I am in the planning stages for a 1/35 diorama of a ICV Stryker(w/ slat armor) and I was planning on having a 4-6 man squad dismounting out the back door. I have got all my research and refrences in place for the stryker and interior, but the 2005 Iraq Soldier trumpeter set was about the most modern set I could find, I was thinking of getting this set and modding the weapons and poses a little to make it more modern, and thoughts on this?

Does this kit make a nice starting foundation for modern soldiers?
Other than the weapons, and other sculpting changes I will need to make?

Thanks in advance guys,
Ashton

Helo miniatures makes a very nice set of infantry and stryker crews all with ACU. Also Alpine makes two REALLY nice ACU figures.
Lastly, Hobby Fan makes an abundance of figures that are perfect for what you are talking about and again in ACU.

Hope this helps

If you look here and here it may help you. It may also help to look at Gino's blog where he has used the Trumpeter PMC in Iraq 2005 set.

If you want to go stick with plastic figures, about the ebst to go with a Stryker are the new(ish) Trumpeter Modern U.S. Army Armor Crewmen & Infantry. They are made to go with their Strykers and have three guys in CVC helmets for the Stryker crew and three Infantrymen to go around it. It is reviewed here on Armorama. Edit- Just noticed that Darren already linked to his review above, good review by the way. -Edit



These figures will get you an early deployment of the stryker circa '05 since the figures are in the older DCUs.

Stryker BDEs were the first to be issued the newer ACU pattern digital uniforms starting in '06. Most Stryker Soldiers have been seen in ACUs since then. There are no plastic figures clad in ACUs. For them, you need to delve into resin. The above mentioned Alpine figures in ACUs are great for a later Stryker crew. I reviewed them here as well. They are a really nice set, highly recommended.



For infantrymen in ACUs, Hobby Fan has a bunch of sets that they call Stryker BDE figures. All of them are in ACU.






Good luck.

As you probably read in the reviews, Trumpeter modern US soldiers are of questionable quality (their weapons are great though). I have few sets of them, and their body proportions do not look right. If I were you, I'll just buy the resin figures Gino and others recommended instead of trying to modify the plastic Trumpeter ones. It's a question of time vs. money vs. quality choices. Good luck!

Sorry, but I have to disagree with you on this one James. Granted, the figures are not the best nor the quality of most resin ones. They are very usable though and, if painted carefully, can look great. I haven't made the new Armor Crewmen and Infantry figures yet, but I did make the PMC guys that everyone said were trash and are only worth the weapons. To me, they came out looking great. You can judge for yourself though.




I think most of Trumpeter's figures are given a pretty bad rap when they can be made to look great. Also, they are much more affordable than any resin figures are. For me, its all in the finishing and painting that makes or breaks a figure. They make great starter figures as well.