Rüstsätze
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Rüstsätze, or Field Modification Kits were packaged kits, usually direct from the aircraft manufacturer that allow for quick changes for various German aircraft used in World War 2. Rüstsätze kits could be fitted in the field as opposed to the Umrüst-Bausätze kits which were typically fitted in the factory.
However during production runs various Rüstsätze kits were fitted by factories to fit Luftwaffe demands as needed.
Typical Rüstsätze would include "up gunning", that is, increasing the cannon or machine gun armament of various aircraft, adding bomb and drop tank fittings, extra armor, and various electrical system upgrades.
The Fw190 was well known for its various Rüstsätze, which included:
R1: Standard radio equipment upgraded to the FuG 16ZE (as fitted to the FW 190A-4 and A-5)
R1: Addition of a WB 151/20 cannon pod under each wing (as fitted to the FW 190A-6, A-7 or A-8)
R2: Addition of a MK 108 cannon under each wing (as fitted to the FW 190A-6 and A-8)
R2: Outboard wing mounted MK 108 cannon (as fitted to the FW 190A-7, A-8 and A-9)
R2: Addition of wing mounted MK 108 cannons and a fuselage center line mounted WGr 21 rocket (as fitted to the FW 190A-8)
R3: Addition of wing mounted MK 103 cannons (as fitted to the FW 190A-6 and A-8)
R4: Addition of fuselage fitted GM1 nitrous boost system (as fitted to the FW 190A-6 and A-8)
R5: Addition of fuselage fitted 115l fuel tank (as fitted to the FW 190A-8)
R6: Addition of wing mounted WGr 21 rockets (as fitted to the FW 190A-4, A-5, A-6, A-7 and A-8)
R7: Addition of armor to the cockpit (as fitted to the FW 190A-6, A-7 and A-8)
R8: Addition of wing mounted MK 108 cannons and cockpit armour (as fitted to the FW 190A-8 and A-9)
R11: Addition of FuG 125 radio, PKS 12 radio direction finder, and window heaters (as fitted to the FW 190A-8 and A-9)
R12: Addition of FuG 125 radio, PKS 12 radio direction finder, window heaters and wing mounted MK 108 cannons (as fitted to the FW 190A-8)
Other aircraft featured their own specific Rüstsätze.
