Sounds like the production line for these engines was rigged to skip drilling and tapping starter boltholes on those engines intended to be crank start, and, yes, engines intended for crank start would have a plain (no ring gear) flywheel. I understand some can be converted and some cannot.
Anyway, if you want to return yours to whatever was there when new, put this question down on the Case forum, and you'll almost certainly get replies from other R Series owners as to what's on theirs.
If you're not trying for original, anything you can Mickey Mouse in/on to cover/plug the hole will do, from SuperGlue on up (or down); just be sure nothing goes far enough into the flywheel housing to contact the flywheel
If you put this on the Case forum, and no one is helpful, I think a man named Tom Railsback, who posts on smokstak, has several R's, and might be helpful.
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