Stern Section

U.S. Navy Tanker

Color Scheme 2

Shiden-Kai N1K2-J "George" Late Type

Cockpit Detail - Rear View

TF-9J Cougar

Tool Details

Pz. Kpfw. V Panther Ausf. G "Last Production"

Parts

DAF YPR-765 PRAT Royal Netherlands Army

Nose Closeup

F-4J Phantom - Base Kit Construction, Part 1

Assembly 2

Tupolev Tu-141 Strizh

Left

U.S. Scooter - Airborne

Finished Model - Upper Right

Roland D.VIb

Aircraft

IJMNS Yamato, Part 2

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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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Package art and content

P-47 D Razorback Double D Jugs - Part 1
Review Author
Fred Amos
Published on
Company
Bombshell Decals
Scale
1/48
MSRP
$16.00

Bombshell Decals are a new product to me. I was pleasantly surprised to find the set I received for review to be very colorful and in good registry and covering two aircraft of one of my favorite modeling subjects, the Republic P-47 D Razorback.

One is an aircraft of the 352 FG at two different periods of World War Two. The main difference between the two is that one has the national insignia with a red border and the other with the blue border plus the number of kills.

The second aircraft is the Belle of Belmont of the 56 FG with invasion stripes, not included on the decal sheet. Both aircraft have the very suggestive and colorful nose art common on warplanes of the era.

The instruction sheet is in full color and showing the port side, top and bottom placement of the decals as well as an FS 595 color guide. Your model kit will provide the required stenciling decals.

Front cover

Victor Units of the Cold War
Book Author(s)
Andrew Brookes
Review Author
Jim Pearsall
Published on
Company
Osprey Publishing
MSRP
$22.95

The Victor was the second of the three “V Bombers”, Valiant, Victor and Vulcan, flown by the RAF in the nuclear strike role. When Surface to Air Missiles came onto the scene, the Victor became a low-level penetration aircraft. With the advent of the Blue Steel stand off missile, the mission became more feasible, but still sporty. This is when the camouflage changed from white overall to grey/green upper surfaces.

Box Art

U-511 Type IXC Turm I
Review Author
Steve Zajac
Published on
Company
Mirage Hobby
Scale
1/350
MSRP
$15.95

After producing several 1/400th U-boats, Mirage is now offering U-boats in the increasingly popular 1/350th scale. The U-511 was a Kriegsmarine long-range IX-C type submarine. The Turm-I variant included trial installation of a six tube Wurfkörper 42 artillery rocket launcher rack and improved 37mm and 20mm anti-aircraft armament. The kit features a 2-piece full hull, detailed exterior surfaces, conning tower with 2 periscopes and wintergarten, 10.5cm deck gun, display base, photo-etch parts (railings for all deck levels, anchor, cable cutter, WGr42 launcher base, ladders, screw blades and nameplate), and decals (U-511 bow placards and ensign). The completed model is approximately 8.6" long.

Cover

Steampunk Modeller, No. 1, Vol 1
Review Author
Tom Pope
Published on
Company
Steampunk Modeller
MSRP
$24.00

Introduction

"Steampunk", according to Wikipedia, "...is a sub-genre of science fiction, alternate history, and speculative fiction that came into prominence during the 1980s and early 1990s..." and "...involves an era or world where steam power is still widely used—usually the 19th century and often Victorian era Britain—that incorporates prominent elements of either science fiction or fantasy." "Works of steampunk often feature anachronistic technology or futuristic innovations as Victorians may have envisioned them; in other words, based on a Victorian perspective on fashion, culture, architectural style, art, etc. This technology may include such fictional machines as those found in the works of H. G. Wells and Jules Verne or real technologies like the computer but developed earlier in an alternate history." You can read more about it at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steampunk or just search the web.

Box Art

Star Wars Y-Wing Fighter
Review Author
Brian M. Neary
Published on
Company
Fine Molds
Scale
1/72
MSRP
$62.95

Editor's note: Dragon Models USA is the Fine Molds Models Importer in the USofA but this review author provided his own kit, out of pocket, for this review. The kit is currently very difficult to find on the retail market.

Pros:

  • Superbly engineered kit, very little filling or correcting will be needed.
  • Best kit of this subject ever released.

Cons:

  • Expensive, now increasingly hard to acquire. (I apologise for teasing you with the review)
  • Instructions in Japanese (note: may not actually be a con if you *are* Japanese)

Overall

A pricy kit but you get what you pay for in this case. Given the cost and the fact that viable alternatives are around, this not for a casual SW fan or model builder. Instead, this kit is for somebody who wants to do a really nice job on a Y-Wing fighter with a maximum of detail and a minimum of grief.