Close-up of RSO rear annealed muffler and identification markings, weathering done by a brown paint wash and brushing black pastel powder. Rollover : ID markers indicates following : 1) WH 695 405 was 695,405th vehicle allocated to Wehrmacht (German Army), 2) Letter "A" was anti-tank battery "A", 3) Numeral 7 was 7th vehicle, 4) Trapezoid+T symbol was German tactical marking for self-propelled anti-tank gun. German Army Reference - www.panzer-modell.de/referenz/referenz_e.htm

Inset 1 : RSO Pak40 wartime photo with its sides folded down, thus enable gun 360-degree transverse and room for crew to fire/reload weapon. (German) Raupenschlepper Ost (RSO)mit 7,5cm Pak 40 - www.rommelkiste.de/Fahrzeuge/rso/rso.html

75mm Pak40 gun could fire maximum range up to 6,000 feet, a good crew could get off 10 rounds per minute (it was rate at 14 rounds/minute). Weapon was effective against all Allied armor, with exception of Soviet IS-2 and American T26/M26 Pershing heavy tanks introduced in 1945. Long before RSO conception, Germans in 1942 mounted Pak40 gun onto captured French armor chassis, along with Panzer II and Panzer 38(t) tanks to provide interim self-propelled anti-gun platform called the Marder (Marten) series. Marder (Marten) Series (1942-44) - achtungpanzer.com/marder.htm

Inset 2 : RSO Pak40 was derivative of RSO early-variant transport with smooth-edge crew cabin and rear braces for tarpin cover. The two components were removed and pedestal gun mount install in rear cargo area. RSO M 75mm PAK Walk Around Page 1 - www.primeportal.net/tanks/jan_peters/rso_m_75mm_pak/

One rationale for massive WW2cGerman armor variety, German Army was at best 30% mechanized, hence was compelled to used captured equipment to augment her forces. Although postwar perception had Germans armed 100% with Panzers, Panzergrenadiers, and halftracks. Such reputation and misconception is probably based more on robust German combat tactics and military leadership which enable the country to fight a 3-front European war for 6 years. German Captured / Foreign Equipment Registry - www.achtungpanzer.com/ct.htm

Another problem besetting Germans in WW2 was adoption of American-style mass production, or as some called it the "Cuckoo Clock Syndrome". Dispensing modern misconceptions, Cuckoo clock was not invited by the Swiss, rather by Germans in 17th-century. Some enterprising feudal Germans probably migrated to Switzerland, setup shop, and have been selling these clocks to noblemen, rich merchants, and tourist alike for the past 300 years, hence country was branded as cuckoo clock origin (story is similar to famous Panama hats worn in early-20th century Central America which originated from Ecuador, or Japanese Origami art of folding color paper into animal shapes which originated from China). Cuckoo clock - en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cuckoo_clock

Given meticulous engineering and fine tooling required for cuckoo clock construction, a steward hand-crafted engineering culture permeated all aspects of German society. Thus, "hand-made" items equated to quality, mass produced template items equated to inferiority. Sensitivity was such even hand-made machine-pressed weapons was controversial, such as German MP40 submachine gun production. Thus, country consciously resisted mass production techniques until Autumn 1944 when dire need for military hardware became paramount. MP40 - en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mp40

Inset 3 : RSO late-variant transport with straight-edge crew cabin which simplified construction pace as Germans were in dire need by 1944 for any wheeled and tracked transports to replenish battlefield losses of their mechanized forces. SKODA RSO MILITARY TRACTORS - strangevehicles.greyfalcon.us/SKODA%20RSO%20MILITARY%20TRACTORS.htm

Interesting 1944 historical tidbit on the "need for transports" was that German SS department head Heinrich Himmler contacted British embassy in neutral Turkey, and offered to trade 100,000 prominent Jews in German concentration camps for 10,000 Allied trucks. Since Allies were nearing victory against the Germans, British military attache in Turkey sarcastically replied "What would I do with 10,000 Jews ?", upon which he was subsequently assassinated by Jewish militants in Turkey. History of the Jews in Turkey - en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_Jews_in_Turkey