German RSO/03 w/5 cm PaK 38 (Dragon)

This is the Dragon 6684 kit in 1/35 scale, of the ‘German RSO/03 w/5cm PaK 38’.

German RSO/03 w/5cm PaK 38

History

The Eastern Front presented many difficulties during WWII, one of which was the harsh weather. With few well-paved roads available, rain and snow could render the terrain almost impassable, as Germany found out during their first winter in 1941-42.

For such difficult conditions, Germany realized it needed special tracked vehicles to traverse Russia’s roads and countryside. One solution offered up was the Raupenschlepper Ost (literally “Caterpillar Tractor East”, or “RSO” for short). The RSO, based on the Steyr 1500A light truck, was initially conceived as a prime mover and tractor for towing artillery pieces, although it was eventually put to many uses.

The fully tracked vehicle performed very well in the muddy conditions, and various manufacturers eventually produced 23,000 vehicles before the war ended. The RSO/03 was a later-production variant that had a simple metal cab with a soft-top roof. It was powered to a top speed of 30km/h by a Deutz diesel engine. A pintle was fitted at the rear for towing artillery pieces.

Source: Dragon Models website

Manufacturer

Where I got it

German RSO/01 Type 470 (Dragon)

This is the Dragon 6691 kit in 1/35 scale, of the ‘German RSO/01 Type 470’.

German RSO/01 Type 470

History

The acronym RSO stands for Raupenschlepper Ost, which translates as ‘Caterpillar Tractor East’. The terrible muddy and icy conditions experienced on the Eastern Front convinced Germany of the need for a highly mobile, tracked vehicle.

Steyr proposed the RSO and it immediately became a popular vehicle thanks to its mobility and reliability. In all, about 23,000 RSO vehicles were produced by a range of manufacturers.

The original version had a pressed-steel cab and a typical truck-style cargo bed at the rear. It was powered by a Steyr 85hp V8 engine that offered a top speed of 30km/h. This kit depicts the standard RSO/01, the type with rounded steel cab being the best known of all the versions used by Germany.

Source: Dragon Models website

Manufacturer