Reviews of products for scale figures and diorama models.

Book Author(s)
Richard Marmo
Review Author
Orlando Reyes
Published on
October 15, 2023
Company
Richard Marmo
MSRP
$3.99

This is a PDF book that describes how to build a scratchbuilt a 1/64 scale Five Bay Vehicle shed. The book is divided into 18 sections and starts with an Introduction, followed by a detailed way of building the shed. The author shows the builder how to get started, basic tools and then follows a detailed description of how to build the structure. He starts at the foundation of the building followed with cutting the pipes, adding substance to the floor of the building and step by step how to cut and install te beams and walls. In addition he talks about the vehicles he added to the building and ends with the construction of the structure and how to install the rafters and roof, as well as the finishing touches. The last four sections are divided by a small history and benefits of joining IPMS/USA, as well as a short bio of the author. The author ends the book with a roster of the guides he has created, as well as a small request for the "wants and needs" that the reader may want.

Review Author
Will Kuhrt
Published on
October 14, 2023
Company
ICM
Scale
1/35
MSRP
$18.47

The Kit

Once again, ICM has come out with another excellent diorama set. The 8 cm Grantawerfer 34 was the standard infantry mortar throughout World War II and was noted for its accuracy and rapid rate of fire.

Inside the box you will find three gray sprues sealed in plastic. Tree A contains finely molded figure parts. Sprue W1 contains weapons and gear. The third sprue is identifiable only with numbered parts for the grenade launcher, rifles, ammo boxes, etc. The parts are all flash free and are very nicely detailed.

A double-sided glossy assembly guide is provided. Color callouts are easy to spot – red capital letters inside of red boxes -- and they correspond to Revell and Tamiya paints. In addition to color callouts, weapon and gear placements are indicated. The full color figure illustrations only show one view, i.e., right-side view, front view, etc. You will need to do research on your own to get gear placement truly accurate.

Review Author
Michael Reeves
Published on
October 14, 2023
Company
Green Stuff World
Scale
22mm
MSRP
$5.10

Green Stuff World is a recent addition to IPMS’ review line, and it is welcome indeed. They make amazing modeling tools and products to aid you with your models and dioramas. In the case of this line, there is a vinyl sheet full of these tufts. I am reviewing the three here:

  • Burnt
  • Dry
  • Beige

There are also Light, Winter, and Dark varieties.

Review Author
Gino Dykstra
Published on
October 13, 2023
Company
ICM
Scale
N/A
MSRP
$24.95

Anyone familiar with my modeling work is aware of my aversion to water-based paints. When acrylic paints first came on the market, I tested several types and found them indifferently opaque and tending to extreme fragility. As a commercial figure painter, I simply didn’t trust them to stand up to the rigors of customer handling.

Review Author
Gino Dykstra
Published on
October 8, 2023
Company
ICM
Scale
1:35
MSRP
$79.99

I’ve always had a soft spot in my heart for the Civil War era, as this is the period in history that my father taught at the university. ICM has really delivered in this area, offering no less than four different infantry figure sets, each with a superb sprue of associated equipment, making it very easy to convert these figures as you choose.

ICM has now taken this a step further in introducing a full set of all four kits along with their associated gear for a total of sixteen figures and four equipment sprues. As you might guess, this is a real boon for figure modelers and certainly guarantees a good number of modeling nights in the garage for this particular enthusiast.

Review Author
Peter Bucher
Published on
September 7, 2023
Company
Green Stuff World
Scale
n/a
MSRP
$19.47

I received the Liquid Pigments Earth set from Green Stuff World (GSW). They are pigments formulated in a liquid form. The six colors represent various types of earth colors and are Desert Earth, Ochre Earth, Light Earth, Medium Earth, Dark Earth, and Burnt Earth and you receive 6 bottles of Liquid Pigments - 17 ml. in each bottle.

Upon opening the paint, I found they are very thin and watery but also very opaque. Each bottle has a shaker inside to help you with shaking and evenly distribute the pigments in the liquid.

Review Author
Doug Cole
Published on
August 10, 2023
Company
Atlantis Model Company
Scale
1:4
MSRP
$32.99

Atlantis Models gets credit for another Tom Daniel classic save by resurrecting the Glowing Ghost of the Red Baron kit Atlantis M6742-Model Kit. At 1:4 scale it’s easy to work with and It’s a great kit for beginners too.

Attesting to its popularity the kit’s been re-released a few times in various versions as well as, but this fresh new 2023 offering by Atlantis Models is the first reissue in decades.

Originally released as kit #PC220 in 1969, and according to Tom, “I thought we could do something fun with the chrome helmet again (at the time) and sketched out this skeleton "ghost" design on a place mat at a Mexican restaurant.”

Also included is a beautiful new waterslide decal sheet featuring the Iron Cross markings from WWI and a rubber band to activate the “bobble bone” and invoke the jittering eyeballs.

The original, “far out” instructions now printed in red and black, detail the 10,740 steps required for construction.

Review Author
Gino Dykstra
Published on
August 2, 2023
Company
ICM
Scale
1/35
MSRP
$24.99

No one can argue that being a war correspondent is anything but dangerous work. Journalists who choose this branch of their profession face death, kidnapping, torture and more on a regular basis, as well as dealing with the repercussions this activity can have on their family lives back home. All of this is especially true in this age, where the “Press” label affords far less protection than it has in the past.

ICM is no stranger to controversial or challenging subjects, and this package offers a selection of figures that can be utilized in a wide variety of contemporary settings, not just the Ukrainian conflict. This set includes a camerawoman, a video cameraman, an interviewer with microphone and a standing Ukrainian soldier. I believe the journalists are supposed to represent international correspondents (rather than Ukrainian) as the PRESS markings are in English on both their helmets and vests.

Review Author
Andy Taylor
Published on
July 26, 2023
Company
ICM
Scale
1:35
MSRP
$26.00

ICM continues to announce new models despite the ongoing Russian initiated war in Ukraine. While most subjects released by ICM are welcome, the current conflict subjects are even more relevant and welcome. When anything military engineer-related hits the market, I am intrigued; this kit is a double hit for me.

Unexploded munitions, Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs), booby traps and mines are hallmarks of modern warfare. Breaching obstacles and cleaning up battlefields often fall to sappers and combat engineers. This fantastic ICM kit begs to be opened upon arrival. Upon opening the colorful lid and cover of the typical sturdy ICM box, there is a reinforced white inner box that does a good job of protecting the single sprue containing the three Sapper figures and dog, along with an advertisement folder for ICM acrylic paints.

Review Author
Michael Reeves
Published on
July 22, 2023
Company
ICM
Scale
1/16
MSRP
$28.20

ICM continues to pump out interesting new kits and paint sets despite being in a brutal war that has lasted 487 days as I sit here typing this review up. The subject here is one in a growing line of 1/16 scale figure kits- Soldier of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Highly praised by military experts around the world, the Ukrainian army is now considered to be among the best trained and skilled in the world thanks to its experience fighting modern combat.

What’s Inside the Box

The kit comes as the standard ICM kit does—with a colorful box top that slides off of an enclosed cardboard box with flap. Parts were packaged well and details were crisp with no flash to speak of.