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
Gary Telecsan
Published on
August 9, 2011
Company
Model Art
MSRP
$18.00

This special Summer edition from Model Art Modeling Magazine is primarily dedicated to the IJN Myoko-class Heavy Cruiser. Fully 99 pages of the total 136 are devoted to photos, history, and kit reviews. Included is a magnificent set of 1/350th scale plans for the Myoko, and builds in 1/350th are reviewed for Myoko, Haguro and Nachi illustrating not only differences in sisters in the same class, but changes and upgrade through the years. A 1/700th review of a build of 4 cruisers is included with photo coverage and a number of pages devoted to the aircraft carried by this class from pre-war through to the end. There is also pull-out art work, and wartime photos to match kits reviewed.

The new kit section reviews CVE-73, a Japanese carrier, and the Revell SS Oriana in some detail.

Review Author
Jim Pearsall
Published on
November 18, 2021
Company
Dragon Models
Scale
1/144
MSRP
$12.95

The J-20 is a prototype of the Chinese fifth-generation fighter. It is called a stealth fighter, and it has many of the characteristics of a truly stealthy aircraft, including occluded intakes, an internal armament store, and radar-absorbent outer skin. As it is now configured, most experts say it isn’t truly stealthy as the engine exhausts are not low-observable technology for either IR or radar. There is speculation that new engines and exhausts will be added after the airframe has moved further toward production.

The prototype flew in January of 2011. Dragon’s kit is now available 6 months later. That’s fast work.

The Kit

At first look, this is a simple kit, but the box art states that it’s for skilled modelers, age 14 and over. It’s nicely molded in flash-free gray plastic with 3 sprues of parts, the canopy, and a tiny decal sheet.

Review Author
Tim Hortman
Published on
August 9, 2011
Company
Twobobs Aviation Graphics
Scale
1/48
MSRP
$14.00

Two Bobs Aviation Graphics continues to release decals to celebrate the special paint schemes that the US Navy is using to celebrate the 100th Anniversary of Flight (Centennial of Naval Aviation, or CONA). Each decal sheet contains markings for these special aircraft and a 3” sticker with the CONA official logo. Two Bobs actually has an official licensing agreement with the Navy to bring these decals to us in the hobby world! As always, this Two Bobs release features decals which are thin, crisp, and in perfect register.

Review Author
Tim Hortman
Published on
August 9, 2011
Company
Twobobs Aviation Graphics
Scale
1/48
MSRP
$14.00

Two Bobs Aviation Graphics continues to release decals to celebrate the special paint schemes that the US Navy is using to celebrate the 100th Anniversary of Flight (Centennial of Naval Aviation or CONA). Each decal sheet contains markings for these special aircraft, and a 3” sticker with the CONA official logo. Two Bobs actually has an official licensing agreement with the Navy to bring these decals to us in the hobby world! As always, this Two Bobs release features decals which are thin, crisp, and in perfect register.

This decal sheet covers two VFA-106 Gladiators Hornets from NAS Oceana seen in December 2010.

Review Author
Perry Downen
Published on
August 9, 2011
Company
Twobobs Aviation Graphics
Scale
1/48
MSRP
$14.00

Snakes and Dragons. What an interesting title for a set of decals – two sets, as a matter of fact. The “snakes” portion of the title refers to the VFA-86 Sidewinders, MCAS Beaufort, NC, as of January, 2011. The “dragons” segment refers to the VFA-192 Golden Dragons, NAS Atsugi, Japan in October, 2009.