R series of Astro droids

Does EU mention/describe other versions besides the familiar (or somewhat familiar) R2, R4, R5 units?

Descriptions and pictures would be nice. Especially of R4s other than Obi-Wan's (which had its head replaced with an R2's so we can't see what one normally looks like)

 

Star Wars Adventure Journal # 7 ( 1995 ) had an awesome article on astromechs, going from the P1 all the way to R7 units used for the Battle of Calamari.

 

Just off the top of my head--leaving aside R2s and R5s (they being, presumably, familiar enough)--

R3 units are very similar to R2s, but the head-dome is transparent (leaving processors and other fancy widgetry visible underneath). These can be seen in the backgrounds occasionally in ANH and TESB (on the Death Star and at Echo Base, respectively). IIRC, the R3 is a primarily military model--particularly prevalent on capital ships and large space stations.

Baseline R4 units have a taller, more conical head than the 'flowerpot' topped R5s. Where the R3 is a military-focused model, the R4 (again, IIRC--someone correct me if I've gotten things confused) is aimed at the civilian market. Like the R3, you can see the R4 as an 'extra' in ANH and TESB; the most prominent R4 is the one that's cruising alongside the Rebel prisoners on board the Tantive IV in ANH... he rolls right under the camera's nose.

R6s and R7s I'm a little more shaky on. I know that one (I think the R6) has an R5-like 'flowerpot' head, but with a 'face' and 'eye' more like the classic R2. The other one (the R7, I think)has a conventional dome-shaped head, with a vaguely sinister-looking inverted triangle kind of eye. I also seem to recall that one of the two models was purpose-designed to function with the E-Wing fighter (probably the R7). But I can't say for sure which was which.

 

You have the last two right JudroBathens.

 

[image=http://rpggamer.org/shippics/p2.jpg] P2

[image=http://rpggamer.org/shippics/r1.jpg] R1

[image=http://rpggamer.org/shippics/r2.jpg] R2

[image=http://rpggamer.org/shippics/r3.jpg] R3

[image=http://rpggamer.org/shippics/r4.jpg] R4

[image=http://rpggamer.org/shippics/r5.jpg] R5

[image=http://rpggamer.org/shippics/r6.jpg] R6

[image=http://rpggamer.org/shippics/r7.jpg] R7

 

By the way, I must mention that I saw a remote-controlled R7 unit at Celebration III. It was awesome.

 

Is there any mention in literature that describes earlier forms of astromech droids besides the P1 and the droids from KOTOR?

 

[image=http://www.shillpages.com/dw/k901.jpg]

John Leeson speech is no substitute to speech impediment whistling.

 

There's also an R8-series astromech, developed after Thrawn's campaigns. From the CUSWE:

this series of Industrial Automaton astromech droids was produced shortly after the death of Grand Admiral Thrawn. During its development, it was rumored that the R8-series would have been the first from Industrial Automaton to speak Basic, but this never happened. (Adventure Journal 7 and Vision of the Future)