Fenders

M103A2 Heavy Tank

Multi-Media Parts - Springs and Brass Tubing

Universal Carrier Mk.II

Interior of tank

Tiran 4 Late Type

Finished

P-51B Mustang Deluxe Set

Fully assembled engine being installed in chassis

Kenworth W-900 Wrecker

Finished

Beaufort Mk. I

Finished Halftrack - Engine Detail

Sd.Kfz.10/4 fur 2cm FlaK 30, 1940 Production w/Ammo Trailer

USS New Jersey

USS New Jersey & USS Essex

Underside

SBD-5 Dauntless Limited Edition

Front view

C-17A Globemaster III

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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.

Manufacturer picture

Merlin Engine Set for Mosquito FB VI

Review Author
Rod Lees
Published on
Company
Eduard
Scale
1/32
MSRP
$84.95

As usual, IPMS USA are, as usual, appreciative to Eduard for kindly providing an outstanding example of one of their new items to review, and to the IPMS USA reviewer corps leaders for sending it to me..

This set is one of the few times I have opened a box and said “what HAVE I gotten myself into?” Yes, I asked for it, but the answer is because I thought it would be a cool addition to the kit. I didn’t realize how much there was to this set…

Enclosed are several pages of drawings and detailed instructions, and two complete engines along with cowling, hoses, and some wiring runs. Boxes galore, magnetos, supercharger with more defined details… it’s a true miniature of the Merlin.

Package

Jet Provost T.3 Landing Gear (Airfix)
Review Author
Rod Lees
Published on
Company
Scale Aircraft Conversions
Scale
1/72
MSRP
$11.95

Thanks to Ross at SAC for sending us improved metal landing gear for the new 1/72 Airfix Jet provost T.3, and thanks also to IPMS USA leadership for sending it to me.

Another of SAC’s expansive line of white metal upgrades to the basic kit plastic! The set consists of six parts: Two duplicate sets of main struts and nose gear for the kit.

Not much to say here; build your kit, leave off the kit gear, and install the SAC gear. Paint, add the painted wheels, paint the nose tire, and you are done.

You can see by the ‘before and after painting” pictures that I’m getting old and sloppy, but you get the idea. The nose gear has the anti-shimmy tire incorporated along with the gear, which makes it a better option because the kit gear has the tire split to account for the raised side portions of the anti-shimmy tire. It’s easier!

Box Top

Mig-31 BM/BSM Foxhound (Limited edition)
Review Author
Jim Coatney
Published on
Company
Avantgarde Model Kits
Scale
1/48
MSRP
$89.95

The Mikoyan MiG-31 (NATO reporting name: Foxhound) is a supersonic interceptor aircraft developed for use by the Soviet Air Forces. The aircraft was designed by the Mikoyan design bureau as a replacement for the earlier MiG-25 "Foxbat"; the MiG-31 is based on, and shares design elements with the MiG-25. The MiG-31 has the distinction of being one of the fastest combat jets in the world.

Package

Junkers Ju 88 Landing Gear & Engine Supports
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 ICM/Special Hobby JU-88, and thanks also to IPMS USA leadership for sending it to me.

Another of SAC’s expansive line of white metal upgrades to the basic kit plastic! The set consists of 11 parts: Two main struts, one tail gear strut/retraction cylinder, wheel/tire assembly, six gear strut supports, and two engine supports for the kit.

The ICM kit contains two complete engine assemblies in addition to the basic kit. I used a set of replacement resin cowing and exhausts for the inaccurate kit cowl intakes, so I was not able to use the engine supports. I did, however, appreciate the strength provided by the metal gear after using the resin parts for the kit. With the thin nature of the gear axles in plastic, this would eventually be a failure point for the completed model. Not with SAC gear.

Product picture

Vietnamese SPADS Part 2 VNAF AD-6/A-1H Skyraiders in the Vietnam War
Review Author
Dave Morrissette
Published on
Company
AOA Decals
Scale
1/32
MSRP
$20.00

AOA Decals specializes in top quality, thoroughly researched decal sheets from the Vietnam War era. This is wonderful with all the new kit releases, as there are now more options for markings. Inside the package, there are full color profiles and notes about all eleven sets of markings, and two large colorful decal sheets printed by Cartograf. The sheet covers South Vietnamese Air Force AD-6/A1-H Skyraiders in 1/32 scale, with the recommended kit being Trumpeter or Zoukei-Mura. Detail and notes abound in the set, including notes on each specific plane, its color and markings, and any specifics about the plane. In fact, two of the markings represent Skyraiders that were retrofitted with the Yankee extraction system. The time frame involved is from the early 1960’s to 1970. Minimal stenciling is included also.

The schemes represented cover both four overall gull gray and seven camouflaged planes from the following squadrons: