemed to be larger than the kit part (H34) it went on, and the edges overhang some.

Box top

SR-71 Blackbird "Bododian Express" Limited Edition
Review Author
Mark Costello
Published on
Company
Hasegawa
Scale
1/72
MSRP
$54.99

This kit is a special edition, re-release of the SR-71A Blackbird. This kit has markings for aircraft 17964, "Bododian Express", a SR-71A from the USAF 9th SRW Det.4 at Mildenhall Air Base England in 1981. This particular aircraft had to make a landing at the emergency recovery base for European flights, Bodo, Norway in 1981. I found the full story of the emergency at the following website - http://www.wvi.com/~sr71webmaster/bodo.html

Front cover

McDonnell Douglas, F-4e/EJ/F/G/RF-4E Phantom II Striking Colour Schemes
Book Author(s)
JP Vieira
Review Author
Allan Murrell
Published on
Company
Mushroom Model Publications - MMP Books
MSRP
$24.00

This is a thin book with only 44 pages, but they are very high quality, and full of profile pictures of many striking color schemes used on various air force Phantoms.

The detailed color profiles are a joy to look at and present very unusual F-4E Phantom II camouflage and markings for 15 different aircraft.

I found this book fascinating and will be building at least five of the featured aircraft. This will be a fantastic reference for me to use.

I recommend this book to everyone who likes and or builds Phantom’s

Thanks go to MMP Books for providing this book to review and IPMS USA for allowing me to review it.

Package

SAC Yak-28 Firebar Landing Gear
Review Author
Rod Lees
Published on
Company
Scale Aircraft Conversions
Scale
1/48
MSRP
$17.95

Thanks to Ross at SAC for sending us improved metal landing gear for the new YAK-28 Firebar from a new manufacturer, Bobcat models, and thanks also to IPMS USA leadership for sending the SAC bits to me to review.

Another of SAC’s expansive line of white metal upgrades to basic kit plastic! The set consists of 15 parts: front and rear main gear, and replacements for the wing tip gear.