Book Review: Wings and Wheels Publications Present Vehicle Line No.
19: Stryker in detail Part 2: U.S. Stryker Interim Armored Vehicle Family Part Two by Ralph Zwilling; Wings and Wheels Publications, Prague, 2008; 192 pp.; retail price about US$50; ISBN 978-80-86416-68-7Advantages: Best single source reference for the remaining elements of the Stryker family less the MGS variant
Disadvantages: No major ones noted, other than perhaps a set of 1/35 scale plans would have been appreciated by modelers
Rating: Highly Recommended
Recommendation: For all modern, wheeled, and OIF fans
Following on the heels of their excellent Stryker Part 1 (WWP Present Vehicle Line No. 17 by the same author, ISBN 978-80-86416-61-5) WWP has now presented the second part of their coverage of the vehicle.
Part 1 covered the following variants: M1126 Infantry Carrier Vehicle; M1127 Reconnaissance Vehicle; M1130 Command Vehicle and Tactical Air Control Party Vehicle , and M1132 Engineer Squad Vehicle with all of their then known variants as well as those in Iraq with the slat armor fit; Part 2 covers the M1129 Mortar Carrier, M1131 Fire Support Vehicle, M1133 Medical Evacuation Vehicle, M1134 Antitank Guided Missile Carrier, and M1135 NBC Reconnaissance Vehicle. Apparently we will need a Part 3 to cover the Mobile Gun System and later variants as well.
The author had the pleasure to be an =93embed=94 with the 2nd Stryker Armored Cavalry Regiment and as such they provided him with more than sufficient opportunities to examine their vehicles and photograph them in great detail. They also gave him a good deal of information as to what is in each one, and how it works as well as interacts with other Stryker elements. (While this is great from a modeling standpoint, I do shudder a bit at some of the security implications. But I digress.)
The M1129 MCV receives 33 pages of coverage; the M1131 FSV, 34 pages; the M1133 MEV, 26 pages; the M1134 ATGMV, 30 pages; the M135 NBCRV, 18 pages; and then the author switches to detailed coverage. There are six pages showing the preparations needed to the hull of the Stryker before the slat armor can be mounted on it; this is due to the fact that the armor is a combination of both ceramic tiles and steel framework, and the slat armor braces can only be attached to solid steel fittings.
Another 11 pages cover generic details that have been retrofitted to vehicles in the field, such as the exhaust deflector hood over the exhaust; apparently at speed it blew back into the commander=92s face when sitting with his hatch open, so this corrected it. Two pages cover the driver=92s compartment and controls. Six pages cover the M151E2 RWS and upgrades to that mounting. Another six pages cover the vehicle=92s engine (=93Cat Power=94) outside of the vehicle. Uniforms and typical crewmen are covered over three pages. And finally, the last five pages cover casualties from Iraq both in the damage to Strykers as well as the men from the 2nd SCR lost in combat during their time in Iraq.
The book is well written and easy to read, but the plethora of designators and acronyms may stun even the most knowledgeable of American military personnel! At least Mr. Zwilling does break most of them out for the layman.
Overall, this is an excellent book, and one that modelers with the AFV Club, Trumpeter or future DML kits will want to have on hand for reference along with Part 1.
Cookie Sewell