Romanian R-2 questions

I want to build a Romanian R-2 from a CMK Pz.Kpfw 35(t) 1/35 kit.

Does anyone have pictures of a R-2 tank coming from the German delivery of 26 PzKpfw 35(t) in 1942? I have to know the painting scheme (I presume it was the same olive-green as the other R-2 tanks) and the markings.

If no such info is available, I guess I'll have to convert the kit to one of the Romanian variant, for which I have to know all the external differences between the standard LT vz 35 and the version build for Romania.

Thanks

Hello dragos,
here is a link to a color profile of the romanian R-2, probbably in a winter camo.
http://ww2drawings.jexiste.fr/Files/1-Vehi...1-Tanks/R-2.htm
By the way, can you showu us the kit? I`m also interested in the R-2 but unfortunately i model at 1:72 scale.

I wouldn't trust that drawing.

The R-2s delivered to Romania were built to Romanian specifications, and that would include the colour. Likewise, the tanks delivered from Wehrmacht inventories would almost certainly have been Panzer Grey, with the standard (curved) rear turret.

As for differences, the major one that I know of is the rear turret plate. It's not an easy detail to pick up in photos, but I have drawings from a Russiam magazine that show it nicely. Basically, the Czech and German machines had a curved plate for the rear turret which on Romanian R-2s was replaced by two flat plates.

It's not a big deal to model — chop out the turret rear and replace it with two pieces of sheet plastic. the fiddly part is that the rivets on the rear and along the top rear edge have to be replaced.

As for improvements, ModelKasten make a set of tracks that are absolutely necessary. A Russian company called 5,45 has cast metal tracks similar to Fruilismo, but they are very hard to get outside Russia. WW2 Productions (Australia) have resin tracks that include new roadwheels, but they are stupid expensive, about twice what the kit costs. The Kasten tracks are very nice.

Eduard makes photoetch that was at one time bundled with the CMK kit. It is out of production, but still available. Royal Model (Italy) also has an outstanding photoetch set that includes some resin, but it is also quite expensive.

Charles Kliment has written several books on Czech tanks that have been published by MBI. His book on the LT vz 35 is typical, and very well done. It focuses on Czech and german use, naturally, but there is a bit on Romanian tanks.

This one of my all-time favourite tanks, so typical of the years prior to WW2.

Cheers
Scott Fraser

Thanks, but I'm not sure I understand, where are the two flat plates on the rear of the turret you are speaking of?

Can post the images from the Russian magazine?

The two flat armour plates at the rear of the turret (R2) instead of the curved one (Lt 35) and a single flat armour plate at the rear of the engine compartment (R2) instead of three (Lt 35), were the outside differences of the R2 and Lt 35. I'm not at home so I can't scan the drawings from Modelism.

Unfortunately no R2 survived until now the one at MMN is a Lt 35 and the TACAM is also built on a Lt 35 "cutie blindata" I don't know the english word .

Thanks, I will wait for the pictures then.

The scan is from Modelism.
On the left is LT-35 and on the right R2. I have highlighted the areas of interest.

Thank you Mihnea, but I also need a top down drawing to see the angles.

This pictures contradicts the flat plate at the rear of the engine.

http://www.worldwar2.ro/foto/?id=320&area=...est&language=en

Same source.

Thanks!

Hello dragos.

Some R-2s had flattend hull rear and some had three plates as LT-35/35(t).
(So you can omit remodeling the hull )
But a pintle at the center of a rear plate is a feature of R-2.

On the other hand, perhaps all R-2s had angled turret rear.

MMN 'R-2' has a pintle, so it may be composition of R-2 hull + 35(t) turret.
MMN TACAM has no pintle, so its hull is perhaps from Pz.Kpfw.35(t) brought from Germany in 1942.

In 1937 Romania received 15 LT-35 identical to the ones made for the czech army, for training propose,s these tanks were sent back to Skoda in 1938 to be modified to romanian specifications but the hull and turret design remained unchanged except for the central rear towing point only seen on R2's and the Lt-35 from MMN.

See the picture below:


The TACAM on the other hand is missing the central towing point so it might be built on a Lt-35 received later from the germans.

What about this difference at the front part of the fenders? Was it specific to R-2?

This is soft material front fender covering (probably made of rubber).
Not only R-2s but all LT vz.35/Pz.Kpfw.35(t) have it.

The part is weak, so most vehicles in the museum today have lost this.