In the turbulent years leading up to and during World War II, Romania, like many nations, embarked on a journey of adaptation and innovation in the realm of armoured warfare. The TACAM R-2, a Romanian tank hunter, is a notable example of such efforts. Originally based on the Czech LT vz. 35, this vehicle underwent transformation and played a role on the Eastern Front.
Between 1937 and 1939, Romania acquired 125 slightly modified Czech LT vz. 35 tanks, designated as the R-2. These tanks performed capably during their early deployment on the Eastern Front. However, as the war progressed and the Soviet T-34 and KV-1 tanks emerged as formidable adversaries, it became apparent that the R-2's capabilities fell short in dealing with these new threats. Inspired by the German Marder concept, which involved converting obsolete tanks into tank hunters, the Romanian Army decided to adapt a limited number of R-2 tanks. These tank-hunters would be equipped with captured Russian guns, adding new firepower to the Romanian arsenal.
The Romanian Army opted to utilize the Russian M-1936 F-22 field gun as the primary armament for the converted tank hunters. This choice made sense due to the widespread use of the F-22 by the Germans, which ensured a readily available supply of compatible ammunition. German optics were integrated into the design and adapted to the gun, while the gun sights and fixations were of Romanian origin.
In late 1943, testing of the newly configured tank destroyers commenced at Leonida and proved successful. However, it became evident that the F-22 gun's effectiveness was limited to shorter ranges, typically within 500-600 meters when engaging T-34 tanks. The TACAM R-2 entered production in February 1944 and was ready for deployment by June of the same year, with an initial batch of 20 units. Yet, their effectiveness against the more formidable IS-1 and IS-2 tanks was notably insufficient.
By July 1944, ten TACAM R-2 tank hunters were assigned to the 63rd TACAM Company for training as part of the 1st Armoured Training Division. However, they never saw combat before Romania's defection to the Allies. In September 1944, during the German counter-attack from Hungary into Transylvania, a detachment of twelve TACAM R-2s, known as the Niculescu Detachment, was assembled to face the Axis threat. This ad-hoc Armoured Group included 16 TACAM R-2s and successfully taken part of repelling the counter-attack however the unit was later disbanded.
In February 1945, twelve TACAM R-2 tank destroyers were reassigned to the 2nd Armoured Regiment and sent to Czechoslovakia. However, all but two of them were seized by the Russians in exchange for German tanks, and the remaining two continued to fight until April.
Today, only one surviving example of the TACAM R-2 is displayed at the Bucharest museum, serving as a testament to Romania's endeavours in adapting and contributing to armoured warfare during the challenging times of World War II.