Romanian Tanks

The LT VZ 35 was the R-2, so there was no point in naming it R-3.

I was thinking in another way... R2 is the LT-35 from Czechs, and "maybe" the R3 indicative was reserved for the tank builded in Romania, for a difference in naming local manufactured to imported ones.

But, maybe a post from Stephen is needed. We dont know what is in his head. So, lets wait for him.

Iama

In 1940 following the fall of France, further delivery R-35 tanks was suspeneded. Romania applied to Germany for a licence to build 216 Skoda T-21 medium tanks, which would have designated the R-3 tank. As Romania had not yet joined the Axis Powers, Germany refused the licence. angry: Then Romania tried to buy the tanks directly from Germany, but were again rebuffed. As a further slap in the face to Romania, Germany sold our enemy Hungary a licence for similar T-22 tank which became the Turan 1 & 2.
The R-3 was an improved development of the R-2, which was familiar to the Romanian Army. Its main armament was a 47mm Skoda VZ-36 anti-tank gun, which could penetrate 60mm of armor at a range of 1200 meters. Its secondary armament constisted of a pair of 7.92mm ZB-53 HMG's. It weighed 17 tons and would have 30mm of armored plate on all sides, much like German the Pz-IIIE. It had a five man crew, a radio and a modern intercom system. The R-3 would have been powered by an 260 hp engine, and would have had top speed of 30 mp/h or 50 km/p. In short it was a good tank for its day, and would have proved useful in the 1941 campaign.
Had Romania been successful in obtaining the licence, would have most likey built several hundred more then the 216 originally ordered. Perhaps it would have paved the way for Romania to build, more modern designs such as the Pz-IIIM/T-3, Pz-IVH/T-4, Stug-IIIG/TA and the excellent Maresal. The Romania Army would have been a far more effective force, the Red Army would have suffered huge losses to better trained Romania Tank crew. At the very least the R-3 would have been a far more numerous and superiour tank, to ones it had in service in 1941.

Surfing on the net I learned that were built 10 pieces of Maresal tank destroyer.
Could anyone give me an exact number of pieces built?
Edited: I saw as well
http://www.worldwar2.ro/arme/?category=arm...=11&language=en
but I want to be sure about numbers built.

This post has been edited by Dani on November 03, 2004 01:16 pm

Stephen, I never heard of this. What is your source?

Dragos,

I used number of sources, including Janes Tanks of WW2 and Third Axis, Fourth Ally by Max Axworthy, amongest others. I'am really quite shocked that one else seems to have herd of the R-3. To make it simple the R-3, would have similar to the Hungarian Turan 1 & 2 tanks, which was based on the T-22 tank. The R-3 was designed to meet Romanian requirments, and Turan was designed to meet Hungarian requirements.

I am happy to answer any more questions. If anybody has more information on the preposed R-3 Tank please post it.

Thank You

This post has been edited by Stephen on November 03, 2004 11:24 pm

I still have doubts about this, since the idea of making a production line for tanks in Romania was abandoned before the war with the whole French cooperation, and in 1940 the situation was no better.

Dragos,

When production of french R-35 in Romania was cancelled, due to the fall of France. Romania sought to produce the T-21 or R-3 tank instead. Germany the excellent allies that they were, denied the tanks to Romania.

Thank You

I can second Stephen's post on the planned R-3 tank (Mark Axworthy also mentions it in his book on the Rumanian Armed Forces). However, the fact that the Germans did not consent in exporting the Škoda T-21 to Rumania, or in handing over the plans of the T-23 for indigenous production has deeper roots than Stephen noted. After all, it would have been in Hitler's interest to properly arm his sole ally he relied upon on attacking the Soviet Union.

I would like to note that the licence rights of the T-21 (and not of the T-22, of which only a single turretless prototype was manufactured) were sold to Hungary, where the model was manufactured as the M40 Turán (over 200 modifications were made by the Hungarian engineers of the original Czechoslovak plans).

Lt. Col. Dénes

This post has been edited by Dénes on November 04, 2004 04:45 am

The production of R-35 was cancelled before the war (~1938), because the army officials prefered to buy the tanks produced directly in France.

Yes I had the same info. maybe Victor could comment on that. I would like to know more about Romanian Tank regiments.

Ok Ordo'. Share with us.

Iama

The R-3 sounds like it would have been a good tank at least in 1941. It may have paved the way for Romania to build better tanks as the war progressed. At the very least it would kept the Romanian Army better equipped, then the Hungarian Army.
If anyone has any pictures or imformation on the R-3 Tank please post it.

Thank you

This post has been edited by Stephen Dabapuscu on January 06, 2005 05:44 am

Question(s):

LT-35 and LT-38 had HE projectiles for 37 m.m. guns? Renault R-35 had HE for 37 gun? But for 45?

Iama

The 37mm gun of the R-35 was mostly an infantry gun and pretty ineffective as an AT gun. The answer is yes, it did have HE ammo.