IRANIAN ZHILRA

Vorya Hidaryan joins the MMI team with Meng’s sublime Shilka.

Until recently, the only 1/35-scale kits of the Shilka were from Dragon (the ZSU-23-4M and ZSU-23- 4V1). Over the past two years, however, both Hong Model and Meng Model have introduced their own versions; newly tooled, and with a high level of detail. Having an interest in the Cold War period, in particular the Iran-Iraq War, I decided to add the ‘M’ version of the Shilka to my collection. This would depict a vehicle used by the Iranian Army to defend the city of Ahvās during the conflict.

The Model Released in 2016, Meng Model’s ‘Russian ZSU-23-4 Shilka Self-Propelled Anti- Aircraft Gun’ comprises several sprues of injection-moulded components (including clear parts for lights and periscope lenses), a separate lower hull, poly-caps for the road-wheels, a large photo-etched fret, individual-link tracks, a length of vinyl tube, and a sheet of decal markings. Accompanying the clearly presented assembly instruction manual, painting/ marking schemes are provided for no less than nine examples.