German Hilfskreuzer fire control

Zoltar23 · 03-27-25, 07:59 AM

Been trying to do some research for a story, and while I have somewhat given myself an ancillary lesson in basic fire control, what I am trying to find out is, how was the fire control system organized on a Kreigsmarine auxiliary cruiser, otherwise known as a hilfskreuzer.

What I have found, is vague details, so far even memoirs have yet to provide adequate details.

What I have found is: That the gear used would most likely be of some type that some in high command wouldn’t want to sacrifice, on what they saw as suicide missions. Though this may have changed with later cruisers.

Stereoscopic range finders would be used once their covers where dropped and colours raised, beforehand as the target was tracked some form of hand held range finder was used.

An Osprey book (German commerce raider versus English cruiser), mentions that a 1910’s telegraph system was used to transmit orders and solutions. Problem is, do they mean something like an engine telegraph? Would this be a Great War fire control system? Or something like the Vickers step by step?

I guess what I am looking for are specifics? What exactly was the fire control system? How was data and orders transmitted to the main guns, was it the same system to transmit from the guns? Would these ships have a Kreigsmarine version of a range keeper? For that matter what was the Kreigsmarine equivalent and manufacturer to a range keeper or admiralty table?

Any help is greatly appreciated.

03-27-25, 07:59 AM	#1
Zoltar23 Mate Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Canada Posts: 55 Downloads: 119 Uploads: 0	German Hilfskreuzer fire control Been trying to do some research for a story, and while I have somewhat given myself an ancillary lesson in basic fire control, what I am trying to find out is, how was the fire control system organized on a Kreigsmarine auxiliary cruiser, otherwise known as a hilfskreuzer. What I have found, is vague details, so far even memoirs have yet to provide adequate details. What I have found is: That the gear used would most likely be of some type that some in high command wouldn’t want to sacrifice, on what they saw as suicide missions. Though this may have changed with later cruisers. Stereoscopic range finders would be used once their covers where dropped and colours raised, beforehand as the target was tracked some form of hand held range finder was used. An Osprey book (German commerce raider versus English cruiser), mentions that a 1910’s telegraph system was used to transmit orders and solutions. Problem is, do they mean something like an engine telegraph? Would this be a Great War fire control system? Or something like the Vickers step by step? I guess what I am looking for are specifics? What exactly was the fire control system? How was data and orders transmitted to the main guns, was it the same system to transmit from the guns? Would these ships have a Kreigsmarine version of a range keeper? For that matter what was the Kreigsmarine equivalent and manufacturer to a range keeper or admiralty table? Any help is greatly appreciated.