KM Magdeburg (CLA-1942)

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Originally to have been a class of 8 ships, then increased to 13, only 4 were completed to the original design. 5 were cancelled and the other 4 were completed as the Goering class light fleet carriers. The origins was to have 2 of these ships each for the Graf Zeppelin and Vaterland class, and one each for the Richtoften class ships for a total of 13 ships. The cancelled and converted ships were replaced with the Breslau class anti-aircraft cruisers. Problems with the quad 5.9" turret led to a 6 month delay in completion of the lead ship.

The ships were all about anti-aircraft protection for the fleet carriers, a new mark of 5.9" gun with proximity shells and an increased rate of fire from up to 8 rpm to 12 rpm for short periods. The main teeth of the ship for anti-aircraft work were the fully automatic 88mm L/70-41 twin turrets of which 4 were fitted each side. These guns were controlled in pairs tied to a director for each pair plus for barage fire one of the fore or aft directors could be slaved to fire all of the guns at once. Assistance to the AA directors was supplied by the 4 Air Search radar scanners while the 2 main gunnery radar scanners had fall of shot capability.

The ships second duty was to protect the fleet from torpedo carrying light craft up to cruiser size where the volume of fire from the sixteen 5.9" guns made them destroyer killers extraordinaire.

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