Kit Review: Dragon Models Limited 1/72 Scale Armor Pro Series Kit No.
7309; HMMWV M105 ASK w/LRAS3 and HMMWV M1025ASK PsyOp Team; 198 parts (170 in grey styrene, 18 in clear styrene, 8 grey DS plastic tires, 2 etched brass); retail price about US $13.98Advantages: two more variants to the growing DML line of 1/72 scale Humvees
Disadvantages: Out of the ordinary variants may be unappealing to modelers
Rating: Highly Recommended
Recommendation: for all modern "softskin" and gun truck fans
DML continues after a year hiatus to produce more variants of the trusty HMMWV (Humm-Vee) as used in Iraq. These are the uparmored M1025 variant with one carrying the LRAS3 long range reconnaissance system (a multispectral camera by any other name) and a psychological operations team with loudspeakers.
The latter is interesting as these sorts of teams have been common since loudspeakers were invented. Most of the time the systems are unarmored and unprotected (the Marines in Korea being the only ones to be different, using a speaker mounted on the roof of an M46 to "persuade" Chinese to surrender - or else.)
The kit is typical of the HMMWV kits with the same standard parts breakdown. What the modeler gets in the box are two identical chassis sets with the armored body and the 41 part "boilerplate" sprue with details and interior parts, the "boilerplate" styrene sprue for the windshield and doors, and then the new bits.
The LRAS3 version comes with a box that mounts on the hip ring, but there are none of the components one would expect such as displays, power supplies, or radio mounts.
The PsyOP team vehicle has the speakers on the side of the hip ring but a gun mount is provided and used with any of a number of weapons. The kit now comes with a new weapons sprue with the hip ring and a choice of two M240s, one Mark 19 30mm grenade launcher, and one M2HB plus other components.
Both vehicles now have a choice of either etched brass grille guards or plastic, as well as the extended air cleaners.
Markings and finishing directions are provided for two vehicles: the LRAS3 vehicle is from D Troop, 1-9 Cav, Iraq 2004; the PysOp team is a generic one with now markings.
Overall these are nice little models, but as noted they are a bit esoteric and may not be as popular as previous releases.
Thanks to Freddie Leung for the review sample.
Cookie Sewell