Artillery Fire Control Equipment

[ROLAND1369]

I think that the answer was that the US coast Artillery Fire control has advanced past the extensive man in the loop system used by the Germans to a computerized integrated system. The US Coast artillery was in the process of installing in the 12 and 16 inch Heavy batteries the M1 electro mechanical computer. This Computer electrically received input data from the optical azimuth sensors at the battery Base end Stations, integrated it with meteorological conditions, ballistic corrections, target speed and produced the firing solution to hit the target. It then transmitted the data automatically to the guns thru the power traverse and elevating mechanisms of the guns thus ensuring the guns were constantly aimed at the target waiting only for the loading to be fired. In addition the Radar was also able to electricly provide direct continuous input to the computer for range and azimuth during bad weather or night engagements. The MPG 1 radar developed at the end of the war was not only highly accurate but was capable of spotting individual shell bursts for correction of fall of shot. A similar but more advanced electrical computer the M 8 was in production for the 6 inch and 155 mm mobile batteries providing identical service. With these advances the US Coast Artillery was probably correct in feeling it had little to learn from the German Coast Artillery. It could be said that in 1940 there was much to learn by 1945 the American Technology had leaped far ahead of the German. I do not mean to say that the US batteries were in 1945 fully equipped with this system, but the system was standardized and in the early process of instalation. As with all systems it slowed with the war progress and end an was never fully installed prior to the disbandment of the US Coast Artillery Branch in 1949.

[Carl Schwamberger]

The other half of that was the electronic & other relevant industry available for German use could not keep up with the demand for ultra modern computation equipment. Aircraft radios, Enigma machines, radar sets, ECT... ECT... The engineers, at least those not dying on the Steepes or African hills, did build some equipment equal to anyone else, but getting the production capacity was beyond reach.

Much of what the Brits or Americans were looking at was older equipment relocated

[AvB]

That explains a lot! Thank you.

[ROLAND1369]

Re: Artillery Fire Control Equipment#182
Post 15 Apr 2022, 20:07 I don't understand your comment on the US CD as relocated older equipment. Certainly the heavy 16 and 12 inch guns were prewar designs but the 6 and 8 inch were War built designs, and the M1 and M8 as well as the MPG radar were war developments. The remote power operation of the Guns and the integration of the entire system to a continuous firing solution was a wartime development.

[AvB]

I was under the impression he meant older German equipment relocated?

[Carl Schwamberger]

I was under the impression he meant older German equipment relocated?

Yes

[ROLAND1369]

My mistake. I misunderstood.

[Janef]

Hello,

In the context of M.K.B. :
I miss some information to understand the process. As the "time of flight" depends on the the corrections on azimut and range, and that corrections also depends on the time of flight, I guess one variable have to be manly decided and fixed to work on the others. I guess it is the future flight time ? Correct me if I'm wrong, here is a sketch to clearer understand my questions.

Sketch Axis.jpg

I keep in memory that in the H.K.B. context, suited with poorest set of equipements, they choose a "future distance" that will be reached taking into account the time of flight and the time of gun preparation (loading + aiming).

Best regards

I'm sorry, but I totally missed this one.
The time of flight (TOF) calculation is an integral part of the C/36 Langbasis-Kleingerät. The firing table data range vs TOF for the gun in use is part of the LBKlG (interchangeable). For warning 1-5 seconds before the shell hits water/target there is a second analog device in the E-uhr C/37 (part of the C/39 table) that gives an audible warning in the command post. The warning is relayed automatically to the OP-stations when direct line is used, or by radio if radio comms are used.
Janef

[forttravel]

Hi Guys, please ID that device.

[TH]

That is a Leitrichtgerät.

[Maginot255]

Here some pictures of LBG of Batterie Rozenburg.
It is now in the collection of the Nederlands Militair Museum in Soesterberg, i believe not on show but stocked away.
The pictures come from the old Kustverdedigingsmuseum Hoek van Holland.

It is restored now and on display in the Atlantikwall Museum Noordwijk