1:35 MT-LB with zu-23-2

The real subject

The MT-LB is a Soviet lightly armored tracked carrier and tractor. It was created as a universal chassis for ground where wheeled vehicles give up: its wide tracks give it a low ground pressure, so it gets through mud and deep snow, and the vehicle is amphibious, propelled on water by the tracks themselves. At the rear it has space for troops or cargo and a low flat hull roof on which all sorts of things can be mounted.

The version with the ZU-23-2 cannon

The ZU-23-2 is a twin automatic 23 mm cannon, originally towed on a two-wheeled carriage. Set on the hull of the carrier it makes up a combination that can follow a unit across country with its barrels always ready. The barrels can also be depressed onto ground targets, so a vehicle like this proves itself against air targets as well as in direct fire.

Building and painting tips

• Finish and paint the tracks and the running gear before you fit the hull and the cannon; later a brush will hardly reach them.
• Leave the cannon movable as long as possible and decide on the elevation of the barrels only on the finished model, because it is this that sets the whole look.
• Paint the seats, the ammunition and the small items on the hull separately and fit them at the end.
• Wash and degrease the parts before painting; choose the shades and markings according to the color plan in the instructions.
• A dusted underside and clean barrels will give the model credibility even without elaborate weathering.

Who it is for

For builders of postwar and contemporary ground vehicles who are looking for a vehicle with a striking shape and with room for figures and for a scene. The combination works well in a diorama, because the open hull with the cannon offers a view inside. Paints, glue and figures are not included in the package, unless stated otherwise.