M1126 Stryker

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M1126 Stryker
Ref. # 13411
Scale: 1/72
Manufacturer: Academy
Price: £7.99
Material: Styrene

To see higher resolution photographs used in this preview, please see the GALLERY ALBUM.

Introduction

Academy Hobby Model Kits of Korea have made a name for themselves in the middle rank of producers of injection moulded armour kits. They continue to improve though, and it won't be too long before they're ranked with the best. Although they have a range of 1/35th, 1/48th and even 1/25th scale armour, I'm unaware of them delving into the 1/72nd scale market before....although I'm probably wrong!

The kit

Right! It's a Stryker! And despite the current plethora of kits being released in the larger scale by other manufacturers, I still haven't built one and I only just know what one looks like...so I'm going to comment on the plastic, not on the accuracy...because I wouldn't know any difference. If you feel you can review this kit and then build it for the site, then please drop me a line.

The kit arrives in a smallish box, each sprue bagged up in a poly bag. There are two sprues of olive green styrene, along with a separate lower and upper hull and a small decal sheet.

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Although not that familiar with the Stryker, I am fairly familiar with this scale, and I have to say that the detail on this kit is second to none and ranks with the best. Although, as you would expect, a lot of the fine detail is moulded in-situ, it's extremely well done, and a skilled paint job should produce a replica that could proudly sit on any collectors shelf.

The lower hull, as mentioned, is supplied as a separate part, onto which a rear wall is fixed along with running gear etc. The wheels are supplied in two halves, and removal of the seam may present a problem as it cuts across the tread detail. Although separate access hatches are supplied, there's no detail on their inside surfaces, and there's a couple of ejector pin marks on each that would need removing if you decide to display them opened.

Although there's a separate spade supplied to install onto it's storage brackets, other tools are moulded already in place. I must admit that's one thing I've never been able to understand at this scale, and other manufacturers are guilty of the same thing. I can understand them all being moulded in place, or all being supplied separately, but only one or two being supplied separately puzzles me?

Decals are supplied for two vehicles, one from US Army, E Company, 2nd Squadron, 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment in Germany, and the other a generic US army vehicle based in South Korea in 2003. Although it looks to be of fair quality, one of the decals looks slightly out of register but close enough that it probably wouldn't be noticed once applied.

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Conclusion

I just know that somebody will probably post that there's all sorts of things wrong with this Stryker! Have to say though...it looks like a neat little kit, and will still give somebody hours of fun building and painting it. And that's what really matters.

Thanks to Toyway Ltd., for the review sample, importers of Academy kits to the UK. To see the full range of Academy kits then please see their website: ACADEMY.