IPMS/USA Reviews

IPMS/USA Reviews

IPMS/USA Reviews

IPMS/USA Reviews

Building models since the age of 7, I’ve become known for my Bf-109s and helicopters. I currently run Werner’s Wings. I was previously the ‘star’ of the Master Class Model Building Video series. I’ve been published numerous times on various website, including Hyperscale and ARC. My work has been in FSM and Great Scale Modeling 2001, as well as, numerous other model magazines. I’m a published author with my Squadron/Signal Walkaround book on the Kiowa Warrior. My models have continuously won many regional and national awards. My unique model photography gives my models instant recognition for their historical perspective.

I’m a retired from the Army after 21 years of flying Cobras and Kiowa Warriors, including tours in Iraq, Bosnia, Korea, and Germany. I’m also a retired Flight Officer for the Baltimore City Police and flew their helicopters chasing bad guys. I’m currently flying Cobras and Hueys with the Army Aviation Heritage Foundation.

I’ve been married to my high school sweetheart, Yvonne, for 42 years. Our daughters have blessed us with six grandchildren. My passions continue to be his family, friends, helicopters, models and airplanes, especially the Bf-109 and my beloved AH-1 Cobra. My motto has always been - MODELING IS FUN!

IPMS Number

26266

Reviews By Author

	Arado Ar-196 Exhaust Published: October 13, 2010 Company: Quickboost Designed for the Italeri Ar-196, these new exhausts are molded in light grey resin and are absolutely beautiful. There are two exhausts that have thinned hollow ends which would be difficult to obtain on your own. Well at least difficult for me. Removal from the pour stub is simple enough and then it is just a matter of painting and installing. The exhausts will add to the look of your model. While designed for the Italeri kit, I’m sure that with very little work you could use this on the MPM kit as well. Highly recommended Thanks to Quickboost for the review copy. You can obtain yours by contacting them at www.quickboost.net. Let them know IPMS/USA sent you.
	P-47 Thunderbolt Intercooler Exhaust Published: October 13, 2010 Company: Quickboost The Tamiya P-47D, whether the Razorback or Bubbletop, is a great kit, but the intercoolers are non-existent and are see through. Quickboost fixes this in an easy and inexpensive way. Molded in light grey resin, these two exhausts are just inserted into the model and this will prevent the "see-through" effect, offering a more accurate look to your model. The inexpensive price tag will make this a requirement for this great kit. Highly recommended Thanks to Quickboost for the review copy. You can obtain yours by contacting them at www.quickboost.net. Let them know IPMS/USA sent you.
	Fw-190A Markings Published: October 13, 2010 Company: Eagle Editions Ltd. Eagle Editions is notorious for everything Luftwaffe and their expertise is world renowned so this latest release from them is very welcomed. This sheet features four FW-190As, three A-3s and an A-2 and is also available in 1/32^ndscale for the new Pacific Coast Model. Printed by Cartograf the decals are thin and respond well to any setting solution, this single sheet is quite colorful. I’ve used the Microscale system, Gunze Mr. Mark Softer and Walther’s Solvaset on Cartograf decals before without any problems. The decals are printed in perfect register and contain the markings for the four aircraft and stencils for one complete aircraft. My sheet contained swastikas but overseas buyers may or may not receive them depending on your local laws. The… more
	Spitfire Mk.XIVc Cockpit Set Published: October 12, 2010 Company: Aires Hobby Models The Academy Spitfire Mk.XIVc is a really nice kit but it is let down by the cockpit. Aires rectifies that with this new set. Molded in light grey and tan resin that is blemish and bubble free the amount of detail is impressive. The casting is flawless and some of the undercuts are really deep. I don’t know how they can do it. Besides the 12 pieces of resin there is a film for the instruments and a fret of photo etch. The breakdown is logical and well thought out. The hardest part of the whole conversion will be the need to thin down the side kit sidewalls. Everything else is just as simple as removing the parts from the pour stubs and assembling them. The resin parts are precisely made and look fantastic. If you have this kit you’ll want this interior. Simple yet… more
	EagleCal Decals - FW-190A's Published: October 12, 2010 Company: Eagle Editions Ltd. The early FW-190As have been overlooked in large scale, that is until Pacific Coast Models released theirs. Now the modeler can build any one of the early short-nosed 190As. Eagle Editions is well known for Luftwaffe reference material, excellent resin and decals. This release is no different. Designed for the Pacific Coast early Focke Wulfs, these decals are printed in perfect register by Cartograf. I’ve come to regard Cartograf as THE best decals in the world; certainly the best I’ve used. They are thin and react well with all known setting solutions. There are two decal sheets; one that contains the individual markings for the aircraft, and one sheet of stencils and ‘common’ decals such as the crosses. The instructions are printed on double sided 11 x 17… more
	Junkers Ju-87D-5N Night Exhaust Type C Published: October 11, 2010 Company: Quickboost The Hasegawa Stuka kits are really nice. They could use some help when it comes to the night bomber variants. That is where Quickboost comes in. They offer three different variants of the night bomber exhausts. This particular exhaust, Type C, is shaped at an angle with beautiful detail inside the front and rear parts. Molded in bubble free light grey plastic with exquisite detail, these exhausts will add to the unique look of your Stuka. Simply cut the parts from the pour stub and paint. Easy and effective. Of course you’ll have to check your references to determine which exhaust is right for your aircraft. I recommend you read over “Ghost Bombers”. (ISBN-13:978-1903223154). This provides plenty of motivational reading and drawings. Highly… more
	Fw-190 Flaps Published: October 11, 2010 Company: Quickboost It is no surprise that I love the Eduard FW-190 kits. I’ve built enough of them to know that I will build more of them. The recent release of the D-9, D-11/13 variants has done nothing to deter this view. One way to set your 190 from the others is to lower the flaps which is seen frequently on operational aircraft. Molded in light grey resin these flaps have two parts per wing. The conversion set is easy enough to do. After removing the parts from the resin pour blocks simply add the wing stiffeners to the upper wing. There is no cutting here. Simply remove the flaps from the lower wing and add the exquisitely molded flaps. Lightening holes and really thin doublers are just beautiful done and will add to your model. It is a lot simpler than having to bend photo etch and is just… more
	FW-190A & F Wing Root Gun Covers Closed Published: October 8, 2010 Company: Loon Models Eduard’s FW-190s are some of my favorite models. One ‘nitpicky’ thing is that you have to cut open the wing root gun covers so that the kit parts will fit in a closed position. Sometimes this results in a less than perfect fit, depending on how well you cut them. Well you don’t have to do it anymore. Loon Models provides the two covers with the trailing edges suitably thinned so you no longer have to cut into the wings. This will make that whole process so much simpler and ensure a perfect fit. Molded in light yellow resin that is blemish free these are easy additions to the kit. Highly recommended. Thanks to Loon Models for the review copy. Tell them IPMS/USA sent you. Note: Loon Models is the “house-brand” for Roll Models, Inc.
	Polish Air Force 1939 Through German Eyes Vol. 1 Published: September 8, 2010 Book Author(s): Andrzej Glass & Tomasz J. Kopanski Company: Stratus This softbound book contains 264 pages of high quality photos taken by German occupiers printed on high quality paper. What I did not know was that pre-war Polish security concerns prohibited photos from being taken from 1937 until the war. That is why there are, according to the authors, only around 25 photos of pre-war Polish aircraft. Then after the invasion anyone seen taking photos was suspected of spying and detained, plenty of reason that there are so few photos. The German photos became the only source of knowledge and markings from the Polish Air Force. The quality of photos is very high even though most of the aircraft are in states of disrepair. Broken down into the various regions there are ten chapters. There are recon photos and drawings of the various airfields… more
	X-Wing Fighter Published: September 2, 2021 Company: Fine Molds Is there anybody on earth that hasn't heard of Star Wars? Released in 1977, the George Lucas film changed the genre of Sci-Fi forever. One of the biggest stars of the show was the Incom Corporation T-65 X-Wing Space Superiority Fighter, or just X-Wing for short. When flown by the infamous Red Squadron, the X-Wing was able to fight its way to the Death Star and "then maneuver straight down this trench" and launch a proton torpedo and destroy the Death Star. This specific movie event solidified the X-Wing's place in history, or at least in the mind of this young 15 year old boy. Fine Molds has released a fantastic 1/72nd kit of the X-Wing, but this 1/48th kit takes the level of detail to an even higher level. The kit is molded on six sprues of light grey plastic with no flash… more