In 1953, Hanomag introduced its first single-cylinder tractor. The R12’s engine was two-stroke, water-cooled, and the intake was boosted by a mechanical Roots supercharger. It had 6+2 gears. The gear shift diagram featured two H-patterns controlled by a single lever. The seat was a padded bench for two people. The driver sat on the right side, and the steering wheel was also located on the right side of the engine cover. Initially, the appearance was similar to the larger Hanomag models, but in 1954 the front end was changed to have rounded lines. The R12 KB was a version with a wheelbase shortened by 30 cm.

Later, two-cylinder models R18 and R24 were introduced in the same series with the rounded front end, two-stroke engine, and 6+2 transmission. The difference between these models was limited to engine speed and wheel size. The engines of the R18 and R24 were also two-stroke. Unlike the single-cylinder model, the supercharger in these was driven by a gear transmission instead of a V-belt. These Hanomag two-stroke engines did not have a very good reputation, but that did not stop Hanomag from becoming Germany’s most popular tractor brand in 1954. Altogether, Hanomag had manufactured 100,000 tractors by that time.

In 1955, small Hanomags were equipped with a power lift system.

Since 1952, Hanomags in Germany were most often turquoise in color, but some parts of the sales network ordered tractors in dark green. On export markets, the most common color was red.

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