Greetings people.
This is my try at Shilka by Meng. Some Eduard PE for this kit was used, but not all. Beautiful model (apart from the workable tracks and ditching log which looks unrealistic), builds like a charm. Having said that, I made a bunch of rookie mistakes, dropped a model few times, breaking almost everything that could break, lost few tiny parts in carpet monster etc.
Without a doubt I will build another one, just loved it.
Comments and critics are welcome as always.

Do you scream like a girl, then cuss like a sailor when you drop them? I do...

Hi Saša,

Great-looking Shilka, and good job on the weathering.




Somehow that sounds familiar....

Jerry

That looks great! Nice job on weathering. Just the right amount, not over done, but enough to look lifelike.

Very nicely done. Excellent paint job and weathering.Like you say, it's a great kit. I decided to leave off the unditching beam which does look pretty awful but the biggest thing for me was replacing the photoetched chains on the rear stowage with real 3D chain. I'm almost ready to get paint on the thing now, just a few more turret details to add.

Yup...and it ends with weeping in the corner of the room...

I like the paint and weathering
I sent you a message with a tutorial about assembling tracks
/ Robin

Very nice indeed. I have one in my stash so you've inspired me!

Very nice model!
As other people said, great job painting and weathering it.

Nice cammo and great weathering job.

An easy replacement for the ditching log is to a wooden dowel(can't remember the size). They come in 36" lengths and are easy to work with. Just cut to the proper size and scrape along the length with a razor saw to rough it up and give it some texture. Any burrs can be removed with fine sandpaper. Paint and weather. I do this for all the unditching logs on Soviet/Russian armor.

I like it! Ref to the tracks try removing a link or maybe 2 (doubtful). They are nice tracks but I think you might have extra links.

This is really making me now want to go and get one of these.Just don't see where you dropped it anywhere because it looks so great.

I share your pain also brother.

Fabulous build by the way

Looks great to me. Must start mine some day soon...

Thanks for the feedback guys!




At this point I think removing a link would result in breaking of links in several places (they are not glued). Also, almost all of the road wheel axles were broken when I dropped the model and are very fragile now.
As I said, this is a very good model, but thanks to bad luck and a lot of my mistakes, I just wanted to finish it.

Excellent recovery from your disaster. As others have noted, no visible indication that you had dropped and broken key elements. That in itself is testament to your skills and persistence in the face of disaster.

Thank you all for your replies. Seems I was just too afraid it will not turn out at least half decent.

Nice work on the beast.

Ultra realistic finish and scale paint/weathering. I like everything about this model - excellent job!

Gary

I really like your build man, very clean. if you don't tell the model has fallen I never imagine that by the photos. Great paint and weathering job too, not too clean, not too dirty, not too scratched. And I have to mention too, very good pics.

I builded a Shilka last year, but (saddily) not the Meng one, the jurassic Dragon kit. I like this vehicle, but I don't go build another (these are my rules, one kind of subject only).

One tip: After dropping my Zil 157 truck not only one time... but four times trough the entire building, and spend more time fixing the damages and searching all those tiny and flying pieces/PE's (followed by many screams and F*#$%*&@) than making the kit itself, I attached one side of a short towel under my workbench, and when I working on a model, I pull the oposite side over my legs. If the kit or some piece fall, will fall in the towel. I stopped feeding the carpet monster (and the nowhere monster) this way.

Looks great!!!
Always liked the look of this thing from the Flashpoint PC game