just got this kit on ebay for a really good deal and want to do it as a last ditch defensive position on the eastern front my big question is do I need the gun shield or can I display it without and what camo should I paint it is

Frank ... yeah why not ? ,, say the shield got damaged a wee while back and its not useless...so the lads have to fight without it ,,its a last ditch defense of where ever the hell they are and as for camo ... a lot of that was painted in the field to match where they were ..so depending on their location that would depend on how they cammoed it .
Since you are wanting it on the eastern front what time of yr are you looking at ?
The best thing to do is get a time of year you want this deployed in and then hunt down camo's they used in that season ...your life will be much easier then
Dont worry about the shield .. i have seen them with and without so either way your good to go .

Phill

Oh be warned ...this is not a great model and its gonna take a lot of work ...and replace the gun barrel ...the one in the kit is in three pieces and probably warped ..go alloy .

Phil: I've never seen any photos of the 8.8cm Pak 43 w/o the splinter shield-- can you point to any examples?

@Spartan01 -- the 8.8cm Pak 43 was a later war item. It would leave the factory painted dunkelgelb. You can then add red-brown and/or dark green camo how you want to it -- sprayed or brush -- any likely pattern. There was no "fixed" camo scheme for AT weapons.