Afghan era ZSU-23/4 "Шилка"

[RangerNeil]

So - having got the thumbs up for this my attempt for this group build is going to be Zvezda's ZSU-23/4 in 1/35 scale (as usual). The kit has markings for a Soviet vehicle in the Afghan war so that what I am going for. And having been impressed by the white metal tracks from Friul on the T34 build I have ordered a set for this one too Hopefully they will arrive before the build ends - it took Canon 3 months to deliver an ink jet cartridge from Holland!!

About the vehicle.
in the Soviet Russians less than imaginative way the initials ZSU stand for "Зенитная Самоходная Установка" or, quite literally, "Anti-aircraft Self-propelled System". The 23 is taken from the calibre of the armament and the 4 refers to the number of guns carried. Imagination obviously was not a Soviet strong point. In service it had two common nicknames, "Zeus" from its name and - in Afghanistan "the sewing machine" from the sound it made when firing. Soldiers at least have some imagination!
Development started in the mid-1950';s and the vehicle first entered service in 1965 replacing the ZSU-57/2 which, although carrying heavier weapons had to be aimed optically and carried only a small amount of ammunition. The ZSU-23/4 combined a proven radar fire control system and 4 x 23mm auto-cannon mounted on the non-amphibious GM-575 chassis derived from the PT-76 light tank. In service it was operated in batteries of 4 vehicles in conjunction with another battery of 9K-35 Strela1/9K35 Strela-10 anti-aircraft missiles and proved a potent deterrent to low flying aircraft and helicopters. It weighs in at between 19 and 21 tons depending on version (later ones carried a roof-mounted pod of 6 x SA-6 SAM's or side mounted SA-16's), carried a 4 man crew - driver, commander, gunner, radar operator - has a range of some 280 miles and has a top speed on or off road of approx. 30 mph.
In its day it was superior to any anti-aircraft guns that NATO fielded and to this day is still regarded as a highly potent threat on the battlefield.
Over 6,500 were built with 2,500 going to export to Soviet satellites.
In the Afghan campaigns Shilkas were widely used on convoy escorts, the nature of their designed role meaning that the weapons and a far greater angle of elevation that the BMP's and T55/T62's then in use. Mujahadeen learnt quickly to dread the appearance of a Shilka during an ambush as the angle of elevation and rate of fire coupled with the OFZT incendiary fragmentation rounds used meant their formerly safe positions on the tops of mountains suddenly were no longer safe but rather instant burial sites!! Shilkas are also credited with firing the opening shots in the Soviet Afghan campaign during the coup in Kabul where they were meant to blow holes in the walls of the Presidential compound. Unfortunately the walls were too thick for the 23mm rounds to penetrate - a masterpiece of military planning by the KGB - so they were reduced to suppressing defensive positions on the walls as the main attack went in through the gates instead.....

About the kit
This is one of Zvezda's latest offerings and I got it in a new line bundle from Arma Models in Moscow (appropriate really ) which included the kit itself, detailed road wheels and metal gun barrels.


In the box you get:












And the extra parts were:


Being a new release the parts are all slash-free and so far all the ejector marks are on the inside surfaces so no issues there either. Looking forwards to building this one.

[DBMiller]

Cool choice!

[digger303]

Cool choice!

Second that thought.
I wonder how is kit holds up seeing how it is a dragon pedigree originally from 1991.....how's the instructions ?

[Twokidsnosleep]

Holy cow, that thing goes PewPewPew like crazy

[digger303]

Holy cow, that thing goes PewPewPew like crazy

That is the little brother to this bad boy.
The Soviet 2k22 Tunguska is a self propelled anti-aircraft armed with 2 - 30 MM auto cannons and 8 SA-19 “Grison” missiles.
Cookie Sewell say's.
"The Tunguska is a very impressive vehicle, as it is fully computer controlled and will select missiles, guns/missiles, or guns as it deems necessary to eliminate threats. It uses a velocity sensor on the outside barrel to determine shell velocity and correct for it using the fire control radar. The guns are fired in 20-40 rounds (5-10 rounds per barrel) bursts and are very powerful, with the cyclic rate being so high flames from still burning propellant shoot about a meter out of the shell ejection ports when it fires. The missile has two stages – a very high acceleration first stage and an unpowered second stage that continues to the target on inertia at very high velocities of over Mach 2.5."

This machine was used in the Kosovo conflict, reportedly shooting down several NATO warplanes.

[Stokesy44]

Looks like a good kit and like Scott said, much pew pew!

[RangerNeil]

May have a - slight - problem..... Had Amazon on the phone demanding to know why I missed my last shift pattern. Bit of a stunned silence when I pointed out my contract had ended on the 9th Feb - long story short after a 3 hour phone call turned out local HR had extended my contract till April 17th. And not bothered telling me or area management!! So starting Weds 17th Feb I am back working Weds - Sat 10.5 hrs at Amazon + 2 hours travel there and back.
And we are still trying to find somewhere to live....
I'm going to have to really get my head down to finish this one

[RangerNeil]

Cool choice!

Second that thought.
I wonder how is kit holds up seeing how it is a dragon pedigree originally from 1991.....how's the instructions ?

As promised these are the Zvezda instructions:
Assembly page 1


Assembly page 2


Assembly page 3


Assembly page 4


And in what appears to be typical Zvezda fashion the painting instructions and code call-outs are on a separate sheet. I will be going for either hull #351 or hull #571. Both are from the Soviet Afghan war - I think 351 looks more "deserty" though..




The first of the "problems" may be noted on page 1, steps 1 and 2 - the Friul track kit I ordered for this model comes with replacement metal sprockets.....

And the replacement road wheels come like this - I assume they need to be cut off (micro saw?) and then filed/sanded to shape? Never dealt with these before!!!

[digger303]

Wet sanding is the way. Sometimes it is possible to use the nippers to whittle them down to start with depending on the thickness of the attachment points.

[RangerNeil]

Wet sanding is the way. Sometimes it is possible to use the nippers to whittle them down to start with depending on the thickness of the attachment points.

Thanks Digger - much appreciated!!

[Quax]

congrats on the Amazon shifts but thats quite a trip to and from each day!

The Shilka looks like its going to be a good kit - if you need any exterior detail photos let me know as the Army Air Corps museum has an ex Iraqi one rusting quietly outside and I'll sneak down there

Paul

[RangerNeil]

congrats on the Amazon shifts but thats quite a trip to and from each day!

The Shilka looks like its going to be a good kit - if you need any exterior detail photos let me know as the Army Air Corps museum has an ex Iraqi one rusting quietly outside and I'll sneak down there

Paul

Cheers Paul - some exterior shots would be very useful. IWM at Duxford have one outside the Land Warfare Hall but getting photos, even without the COVID lockdown, would difficult as (a) its in a locked compound and (b) I think I am still persona non grata there after pointing out to one of their guides a couple of years ago that every thing he just said about a BMP-1 was wrong. I actually owned a BMP class at the time so was rather familiar with it.
The journey to/from Amazon isn't distance -its time! Local councils are taking advantage of lock down to dig damned great holes in the roads everywhere with "temporary" traffic light controls. On a bad day I can spend a LOT more time waiting for lights than I do driving.....

[Twokidsnosleep]

May have a - slight - problem..... Had Amazon on the phone demanding to know why I missed my last shift pattern. Bit of a stunned silence when I pointed out my contract had ended on the 9th Feb - long story short after a 3 hour phone call turned out local HR had extended my contract till April 17th. And not bothered telling me or area management!! So starting Weds 17th Feb I am back working Weds - Sat 10.5 hrs at Amazon + 2 hours travel there and back.
And we are still trying to find somewhere to live....
I'm going to have to really get my head down to finish this one

So is the work a good thing or a bad thing for you???
It does sound like a long haul and I remember you saying lots of standing with minimal breaks
BUT $ is a fairly important entity as well if one wants to live
I wish you well in your work and in your model build. We have until the end of April to finish

[BigWall]

You may already know but don't breath in any of the dust you create working with the resin

[RangerNeil]

So is the work a good thing or a bad thing for you???
It does sound like a long haul and I remember you saying lots of standing with minimal breaks
BUT $ is a fairly important entity as well if one wants to live
I wish you well in your work and in your model build. We have until the end of April to finish

From the point of view of health - BAD!! - first day back they sent me to work on Stow - which is a lot of walking and climbing up and down step ladders. I am happy to admit I was almost in ears by the time I left... Tomorrow I will be requesting - rather firmly - to be left down in Receiving. But as you rightly say - the £££' are most needed. If we ever manage to find a new house I have a list of kits to add to the stash...
The day was not without its lighter moments though. Big posters had gone up in the canteen about "rebranding" the centre - giving it a name rather than just a designation and as I walked out the big bosses were discussing the issue - one of them read the question "What name can we give the centre" out as I walked past and without thinking - and stopping - I said "Stalag 13"..... No idea how the bosses reacted but it cracked up all the Associates (Amazon name for employees) within earshot.

You may already know but don't breath in any of the dust you create working with the resin

Thanks for the heads up sir - I did know but the warning is still appreciated. Those COVID masks might be useful after all Either that or its a British S6 or Soviet GP-5 respirator....

On the kit front I heard from Friul tonight the tracks have gone out to the international post - I ordered a set of Shilka tracks and a set of BMP-1 tracks as I want to build a BMP-1 to go with the OT-90 I built so the differences can be noted. So I am thinking I will leave the T34 tracks until the Shilka ones are here and built and put them in the burnishing fluid together - it being a 1-shot usage.

[digger303]

So is the work a good thing or a bad thing for you???
It does sound like a long haul and I remember you saying lots of standing with minimal breaks
BUT $ is a fairly important entity as well if one wants to live
I wish you well in your work and in your model build. We have until the end of April to finish

From the point of view of health - BAD!! - first day back they sent me to work on Stow - which is a lot of walking and climbing up and down step ladders. I am happy to admit I was almost in ears by the time I left... Tomorrow I will be requesting - rather firmly - to be left down in Receiving. But as you rightly say - the £££' are most needed. If we ever manage to find a new house I have a list of kits to add to the stash...
The day was not without its lighter moments though. Big posters had gone up in the canteen about "rebranding" the centre - giving it a name rather than just a designation and as I walked out the big bosses were discussing the issue - one of them read the question "What name can we give the centre" out as I walked past and without thinking - and stopping - I said "Stalag 13"..... No idea how the bosses reacted but it cracked up all the Associates (Amazon name for employees) within earshot.

You may already know but don't breath in any of the dust you create working with the resin

Thanks for the heads up sir - I did know but the warning is still appreciated. Those COVID masks might be useful after all Either that or its a British S6 or Soviet GP-5 respirator....

On the kit front I heard from Friul tonight the tracks have gone out to the international post - I ordered a set of Shilka tracks and a set of BMP-1 tracks as I want to build a BMP-1 to go with the OT-90 I built so the differences can be noted. So I am thinking I will leave the T34 tracks until the Shilka ones are here and built and put them in the burnishing fluid together - it being a 1-shot usage.

I wouldn't throw out the fluid as sometimes it can be reused. Depends on the size of container and how long it is submersed.

[BigWall]

I've seen a few people apply the burnishing fluid with a toothbrush instead of soaking the tracks to conserve on fluid.

[RangerNeil]

Cheers for the info Digger & Bigwall. I will see how it goes when the Shilka tracks are here too.

On the general build front. - bit of a turnup today - went to work as usual, perused my e-mail in first break and found one from the NHS. They've decided to add me to the critical risk group... Only a whole damned year after the COVID crap started......
Under Amazons COVID rules I was required to inform my manager - who promptly sent me home.

So the Shilka build can go on without risk now.

Not sure that's true about the job - I had to email HR a copy of the letter from the NHS and now I am waiting to find out what is going to happen!!

[RangerNeil]

Started work on the Shilka tonight. - the resin wheels!!
Cut out from the resin holders:


Trimmed down prior to sanding


And sanded ready for washing and priming:


(the camera flash seems to have revealed a few spots that need a bit more sanding to lose the line!!)

[digger303]

Nice job on the wheels.
I'v heard the garden variety copper sulfate fertilizer and some salt works for burnishing tracks too. I have yet to try that out, but it is on my list of things to do....some day.

[RangerNeil]

Took a break from the T34 and had another go at the Shilka. Front idlers and road wheels in place and some minor detailing on the lower hull. Apparently the Friul kit comes with more accurate drive sprockets so the kit ones will not be used together with the kits road wheels.

[digger303]

Good progress, I'v done the same and started a new kit. I might even have the build completed by tonight and I only started late yesterday.

[RangerNeil]

Cracking on with the Shilka tonight - and I found an uncharacteristic goof on the part of Zvezda. Assembling the front light cluster part B7 and B33 - there should be a pair of locating holes in B7 for B33 - and they aren't there!!!
So - it will be a case of either trying to drill the holes or - more likely - trim the pins off and locate it by eye.

[RangerNeil]

As an addendum to the above post - first observations on this kit is it is not the usual Zvezda standard. Comparing it to the T34 is like chalk and cheese. You can see in the photos below the turret assembly basically fitted where it touched - the amount of filler around the base to turret seams is amazing - and necessary. There are gaps, too, in the side panels on the hull that still need filling. Part of the problem is the attachment points to the sprue are so thick they fill-in the recesses where panels are meant to butt together and it is a nightmare cleaning these out. The other thing that doesn't exactly help is calling the wrong part - for example the solid rear hatch is called B5 on the instruction sheet - the actual part is B6, B5 being a small circular hatch.
I think it was Digger who said this kit was a re-issue of the old Dragon one - and I believe he is correct. The quality and fit are more in line with Dagon kits I've built in the past than Zvezda. I shall write to them once the build is finished and hopefully they will correct the errors on future releases. Once the issues are worked though I think it will look good.
So - photos:

[BigWall]

That's disappointing to hear that it's fighting you. Hopefully it gets better!

[Quax]

even though its fighting back a bit (and its not even a helicopter...) you're making good progress and its going to be great!
I have these from the ISM day out of a couple of years ago but if you need specifics DM me and I'll go get them







cheers

Paul

[RangerNeil]

Many thanks for the images Paul - very useful for some of the minor detailing. Zvezda usually provide location holes for pieces - this kit has VERY paint outlines on the surface to show where they go. They are a right bitch to try and find in artificial light....

Anyways - onwards, upwards and around in circles - hopefully not emulating the Oohmagooly Bird - Some more done tonight. The plan is to get to a point where its primer time and then do both the Shilka and the T34 rather than having to set the airbrush up twice and thus incurring the wrath of SWMBO......
This is tonight's progress:

[digger303]

Certainly is a fair amount of filler.....

[RangerNeil]

Certainly is a fair amount of filler.....

"Fits where it touches" would be a fair description..

[RangerNeil]

Bit more done today. Turret fitment is more or les complete - just needs the quad gun pod fitted and some minor detailing on the hull:




Speaking of the gun pod - the kit came with metal barrels for the quad cannon. Each barrel was in 3 pieces and getting them to fit together was an exercise in patience - that by the last of the four was being stretched to the limit. However all 4 are now complete and secured with a dab of CA on the pins This leaves the worrying interesting part.. The only parts supplied are the barrels so I need to VERY carefully separate the top parts of the cannon from the barrel then separate the barrel from the breech. Drill a location hole in the breech, fix the metal barrel in place and then fix the top parts back in place...The red arrows - sort of - illustrate the separation points:

[digger303]

You have your work cut out for you there Neil, very tricky. It's a wonder they just didn't supply the top piece as a resin part. The barrels despite the fit issues do look amazing. Really shows up the current limitations with plastic moldings today. Although some manufacturers can do it better than others it does illustrate the point.
Your doing very well and I'm sure you can overcome the latest issue.

[Tomcat64]

Wow they really did empty Pandora's box and pile it into this kit didn't they?

Great to see the way you're knocking it into shape though mate - keep on at it!

[RangerNeil]

It has to be said - this kit is most definitely NOT to Zvezda's usual standards. But the work goes on....
I bit the bullet tonight and had a go at one of the cannon.. First draw back, have excised the the plastic barrel, is the locating pin at the rear of the metal cannon barrel happens to be the same size as the width of the breech. So we went to plan B - I filed the pin down to the base of the barrel and then stuck the barrel to the breech with CA. For the next one I plan on filing the pin itself down in dia to something less than the width of the breech so a hole can be drilled. Then see how that goes together. If a metal breech was available pre-drilled it would be a lot easier. But if wishes were ££ Beggars would be millionaires.

This is the breech and barrel assembled thus far.

[Kevthemodeller]

How have I missed this

Looking good Neil, another super bit of Soviet Cold War kit

[RangerNeil]

How have I missed this

Looking good Neil, another super bit of Soviet Cold War kit

Many thanks kind sir. I do find I have to repeat myself though - this kit is NOT the standard I have come to expect from Zvezda.

Today I just spent the day modifying the three remaining barrels and assembling the two cannon pods.
Day did not start well when the tube of CA I was using decided to burst covering my hands in the stuff...
Fortunately not the work surface so it was out to the bath room and hands under the cold tap then a LOT of scrubbing with a nail brush. Most of it is gone - just bits of dried CA on my finger tips which did not aid the rest of the day (very hard to use the mobile phone too...)..
The instructions for the gun pod assemblies were vague - the guns are handed left and right and it was damned difficult working out which was which but we got there in the end. A further complication was the moulding of the pod floors in 2 separate pieces that had to be butt-jointed together Looking at the assembled pieces I could see no reason whatsoever why they weren't a 1 piece moulding Still - all is done now, All that remains is the carrier assembly - but the guns and pods need painting before they can be assembled into the carrier. If you look at the pivot pins in the photos below I think you'll agree they are too big to be snapped in an assembled carrier after. The carrier needs to be assembled around them.





And the upper and lower hulls are now joined ready - eventually - for priming and painting. If you thought the filler needed so far was excessive be prepared for a nasty shock:



Finally for today the radar assembly is now finished and ready for paint.

[Stokesy44]

Those gun barrels look very smart. Its a mean looking vehicle with the turret and radar on the back too.

Nightmare with the CA. Sounds like you were lucky to avoid it being more serious. Glad its not much more than an inconvenience for you.

[RangerNeil]

Bit of good news today as I continue to rub all the filler down. The tracks from Friul arrived in the UK today and are at Langley HWDC. Its actually not bad timing thus far. I ordered them on the 16th Feb, on the 17th they arrived at Hungary's international Distribution Centre, cleared Customs there on the 21st and were sent to the UK AM today. Gotta love the Track and Trace system used globally these days

[Stokesy44]

Bit of good news today as I continue to rub all the filler down. The tracks from Friul arrived in the UK today and are at Langley HWDC. Its actually not bad timing thus far. I ordered them on the 16th Feb, on the 17th they arrived at Hungary's international Distribution Centre, cleared Customs there on the 21st and were sent to the UK AM today. Gotta love the Track and Trace system used globally these days

That's a good service, especially in the current circs.

[RangerNeil]

Bit of good news today as I continue to rub all the filler down. The tracks from Friul arrived in the UK today and are at Langley HWDC. Its actually not bad timing thus far. I ordered them on the 16th Feb, on the 17th they arrived at Hungary's international Distribution Centre, cleared Customs there on the 21st and were sent to the UK AM today. Gotta love the Track and Trace system used globally these days

That's a good service, especially in the current circs.

I thought so too I ordered a replacement printer cartridge last Nov from Canon - never realised it was coming from Holland until the UPS "shipment deferred" e-mails starting arriving. It finally got here yesterday.

However we digress from the Shilka... Broke the airbrush out tonight for the first time since Dec. Don't all laugh at once.....



Obviously my airbrushing technique needs considerable work!! Other issue was- I using Ultimate grey primer in a 0.3 brush at about 28 psi - the paint was drying in the gun almost as fast as it was coming out. I kept hooking this out of the ends of the brush:



and it was also drying inside the brush - never realised until the thermal overload on the compressor kicked in!!
Had to do the Shilka cannon and and radar unit by brush using what was left in the pot. So no idea what I was doing wrong there...

[digger303]

Only time I'v had this happen with any paint has been when I added the wrong additive and they were incompatible. Shouldn't happen with just a primer. Damn horrible when it does happen my head goes into instant depression.
Perhaps add some thinner at maybe 25% mix.

[RangerNeil]

Only time I'v had this happen with any paint has been when I added the wrong additive and they were incompatible. Shouldn't happen with just a primer. Damn horrible when it does happen my head goes into instant depression.
Perhaps add some thinner at maybe 25% mix.

I know that feeling all too well Digger - I still regard the airbrush as somewhere to the right of the Devils spawn and my first inclination is to reach for the brushes. When this happens it just makes it worse.
BUT - I tried your recommendation today and added somewhere around 25% thinners to the mix (25 drops of primer, 6 drops of thinner or thereabouts) and it worked nicely. I won't say perfectly because quite honestly I have NO idea what perfect is as regards airbrush finishes...
Both the Shilka and the T34 are now sat in primer ready for top coating. I am thinking give it 24 hours or so for the primer to dry thoroughly and then I'll try the top coat. The turret seems to have turned out OK.









And on the wooden block we have the resin wheels:



These really do look better than the ones in the kit:

[digger303]

The paint looks very nice. Yes the wheels do look better and is there a slight size difference too ?

[Stokesy44]

Looking good.

Is it me or does the radar look like a little Imperial probe droid?

[RangerNeil]

The paint looks very nice. Yes the wheels do look better and is there a slight size difference too ?

Cheers Digger - there is a fractional difference in dia - the resin ones are 18.85mm and the kit ones are 19.45mm dia. Both are the same overall thickness but the kit wheels have a more pronounced rim and thus a thinner tyre section.

Looking good.

Is it me or does the radar look like a little Imperial probe droid?

Got to pass on that one Stokesy - I only ever saw the first 3 SW films and I don't recall imperial droids in that..... Wouldn't surpise me though given Sterling SMG's and MG53's were used as blaster weapons...

[Stokesy44]

From The Empire Strikes Back

[RangerNeil]

Ahhhh - yes - I see what you mean. Lucas may well have repurposed old radomes in the design. Possibly not a Shilkas's but similar.... Gotta love recycling....

[RangerNeil]

First coat of 4BO Protective Green is now on. Just waiting for the track pack from Friul as it has a set of more accurate sprockets on then the hull will be complete, just needing the tools & cables added. Can anyone tell I hate painting wheels with tyres on.








Turret is almost complete as well. The white paint used in the bins (Humbrol #22) is annoying me - had 4 coats thus far and it is still not giving complete coverage. One or two minor parts to add after the cammo is laid on and the cannon pack fitted to complete it.




Speaking of the cannon pack...Oh what fun this was!! Not the least of the problems being on test fitting it the pivot pins on the lower carriage stuck out too far and had to be trimmed and sanded back to fit into the turret aperture.


Thus far about the ONLY part of this kit that's fitted properly is the "eyebrow" over the lights on the drivers side. Everything else has required some degree of work to get a halfway decent fit.
I like Zvezda usually but in this case I think if you want to build a Shilka you'd do better getting the Meng kit.

[digger303]

This kit isn't giving up easy and rolling over. You'll get there though.

[RangerNeil]

Looking at the Friul tracks that came this morning this slip was included. Am I right in thinking its calling for the rear drives to be moved back approx 2.5mm? There is no text for this part, just diagram.
EDIT - looking harder I get the feeling it only applies to the Dragon model??

[DBMiller]

I know I would break at least one of those guns! Nice work getting it together.