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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
Jeffrey Brown
Published on
December 19, 2011
Company
Eduard
Scale
1/48
MSRP
$34.95

Okay, I stepped up to review this since nobody else asked, nor volunteered. I have never used a Big Ed add-on before and I have a Tamiya A6M3 so I thought, “Why not try it?” When the Big Ed arrived, I opened it with joy like a kid at Christmas who had a good year with Santa. Then, while looking at the instructions, I realized I had the new Tamiya Zero and this Big Ed is for Tamiya’s OLD A6M3 Hamp kit. So, for a few months, I watched a bunch of these kits on eBay sell for more than I could pay. I have been unemployed for two and a half years now, so I don’t get to buy kits any more unless I can get them for under five bucks. Earlier this week I was able to borrow an old Tamiya Zero so we can at least get the review done. Of course, that Zero did not arrive until today...

Review Author
Ed Kinney
Published on
December 19, 2011
Company
Air Modeller
MSRP
$14.95

This issue is one I’ve been looking forward to for a while now, and the reason is the subject on the cover…Zoukei Mura’s beautiful new 1/32nd scale A-1H Skyraider! In addition to a full 10 page build article, there is also included a ten page walkaround with numerous photos in both color and black and white. Without a doubt, this is likely the most impressive array of interesting subject matter, well documented build articles, and some of the handiest tips and techniques. The contents of this issue are as follows:

Review Author
Mike Hinderliter
Published on
December 19, 2011
Company
Quickboost
Scale
1/72
MSRP
$11.95

Quickboost just keeps adding to their growing line of quality resin aircraft accessories. This time they have put out a nice set of propellers for the Academy B-24 Liberator. They are molded in grayish resin, smooth, seamless and bubble-free.

The propellers that come in the Academy kit are okay but lack the level of detail that the Quickboost propellers have. The Quickboost ones are just more believable when you look at the finished kit. When you compare them, the Quickboost hub detail is superior and the tool that they include ensures that you have the right pitch. Installing them is also no problem and they could go on almost any other B-24 kit.

I highly recommend this product if you want a really superior-looking model. Thanks to Quickboost and IPMS USA for the chance to do this review.

Review Author
Marc K. Blackburn
Published on
December 19, 2011
Company
Trumpeter
Scale
1/35
MSRP
$43.99

Short History

From the side of the box, Trumpeter provides the following history of the BTR: “The Russian BTR-50 is a Soviet amphibious armoured personnel carrier based on the PT-76 amphibious light tank chassis. The BTR-50 was tracked, unlike most members of the BTR series, which were wheeled. Like the PT-76, the BTR-50 has a flat, boat-shaped hull. Unlike the PT-76 it has a new superstructure added to the front of the vehicle. The engine used in the BTR-50 is the V-6 6-cylinder water-cooled diesel engine developing 240 hp (179 kW) at 1800 rpm gives it a road speed of 44 km/h with a cruising range of 400 km. BTR-50PK is armed with a pintle-mounted 7.62 mm SGMB machine gun. This variant has an NBC production system.”

What’s in the box?

Review Author
Mike Hinderliter
Published on
December 19, 2011
Company
Quickboost
Scale
1/72
MSRP
$4.95

Quickboost has added exhausts for the Academy Hellcat F6F-3/5 to its like of detail sets. They are molded in grayish resin, smooth, seamless and bubble-free.

The exhausts that come in the Eduard kit are okay but just lack the level of detail that the Quickboost parts have. The Quickboost parts are really superior. The biggest plus is that the ends are hollowed out, while the Eduard exhausts are not. This can really save you a lot of time if you were going to hollow out the kit parts, not to mention how great they will look on the finished model. The Quickboost parts for the Eduard Hellcat aren’t just drop-in parts like a lot of other Quickboost parts. The exhausts on the Eduard kit are molded onto the fuselage and will need to be cut and sanded off. Once this bit of surgery is out of the way, you will be very happy with the resulting improvement.