About 3/4 of the way thru this build. A FANTASTIC kit!

The model contains the BEST overall fit I have ever experienced in a model. Better than even the Tamiya Famo or the "Smart" kits of today. I give this kit a 9.5 on a scale of 10 for engineering quality, fit and detail.

This is no clone of past resin kits! This is an all new creation from Riich Models that contains a complete engine, transmission, suspension, driveline and winch. The cab is a very impressive single large casting. Interestingly the cab has louvers on the outside that ALSO APPEAR on the INSIDE of the cab. Also the molded engine side panels have cast louvers that YOU CAN SEE THROUGH!

This is a fantastic kit that I am very glad to finally see in plastic.

My only disappointment is that this kit (like the real thing) contains so much detail that cannot be seen once the build is complete.

Kudos to Riich Models.

Note the plain disk wheels I have created here. I am now working up the nerve to put the eight large holes in these disks that will mark this as being the first demonstration RSO to be built.

P.S. Be sure to check out the next page of this build log to see how the drill holes in the wheels turned out!

From Pat McGrath:

Nice work Michael. I'm almost finished construction - here's mine at:

http://armorama.kitmaker.net/forums/204671

there are are a few parts in plastic that would be better in PE and some of the PE that would be better in plastic but I would be almost in agreement as to the engineering and fit though I would give it 9.999 out of 10

Did you have a problem fitting the fuel tank over the muffler? I did and I can't figure out where I went wrong.

Have not as yet gotten to the muffler problem. I usually build the chassis, paint it whatever color I plan to use and then add the muffler exhaust pipe assemply so I can give it the appropriate rust treatment.

My plan is to build the original prototype "test" RSO with the perforated wheels so the arrangement of the "saddle bag" tool boxes will be different than the production model. I will have to cross that bridge when I get to it.

With you pointing out the muffler problem maybe I spoke too soon about the "perfect" fit.

The Skoda RSO Radschlepper Ost prototype as presented to the German High Command for approval. 300 were immediately ordered. In the end only approximately 100 were constructed. None survived.

Photo credit: Capricorn Publishing shown here for discussion purposes ONLY.

Engine side curtains - with open louvers cast in place! Amazing molding job!

As to correcting the exhaust pipe to clear the fuel tank: I revised the angle upward of the elbow pipe in front of the muffler and then cut off the rear pipe and moved it up so it comes out of the top edge of the muffler instead of the center.

Looks like the problem is solved but I would still like to come up with more space between that fuel tank and the hot exhaust pipe!

A word of warning: Feel free to glue the winch cable to the winch drum but DO NOT glue it to the fair lead pulleys as I did. Because you will find that when you mount the load box it will be necessary to feed that cable OVER one cross member and then under the next.

ANOTHER MINOR PROBLEM WITH THIS KIT - Easily fixed however.



This well known historical RSO photo from the 1940's (shown above) was taken of the interior of the PROTOTYPE Skoda RSO. The oval shaped item with the on/off switch on the dashboard is a standard German automotive windshield wiper motor. It was only the prototype vehicles that had the wiper and wiper motor positioned at the BOTTOM of the window. On all other PRODUCTION RSOs the wiper and wiper motor were positioned at the TOP of the window structure.

The photo immediately above shows the Riich Models instruction drawing AS IT SHOULD APPEAR. The wiper motor (Part E13) at now at the TOP of the windshield as is correct for the production vehicle. (As a modeling tip; check out the wiper motors on the Tamiya Steyr Medium Field Car or Kommandeurwagon windshields - they are perfect to resin cast more copies and use one here!)

p.s. ALSO - - The window equalizers (Part P14 - you will need two) shown in the instruction sheet SHOULD NOT be mounter on the cab body but on the window frame itself. ALSO there should be one equalizer on EACH side of the swing-out windshield not just one. (See photo above.) (More photos follow later in this article.)

In these two photos (posted by Pat McGrath) you can clearly see that there are two equalizers on the one swing-out windshield. Also you might note the equalizers face upwards and DO NOT hang downwards as shown in the Riich instruction sheet.

Partially finished and detailed engine. I chose not to go with the recommended all flat black paint job. I figure since this is a first-off prototype vehicle intended for presentation, this RSO might be detailed to a higher level than a production vehicle.

Looking good Michael, got to love the weird look to this beast.

Amen Bill - So ugly it's beautiful! But even at that I have to try and take it one step further by attempting to build the original prototype rather than the production version.

From Pat McGrath

Mike That's what I did with the muffler I had realised about the position of the window equalizer (Part P14) but not about the motor switch so thanks for that. In some photos - not handy at the moment it appears there two window equalisers

The photos you posted clearly show two windshield equalizers. They also show that the way Riich indicates to mount them is incorrect. Riich show their's upside down!

OK now; - - what exactly is that "muffler" on the cab roof ? ? ?

Under the hood on the RSO the device on the fire wall that this muffler is piped to I read as an gasoline fired auxillary cab heater. Cold war Russian trucks have the same thing in exactly in the same place and they usually have an exhaust pipe running up the side of the cab. But a device like this does not require a muffler, it only needs a vent!

Besides, this is not a muffler anyway b/c there is no exhaust vent on this canister. What there is on this canister is a round removable end cap. For some reason Riich has given us two styles of end caps, one with a handle and one without but what is this thing?

From Pat McGrath:

Quoted Text
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OK now; - - what exactly is that "muffler" on the cab roof ? ? ?
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the Capricorn book describes it as an air filter.

Regarding the roof mounted "Air filter" check out this photo from the Skoda plant. A beautiful Skoda Kommanderuwagon in the forground but also notice the three RSOs in the background. Clearly there is no rust on the pipe leading up to the roof, rust would indicate it as being a muffler.

AND the air filter itself appears to be painted a gloss black. I would say this rules out any possibility of this being a muffler. Maybe it is a deep water wading breather?

On the first prototype RSO this air filter is mounted on top of the right front fender.

Great Pic where did you find that?

I was amazed to find that one myself. I was doing an RSO image search on the internet and instead of just looking at the first few pages of photos I kept scanning through the later pages and this one came up, way down the list. I think I found it based on the fact that I had also put Skoda in my search field.

THE FINISHED STOCK PRODUCTION ENGINE - with some additional piping added. I avoided the standard black called for in the instruction sheet. I figured since I am modeling the presentation prototype it would be polished up a bit more than the production engine.

Engine Installed, Cab Interior shaping up:

Skoda RSO Radschlepper Ost