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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.

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Review Author
Chris Smith
Published on
November 29, 2023
Company
Italeri
Scale
1:24
MSRP
$61.99

Italeri offers us a reissue of a kit first released in 1977 by ESCI. The B.M.W. 320 ran in a new group 5 class introduced in 1976. Regarded by driving enthusiasts as one of the best cars ever made, the three series was a natural for conversion to racing. Group five rules allowed wider body width which in turn allowed wider tires. This car ran a two-liter turbo charged engine making 300 horsepower. In this boxing you get the number 57 car driven by Markus Hottinger at the Deutsche Rennsport Meisterschaft (DRM) Norisring circuit, Nuremberg in 1978.

Review Author
Dave Morrissette
Published on
November 28, 2023
Company
Iliad Design
Scale
1:48
MSRP
$14.00

Iliad Designs makes a bunch of decals with really great schemes in all the popular scales. The object of this set is the P-38J with several kits being available. I had a Tamiya kit looking for some markings so I jumped at the chance to review the decals.

Inside the package there is a single sheet of well printed decals with two full color instructions sheets with profiles of the plane and details associated with the plane as well as top and bottom profiles. There are markings for five planes covering everything from natural metal, OD over neutral gray and one with medium sea gray and a black bottom. Note that ONLY the markings are included. Stencils and all need to be sourced from the kit or elsewhere. The markings are:

  • P-38J, 79th FS, 20th FG June 1944, “Gentle Annie”

  • P-38J, 80th FS, 8th FG, New Guinea, Late 1944

  • P-38J 7th FG, United Kingdom, Experimental Intruder scheme (Medium Sea Grey and Black) “Miss Ann”

Book Author(s)
Andrew Woodmansey
Review Author
Chris Smith
Published on
November 28, 2023
Company
Pen & Sword
MSRP
$52.95

A good book takes you to places you’ve never been and opens your perspective in ways you might never have considered. This book does just that with an object so ubiquitous that we don’t really notice them, the recreational vehicle or RV. Andrew Woodmansey has written a book that takes us on a worldwide historical journey tracing the origin and development of these vehicles.

Review Author
Dave Morrissette
Published on
November 28, 2023
Company
HAD Models
Scale
1:48
MSRP
$19.00

HAD Models is a group out of the Budapest Hungary and specializes in decals and masking sets for aircraft kits in the all-major scales from 1/144 to 1/35. They range from WWII to modern era planes. This set is in 1/48th scale and covers F-14A’s from the VF-41 Black Aces. Markings are included for seven unique planes:

Book Author(s)
Didier Andres
Review Author
Andy Taylor
Published on
November 28, 2023
Company
Casemate Publishers
MSRP
$39.95

Noted author and defense consultant, Steven Zaloga, is well known to armor modelers the world over. He wrote this about the Ford M8 armored car,

The M8 light armored car is a 6×6 armored car produced by the Ford Motor Company during World War II. It was used from 1943 by United States and British forces in Europe and the Pacific until the end of the war. The vehicle was widely exported and as of 2006 still remained in service with some countries.

Author Didier Andres’ book “U.S. Army Ford M8 and M20 Armored Cars”, is a detailed, fascinating and photographic insight into the Ford M8 and M20 armored cars in the European Theater in WWII. The book is complete with extensive photographs, technical details and specifications, and detailed illustrations, composing the following five chapters:

  • Chapter 1. The Genesis of Light Armored Cars

    • 1914-18

    • 1928-34