First and Second Generation R2-D2 Differences

That photo of the traction motor sticking out comes from that Electronics Tomorrow article on the droids from 1977.



Yes. That's actually a good point - I've added a bit about the blue dots and dashes. Thing is, I can't find incontrovertible evidence as to what the ESB droids had. I think they actually had those recessed details, only they were painted white.

The Smithsonian one has recesses painted white but dirtied up, and a couple of promo shots seem to show the same thing. I would expect that the fibreglass moulded droids would have the recesses if the part was fibreglass. But I don’t know if the legs were aluminium what they’d haven me

Correct! ESB has white

Another thing I’ve read is only 1 leg was molded in fiberglass.. including the horseshoes at the same time..

This doesn’t help the “buttons front vs back” debate because we never see both sides of the leg at the same time

So on the right side of the fiberglass droids the buttons are front, and the left side is buttons back
 
This doesn’t help the “buttons front vs back” debate because we never see both sides of the leg at the same time

In ESB, you mean? Because we definitely see both sides of the same physical droid in that film - the Bespin scene immediately after Fett takes off, for example - R2 is spinning around.

Or do you mean ANH? In this case you're probably right though I haven't gone through the whole movie just for the shoulder buttons. :) The three-legged R2 clearly has buttons back in promo shots, both left and right sides. But it's not one of the ones which are supposed to have "glass fibre feet" on the Stears production document. (only droids 1 and 2, both Kenny, are thus labelled)
 
Incidentally, I do think that the "one leg moulded" theory seems more likely than the "legs were put on backwards" theory. :)

This view of technicians working on the legs and feet show that the whole leg and shoulder/horseshoe assembly was done in one go. No indication is shown in this shot as to whether they moulded both separate legs, but given the limited budget of the film, it seems an entirely reasonable possibility! And the leg that's visible is button-right if it were on the right side of the droid.

IMG_0279c2.jpg


Also, in Tunisia is this shot. it seems to be the one seen rolling along, which is buttons-front on the right side.

r5d4bts_bg.jpg
 
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Great Article. Great to see this info posted in such an accessible format!
 
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