Stryker
in
detailU.S. Stryker Interim Armored Vehicle Family
Part One
Present Vehicle Line No.17
Ralph Zwilling
Wings & Wheels Publications.
Published by RAK, Czech Republic.
ISBN 80-86416-61-5
132 pages all in colour.
Review by Terry Ashley
With two companies, AFV Club and Trumpeter releasing kits of the M1126 Stryker ICV and other variants this reference book from Wings & Wheels publications in their Present Vehicle Line is very timely as dedicated publications on the Stryker are very thin on the ground at this time.
The 132 page book has the usual card cover and the full English text is a little more extensive than previous books in the series that gives a detailed account of the development of the Stryker Interim Armored Vehicle (also known as the LAV III) which is based on the Swiss MOWAG Piranha III with the first 6 pages split about 50/50 text and general overall photos of the vehciles covered in the book.
The book is devided into 10 chapters and the easiest way to describe the contents is to step through the sections as listed at the front of the book with a brief description of each, so lets get on with it.
M1126 Stryker ICV Pages 8-35
Pages 8 to 17 has extensive text with technical descriptions of the base model
ICV with general type photos of the vehicle on manoeuvres devoid of most
storage and without the slat armour to give overall coverage of the general
ICV layout.
This is followed by 3 pages with detailed photos of the M151 RWS fitted with the .50cal MG and two pages with exterior and interior shots that offer a glimpse at some of the details.
The next 14 pages have a series of all round views of Stryker ICVs on active service in Iraq fitted with the slat armour designed to defeat the RPG threat with mostly external shots as well as taken from on top of the vehicle showing how the slats are attached to the hull which could prove useful, plus another couple of detail shots of the RWS.
M1126 Stryker ICV with Mk19 Granade Launcher Pages
36-45
This section again has mostly overall shots of an ICV without slat armour on
manoeuvres with the Mk.19 Grenade Launcher fitted to the RWS with a few close-ups
of some hull details and six close-ups of the RWS plus a technical description
of the RWS and the two most common weapons fitted, the M2 .50cal HB Machine
Gun and Mk.19 Grenade Launcher.
M1127 Stryker Reconnaissance Vehicle Pages 46-69
The Stryker RV section has 6 pages of text and photos with a technical and general
description of the vehicle along with general all round shots followed
by 7 pages of close-up external shots giving some good details of the hull
including a couple of pages dealing with the revised weapons station mounting
the Long Range Advanced Scout Surveillance System (LRAS3) and M2 .50cal MG
that includes two pages of close-up all around views of the LRAS3.
This is followed by 5 pages of interior shots of the RV that includes the additional communications equipment and the Squad Leader's station that should be of interest and another 6 pages with general overall shots of the RV on active service in Iraq fitted with slat armour.
M1130 Stryker Command Vehicle Pages 70-81
This section describes the M1130 CV which is very similar to the ICV but with
additional communications equipment and aerials and again has a detailed
text description of the vehicle and it mission followed by 16 pages of close-up
detail shots of the hull exterior and as the vehicle has very little stowage
the details are shown to good effect. These include the hull front head lights,
winch cable outlet on the hull front and the main winch located behind the
driver's hatch. The rear hull sides and rear plate with door close are shown
in a series of close-up photos as well as the hull top details showing the
Driver's, Squad Leader's and Commander's hatches inside and out as are the
rear compartment hatches and another 8 close-up shots of the RWS with the
M2 .50cal MG fitted.
Two pages follow with interior shots looking into the rear troop compartment
and Driver's station for additional details with most of the external close-up
shots also applicable to the M1126 ICV.
M1130 Stryker Command Vehicle Tactical Air Control
Party Pages
82-95
This short section has a few general walk around shots of CV Tactical
Air Control Party (TACP) vehicle which is fitted with specialised communications
equipment with distinctive antennas which are shown in close-up shots.
There is 3 pages of interior shots showing much of the communications equipment
carried leaving little room for anything else in the rear compartment.
M1132 Stryker Engineer Squad Vehicle w/Light Weight Mine Roller Pages
96-105
The M1132 is again almost identical to the M1126 ICV but fitted with additional
engineering equipment such as the Light Weight Mine Roller featured here and
again there is a detailed text of the ESV giving technical and general descriptions
with a series of good close-up shots of the Light Weight Mine Roller. Of interest
is the relocation of the head light on stalks and gives the vehicle a distinctive
look.
M1132 Stryker ESV w/Angled Mine Plow Pages 106-113
Following on we have additional general walk around shots and good close-ups
of the Angled Mine Plow fitted to the front of the ESV that give good views
of the quite complicated Plow.
M1132 Stryker ESV w/Straight Obstacle Blade Pages
114-121
The third section on the ESV features the hydraulic Obstacle Blade fitted to
the front of the hull with some good close-ups showing the blade and hydraulic
connections as well as 2 pages of interior shots and 4 pages of the ESV in
Iraq with slat armour and fitted with the Surface Mine Plow for yet another
variation on equipment fitted.
Chassis Details Pages 126-129
This section jas 4 pages of close-up detail shots of the suspension components
mostly taken from under the vehicle showing good details of the diffs, drive
shafts and suspension arms as well as the wheels and a couple of shots of
the wheel hub on it's own.
Engine Details Pages 130-132
This last section has 4 shots looking into the engine bay without the engine
plus 4 walk around shots of the engine out of the vehicle on a maintenance
trolly which shows good detail.
| Conclusion |
Highly recommended 8/10.
Thanks to František of Wings & Wheels Publications for the review book.