After a lot of speculation over this VERY long-awaited arrival , Terry Ashley over at PMMS has posted a very interesting review of it. It can be seen:

http://www.perthmilitarymodelling.com/reviews/vehicles/trumpeter/tr00375.htm

...that's why I will be waiting for the AFV Club to come out with theirs. The pics they had up looks much better.

Well, I couldn't agree more. I'd like to build one but, since I know sod-all about the vehicle, i'd like a nice, simple, OOB build of a vehicle which is accurate and doesn't have too many 'issues'. If I do get a Stryker, it'll probably be the AFV Club one - the advance shots of which look very good indeed:

https://armorama.kitmaker.net/news/2173

I'll also add that I was a little disappointed when I saw the built-up model at N'Berg...

Yep, that's where I saw it. I hope it comes out soon. I saw there was a walk around book on the stryker as well as interior shots. So you have any ideas when that will be coming out? I think it's by Wheel publications.

Thanks for the heads-up Jim. I've had one on order from GM since last May and was hoping for a little better product than what the review depicted. But the fixes don't look to be too hard to overcome so I'm still looking forward to getting one. But I'm still looking forward to the AFV and DML versions and especially an aftermarket set for cage armor.

Terry Ashley's review is very good - and told me what I wanted to know about the model kit. All of the inherent corrections don't warrant the expected premium-price I think I'm going to see when it hits the local shelves.

I think I will still get one for the exercise of correcting/upgrading it. But, I'll wait for AFV Club's and Dragon's effort before committing to multiple purchases.

Gunnie

Terry's review is very comprehensive. The vehicle is accurate for a pre-production truck that was used in trials and tests. It was used at the NTC to certify it for air transport, so there are uses for it without making fixes for a production vehicle. Of course, most of us want a production vehicle...

If you do go with the kit as-is the RWS is the main problem. Terry's article should be helpful in fixing that. I would just cover up those weak smoke dischargers.

Bob

Perhaps a lot of it is symptomatic of one of the current problems between the manufacturers - the rush to beat their competitors to get a production kit onto the market. Now, I can understand the 'commercial imperative' obviously they want to get the coverage first. However, in some cases, and this may be a good example, the others may be waiting for this release to CORRECT features on their own products.

Frankly, if I was part of Trumpeter's design team, I would have counselled caution and perhaps moving ahead with other releases BEFORE the Stryker. I'll bet anything that both AFV Club and DML are waiting to see how the kit is received and what the problem areas are on their own versions.

However, good as Terry's review undoubtedly is, the reality is that many people (even with the access which is available) simply DON'T spend the time going thru the 'net's many different reviews.

It also, (and again, this is beating a personal 'drum' here) clearly demonstrates how important it is to have 'specialized' reviewers available to deal competently and thoroughly with complex subjects such as this - something which is being completely and thoroughly revised on this site..

Point well made Jim. Now the others would read the reviews and try to make ajustments before releasing their kits put Trumpeter to shame and making them think twice about it Oh well...

Or, actually, not make any changes to their planned kit Charles.

Some of the recent flubs in a popular modeling company's releases could have been avoided before they hit the market, if not for determined effort to get the product out there - damn the observations of those familiar with the subject matter.

I'm not counting on a bunch of midnight oil burned in scoping out what Trumpeter did right or wrong in their release. I think the forthcoming two products are well into their design and production, somewhat "committed" to what they're going to be now. It is an expensive gamble to bring a kit to market in the first place, let alone contemplate a mid-course or last-minute dive back into the toolings late in the game.

Additionally, I think the number and value of modelers who are also familiar with particular subject matter doesn't impress the designers or marketers of model kits, in the same way the vast majority of modelers who just want a good kit of their favorite subject.

If you like the Stryker, you will want the Trumpeter kit. For every modeler intimately familiar with and equipped with detailed information on the subject, there are probably eight other modelers who just want to buy it - and will.

Who would you cater to?

Gunnie

Wrong, at least as far as one of these manufacturers who have annonced their Strykers. I assure you that I wll find every little error made by Trumpeter and make sure DML kit won't include it.


Errrr.... wrong again It looks like I will still have enough time to carefully examine AVF Club kit when it comes out and before DML kit is out of CAD design stage. In this particular case DML is not trying to rush things. The goal is not to have the kit first. The goal is to have the best kit available

Pawel

I appreciate the enthusiam - but - I stand by my feelings.

Good luck, because modelers will benefit in the end.

Gunnie

sad too see that the stryker has been around since early 2000 and has changed some over the years, but the companies have not done their research on this vehicle. i wish i knew how too write a book, i could do a walk around style book on the Stryker.

so far AFV, Trumpeter have released kits who else is in the que?

... as mentioned above, AFV Club and Dragon has kits coming out. Both should be nice renditions - I think both will be well received by modern AFV fans.

Get crackin' on that book - there are never enough references.

Gunnie

Gunnie while I agree with you that the companies cater more to the "casual" modeler than to those like us I'd just like to remind you of Pawel's involvement in the Dragon M1A1 AIM kit. Yeah it might have been slow getting here but it is quite a corker of a kit! Hopefully we can look forward to the Stryker in the same way. I've got plenty on the pile to work on in the mean time.

Best,
Mike

Too bad Dragon didn't take that stand on all of their kits!

Chris "toadman" Hughes
Toadman's Tank Pictures

Amen.

If you look at the bottom left of that review Terry did you will see that a detail book is coming out. Check it out again.

Hey Pawel,

If you cn bend DML's ear a bit, get them to work on the older Soviet/Russian kits they have. I know it may be better for them to just make whole new kits rather than rework the T-72, T-80, or BMP series, but a premium edition of the BRDM series or the SCUD kit would be a good thing.

Back on topic, one thing to worry about is bringing out kit too late...Strykers are not Panthers/Tigers. Did DML's sales suffer at all with the Panther II vs. Trumpeter's inaccurate offering?

True the vehicle has been around a while, but those upgrades you mentioned are specifically why it has taken so long. Research takes a while to build up. Also, just look at the enthusiasm that is built up (remember Dragon's M1A1 AIM anyone?). This can be a good thing, if timed right. Plus Trumpeter announced the kit sometime in late 2004 to early 2005. Now the fact that in that time all Trumpeter did was a preproduction vehicle is disappointing, but not if you want to do a preproduction vehicle. I can think of many useful things to do with it.

Plus maybe its a conspiracy between the three companies. Trumpeter does a preproduction vehicle, AFV does an early-mid production vehicle, and Dragon does a late production vehicle. You think I'm crazy, just watch.


(BTW, I was just kidding on that last part)

Jeff

Based on Pawel's work on the Abrams, I have every confidence Dragon's Stryker will be very nice. I am sure Pawel will be tapping into all the right resources.

Doing current in-use vehicles creates some unique problems for the kit makers. And the Stryker seems to be even more of an issue that way. At least when you say you are doing an M1A1 you know what to expect. That narrows it down quite a bit when it comes to options on the tank (what kind of .50 cal, no CITV, etc). When it comes to the Stryker I am not aware of any changes to the nomenclature due to updgrades, and as we are discussing here, there have been changes, and there will continue to be changes as there is a long service history ahead for the Stryker. Already I have seen upgrades to things like the DVE and Warlock, and there is talk of an upgrade to the RWS. Then there is the armor package...

Anyway, I will get at least one Trumpeter kit, but from the photos it seems like the AFV Club kit will be quite nice. I have a bunch of ideas for a run-of-the-mill production vehicle so I am very interested in seeing that AFV Club kit. And again, I suspect there will be some really cool stuff on the Dragon kit that neither Trumpeter or AFV Club have.

Bob

Very nice. I just wish Trumpeter or one of their US distributors would see the benefit in providing us a review sample as they do for some sites. Sites I might add (Cybermodeler?) that have far less traffic in armor modelers than we do. Ah well... you can't lead a horse to water sometimes.

However if someone gets this kit we would still love to see another Armorama-based review on it.

Cheers,
Jim

Guys - I find it insulting that you think I don't know of Ralph Zwilling and Pawel's work on the AIM Abrams. I reviewed the dang thing - or did that somehow get deleted from this site.

It is very nice, but isn't perfect. Get off the groupie bandwagon. I am not attacking Pawel - he interjected his commentary here when no defense was necessary. I won't go through a repeat of the Academy Sheridan episode - and nor will I be ganged up on again and shunned by people who can't or won't see a contrary opinion.

I don't think I could have been fairer or any more complimentary of the effort in that kit - and I didn't review it because I like or dislike Pawel.

If this place is ever going to be taken serious and grow to a new level - the jackal nature like this needs to go away.

Gunnie

EDIT: I am not angry in this post - I am just expressing mild-to-increasing frustration with how things in the industry seem to somehow become ego-centric and not modeler-centric. Some guys out there are simply trolling for adoration and someone to label them "God". It has nothing to do with promoting the hobby and providing the modeler with "the best kit available" - it has everything to do with self-promotion. I find that distasteful, and what I'm expressing here. That is why the merits of a stupid piece of plastic becomes so personal - someone thinks they've gotta donn the chain mail, pick up the Battle Axe and go to war for their favorite well-connected-in-the-model-industry-model-buddy-who-I-never-met-but-is-my-brother.

When I joined on this site in the dawn of its existence - we were all united against egocentricism in its many disguised forms. I am still committed to those ideals today.

Forgive my dogged adherence to the thought that this forum and site can be elevated to the best and most honest and forthright out there for all skill levels of modelers and those who like scale modeling. I can't give up wanting Armorama to "be the best it can be".

Unless Vodnik works on every model produced by every company I think Guntruck's comments are still valid. Most companies put out a reasonable facsimile but not an exact replica

Can we stop the Dragon love-fest for a minute? its making me sick.

Terry did a good review, and what do I read? someone thumping their chest about their reviewing style. We wonder why model companies dont send kits to Armorama to review, well when you run them down, talk about I'd rather buy a another companies kit, they're gonna go somewhere else for reviews. No kit maker gets the kit right on the first time, Look at Dragons early kits for an example!!!! Take that into consideration before you broadside a kit.

Im also getting tired of the Large EGO's of people on this board. You cant ask for help much anymore without gettin blasted. Its a hobby people and we need to be more civil with each other.

It comes down to this, if you like the trumpeter kit buy it. If you dont, then buy the dragon or AFV club kit. Dont sit and preach about how much better another kit is when it hasnt even come out yet. Let the modeler decide when it comes down to buying the kit, its their money.