1:72 M1133 Stryker MEV

M1133 Stryker MEV 1:72 — a Trumpeter plastic kit

An injection-molded plastic kit of the American wheeled armored vehicle M1133 Stryker MEV in 1:72 scale from Trumpeter. The model belongs to the Stryker family of vehicles, which Trumpeter has long offered in this scale. The box contains plastic sprues, decal sheets and building instructions. Paints and glue are not included.

The real subject

The Stryker is an American eight-wheeled (8x8) armored personnel carrier that forms the backbone of the Stryker Brigade Combat Teams. The family of vehicles is built on a common chassis and the variants differ in their superstructure and equipment according to the task. The M1133 MEV version (Medical Evacuation Vehicle) is a medical evacuation vehicle — in practice an armored ambulance. It differs from the combat versions above all in carrying no main armament and no infantry section: the hull space is taken up by a medical interior with mountings for stretchers, room for treating the wounded and space for medical personnel. The striking external recognition feature is the raised hull roof, which creates the headroom needed inside. The task of the MEV is to evacuate the wounded from the area of combat contact to field medical facilities where an unprotected ambulance would not survive.

Building and painting tips

This is a classic injection-molded polystyrene kit — glue with liquid modeling cement for plastic, which wicks into the joint by capillary action and does not fill the detail. First assemble and, if you wish, paint the chassis and the lower hull, and only then close the hull up; once it is glued they are hard to reach. Apply a thin surfacer (primer) before painting — at a small scale it reveals sanding marks and evens out the surface. Spray the base shade with an airbrush in thin coats. For weathering, a dark wash into the recesses and rivets works well, followed by dry pigments for dust and mud around the wheels and wheel arches. Do the markings and color schemes according to the instructions supplied by the manufacturer.

Who the model is for

• Modelers interested in contemporary American vehicles and wheeled armor
• Collectors of 1:72 scale who are building a complete Stryker family
• Builders of dioramas on the theme of medical evacuation and rear support
• Moderately advanced modelers — the small scale calls for care with the small parts

The model is supplied unassembled and unpainted. Glue, paints and accessories are not included in the package, unless stated otherwise.