I have just finished my new model, SA-8B Gecko (9A33BM2 TELAR of the 9K33M2 Osa SAM complex https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/9K33_Osa ). I made it as a vehicle from the air defense missile battery of the 70th Kandahar motor rifle brigade which was covering the Kandahar airfield during the Afghan war.
Kandahar airfield was a strategic Soviet logistics and airstrike base throughout the war. I have an idea of making a pool of vehicles related to the Kandahar airfield and its fuel depot – the so-called POL outpost (petroleum, oil & lubricants; “zastava GSM (geseem)” in Russian). http://vestnik-rm.ru/articles-v-boyah-na-shilke.htm The POL outpost was a well-known Soviet stronghold providing control of both the fuel depot and the fuel supply route (the Kandahar road). POL outpost constantly had an infantry platoon reinforced with a tank, a Shilka and a mortar. It was one of the most intensely fighting Soviet strongholds during the war.
I have some b&w pics of SA-8 in Afghanistan. But they are from an Afghan veterans community, a guy from Afghan war modelers forum shared a link to it with me, so I’m not feeling right to share it. So I’ll just describe them. They are SA-8, not SA-8B as the Trumpeter kit. (The difference is that SA-8 was 1972+ production with four missiles; SA-8B was 1975+ production with six sealed round missiles in box containers). (I suggest both versions could be deployed to Afghanistan.) Most vehicles are painted overall Russian green, and some others are gray with black stripes which was a unique Soviet pattern used exclusively in Afghanistan. They are all heavily weathered. One of the vehicles carries a 4-digit number on sides. I changed it by one digit. My number reads 0132, which, I suggest, means battery 01 (there was one at all), platoon 3, vehicle 2. Basically, SA-8 could have automotive license plates, but the vehicles on these pics do not have them.
The closest prototype pics I can provide are the ones I took myself at the Military Historical Museum of Artillery, Engineers and Signal Corps in Saint Petersburg, Russia. It is an initial production SA-8.
Afghan war color reference. This is a great link with thousands of pics in color.
http://photochronograph.ru/2015/12/11/afgan/
This is the actual camo scheme I’ve used.
The kit page http://trumpeter-china.com/index.php?g=home&m=product&a=show&id=1517&l=en
Detailed kit description http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10341606
Here is the boxart.
Here is the complete model.
