【Utility Tractor】Born for rough terrain, its unique form is a fan favorite! The German RSO/01 Utility Tractor comes to life as a model kit featuring 1 driver figure and decals for 2 versions, including the 1944 Eastern Front!

Some people might think, “Why did it take on such a unique shape?” when seeing the RSO/01 for the first time. But knowing the reason makes this rugged figure suddenly look cool. What troubled the German army during World War II was Russia's deep snow and severe rough roads. Therefore, the RSO was developed as a vehicle capable of moving without relying on paved roads. Its name means “Tracked Tractor for Eastern Front” in German, adopting tracked undercarriages different from general trucks. Equipped with a 70 horsepower air-cooled V-type 8-cylinder engine and emphasizing reliable rough-road performance rather than speed, it possessed performance that enabled steady advancement even in places with poor road surface conditions. Differing from tanks fighting showily, reality of battlefields is packed in precisely such working vehicles. That is the interesting part of the RSO.

What characterizes RSO/01, which became the first production model, is a rounded cabin made of pressed steel plates. Powerful track-type undercarriages are arranged below it, becoming an appearance as if combining completely different vehicles in the top half and bottom half. However, of course it is not a design aiming for novelty. Snow tracks could be attached to the tracks to enhance running ability on snow, and even after production began in October 1942, experiences gained in actual combat were reflected in the design. After spring 1943, improvements were made to raise the bottom of the cabin by about 30mm for the purpose of preventing interference between snow tracks and the vehicle body, and vehicles with silencers removed from exhaust pipes have also been confirmed. Changing figures according to the site if necessary. Looking at the model after knowing its utility-first origin makes you want to search for reasons in each single shape.

What allows you to enjoy such RSO/01 in 1/35 scale is this plastic model assembly kit. Size when completed is total length 126mm, total width 64mm, a size easy to balance collection ease and detail observation. What I want to pay attention to would be the point of capturing features of vehicles produced after spring 1943 based on actual vehicle coverage. Pressed rounded cabins symbolizing RSO/01 traits are also reproduced richly in 3D feel, and you can thoroughly savor unique proportions when combined with tracks and cargo beds. Being able to confirm functional beauty unique to military transport vehicles, different again from tank models, on top of a desk is a pleasure unique to this subject.

Let's pay attention to the rear figure as well. In this kit, you can choose and assemble from a state covering the cargo bed with a hood and a state leaving only the framework. Expanding the hood strengthens an atmosphere typical of transport vehicles heading to the front lines loading supplies, and if framework only, it changes into a nimble impression where structures are well visible. Moreover, because the texture of the hood itself is expressed realistically, highlighting differences with rigid sculptings of vehicle bodies through painting seems interesting. Regarding tracks, adopting a partial connection type integrating straight sections, it becomes content where you can enjoy its structure in 3D while building up tracked undercarriages which are major features of the RSO.

Points that do not end with vehicles alone cannot be missed either. Included in the kit is 1 driver figure, and furthermore 2 types of slide marks capable of reproducing Eastern Front specifications in 1944 and more are prepared. Masking stickers pre-cut for windows and window frames are also included, so supporting fine color separations is also a pleasing point. Placing the driver adds a sense of size with humans to the vehicle body, increasing scene-like feeling considerably even in standalone display, and there is also fun of developing into diorama combining with artillery, supplies, and other vehicles.

The RSO was deployed not only to the Eastern Front but to various war theaters in the second half of the war, continuing to bear tasks such as towing artillery and transporting supplies. It has no flashy turrets, nor is it a vehicle boasting speed. Still, precisely because it is a machine created to advance harsh roads and keep carrying necessary things, there is a unique persuasiveness in its figure. “1/35 German RSO/01 Utility Tractor” is a model whose flavor increases the more you assemble while knowing the background of such an actual vehicle. Rounded cabin, rugged tracks, and cargo bed making you feel its usage. If attracted to this slightly unusual silhouette, by the time it is completed, the vehicle named RSO itself might be felt more interesting.