RSO mit PAK 40

[S_P]

Is there a list anywhere of which units, where and when, ended up with the RSO carrying the PAK40? MTIA

[Fire at Will]

Some useful info on the Axis History Forum
https://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic.php?t=78581

[7dot62mm]

According to...

Kwok, Peter & Duske, Heiner F.: 7,5 cm Pak 40/4 auf Gep. Selbstfahrlafette Raupenschlepper Ost (RSO). Nuts & Bolts vol. 09. Nuts & Bolts Verlag, Neumünster Germany 2010.

Field trials from late Jan 1944 with 50 units of Army Group South. But some also given to Army Group Center at the same time, namely 1st Ski-Jäger Brigade (later Division) and also Army Group North. Armee-Pz-Jägerabteilungen 751 and 752 of the 16th and 18th army.

A platoon óf Panzerjäger consisted of 3(!) 7.5 cm RSOs, 1 Mautier truck for ammo, 1 Kubelwagen and 1 Kettenkrad.

Other units suspected but unconfirmed to have fielded the 7,5 cm Pak 40/4 auf RSO included Armee-Pz-Jägerabteilung 753 of 18th Armee, Armee-Pz-Jägerabteilung 741 (4th Army), 742 (3rd Army), 743 (9th Army) and 744 (2nd Army). Despite being named "Rollender Sarg Ost" (Rolling Coffin East) by its crews, the RSO remained in combat with dwindling numbers until May 1945.

[7dot62mm]

Funnily enough...

Jentz, Thomas L. & Doyle, Hilary Louis: Panzer Tracts No.7.3 - Panzerjaeger (7.5 cm Pak 40/4 to 8.8 Waffertraeger) development and employment from 1939 to 1945. Panzer Tracts, Boyds MD 2006.

...gives a completely different set of units

Pz.Zerst.Batl.478 of 10.Lw.Feld.Div - March 1, 1944
Pz.Zerst.Batl.477 A.O.K.18 - April 1, 1944
Pz.Jg.Abt.263 263rd InfDiv under A.O.K.16 - June 1, 1944
Pz.Jg.Abt.752 - May 1st 1944
205.Ind.Div and 281.Sich.Div - May 28, 1944
Pz.Jg.Abt.751 - Sept 1, 1944

In this book, the RSOs disappear very quickly off the rosters, with only 263 still having one in January 1945.

[S_P]

Thanks for the replies.... seems a bit of a mystery where they ended up... Looks like I need another to make a full platoon too as I have 2....

[Alanmccoubrey]

Thanks for the replies.... seems a bit of a mystery where they ended up... Looks like I need another to make a full platoon too as I have 2....

Not much of a mystery Pete, they were a crap piece of kit which was beyond useless and very quickly returned to the homeland where they were recycled as the guns were needed as were the chassis.
Sadly there is a lot of duff information out there, for example I've seen it attributed to 10th Luftwaffe Field Division in March 1944, not a bad feat given that the Division was destroyed in February 1944.

But it looks odd which we all love and of course wargamers can easily ignore the fact it had no armour and was making the crew sit 3 feet up in the air to fire at an enemy who could therefore see them much more easily.

[Fire at Will]

But it looks odd which we all love and of course wargamers can easily ignore the fact it had no armour and was making the crew sit 3 feet up in the air to fire at an enemy who could therefore see them much more easily.

Guilty as charged

[S_P]

Thanks for the replies.... seems a bit of a mystery where they ended up... Looks like I need another to make a full platoon too as I have 2....

Not much of a mystery Pete, they were a crap piece of kit which was beyond useless and very quickly returned to the homeland where they were recycled as the guns were needed as were the chassis.
Sadly there is a lot of duff information out there, for example I've seen it attributed to 10th Luftwaffe Field Division in March 1944, not a bad feat given that the Division was destroyed in February 1944.

But it looks odd which we all love and of course wargamers can easily ignore the fact it had no armour and was making the crew sit 3 feet up in the air to fire at an enemy who could therefore see them much more easily.

Very fair. I do have a soft spot for bits of crap....

Still now I have them I want o use them....