Hey all. This is my first completed Modern build, the Trumpeter M1133 Stryker MEV. I bought this kit probably 8-10 years ago; the red crosses caught my eye and it became the first modern vehicle in my stash, now numbering a couple dozen or so. Since I don’t believe AFV Club did the M1133 the Trumpy kit is it unless you’re up for a conversion, which I’m not. Anyway, this was another shelf Queen that I finally brought to the goal posts.
Jimbo
Saved from the pile of shame! Bravo!
Excellent job Jim. I have a couple of Strykers in the stash and hope to get to them soon.
Thanks fellas; ignore the stray dog hair in that front view LOL. That’ll teach me 
Jimbo
So i have three variations of that platform by them In my stash. Anything assembly wise/instructions/part wise to watch out for or to take into account during assembly?
Hi Chris;
I performed most of the assembly some years ago. But I did make some notes in the instructions, most likely tips taken from reviews found elsewhere (or even quite possibly the original Armorama). Of course these all pertain to the M1133, I don’t have any of the other versions. But I’m pretty sure these will apply.
Assuming the lower hull assembly is the same or very similar between variants, when you glue parts WC13 and 14 (small slivers of bolt-on armor [?] at the lower front corners), watch for the fit of parts A33 x2, the ribs for attaching the towing shackles. They ‘slot’ in between WC13 & 14 and B31, the main lower front armor panel.
On the upper deck, at the junction of the center and rear segments, check the install of part WB-25 with the fit of the Commanders Hatch.
On the left side, check the assembly of parts WG20, 21, 29 & 30 for squareness during assembly.
That’s pretty much all I have specifically. I used the Trumpeter-branded Detail add-on set for the M1126 Stryker (PE-06603) as it has a great deal of supplemental photo-etch - even still I didn’t use a lot of it. I added SKP lenses.
Check references - typically only the front left wheel had a step ring; Trumpeter would have you add one to every wheel.
You can do surgery and articulate the front four wheels - I wish I had, but this will eventually be a load for a semi; maybe an M1000, so no need for turned wheels.
They don’t provide a shackle or eyelet for the winch cable; I turned a small eyelet on my lathe and secured it to my cable (which I made from ship rigging cord, much nicer than the typical Trumpy dental floss). I was concerned about being able to glue it and keep the tension; I was able to wedge a toothpick in next to it and it held it perfectly until dry.
These models can really stand to have ‘bent’ antenna springs as the antennas are very often seen tied down, requiring a bent spring. Someone posted somewhere a 3D printed set.
I used extra AFV Club lens material for the periscopes to give them that color changing effect, though every photo I found they appear red.
If I think of more I’ll post it!
Jimbo
Super job with this vehicle!
The Stryker’s made their “Combat” debut by first stopping in the base in Kuwait I was flying out of. Camp Udairi was about 12 Ks from the Iraqi border. They were being fitted out with anti RPG wire grates.
They figured it was a one size fits all solution that didn’t quite work out. All the Steyrer models were slightly different. It was taking 24 hrs of work to outfit one vehicle with the Anti RPG screens.
What was interesting as the vehicles drove past it was practically silent. The insurgents started calling them ghosts.
Fascinating vehicle.
