I'm building a Shilka ZSU-23-4V1, for a campaign. I want to add some chipping. Does anybody know what primer would have been applied?

The primer was of a usual red oxide color, but there would be no chipping.

Why wouldn't there be any chipping?

Why would it have chipping on it?
As you probably know chipping does occur that easily. And even if it does, Soviet armor was cleaned, washed and painted as needed every week.
Yes, modelers love to put lots of chipping and rust on Soviet/Russian armor. But in reality it was never like that.

I'm doing a Shilka, in Egyptian service.

if its Egyptian make it a rusty nasty pile of bolts

would you say the same for WWII soviet armor was it cleaned everyday

To late, for that.

If it is Egyptian, I will second what Frank said



Not every day, obviously. But according to my grandfather (finished WWII in Romania as a major of Mechanized Сorps) as soon as fighting was over, vehicles would get repaired, washed, cleaned, scrubbed, licked (if necessary) and painted as needed. ...and until the next fight.