1:72 M1127 Stryker Reconnaissance Vehicle (RV)

The reconnaissance Stryker in 1:72

An injection-molded kit of the M1127 Stryker armored vehicle in 1:72 scale. Trumpeter prepared it as part of its modern American vehicle line in a small scale, where the vehicle suits a display case as well as a tabletop battlefield. The smaller scale also pleases because the finished model does not take up half a shelf.

What the Stryker RV is

The Stryker family is derived from a Canadian eight-wheeled chassis and the US Army introduced it for rapidly deployable brigades. The RV version serves reconnaissance units: it carries observers with optics and communications equipment who watch the ground ahead of their own forces. There is usually a remote controlled weapon station with a heavy machine gun or an automatic grenade launcher on the roof. All-wheel drive allows high speeds to be kept up on paved roads.

Building recommendation

A small model forgives less in the cleanliness of the seams, so sand with fine paper and fill with a thin filler rather than a thick one. Glue the wheels on only after the hull has been sprayed; that saves you masking the tires. Modern vehicles are not as dirty as machines from the fighting of the last century, so use weathering sparingly and concentrate it into dust on the fenders and around the entry steps. Take care of the optics with a drop of clear varnish.

Who the model is for

• Collectors of current American armored vehicles
• Modelers who prefer a small scale
• Tabletop gamers looking for faithful models
• Builders of scenes from current missions

The package holds plastic parts. To finish it, have glue, paints and basic tools ready.