Kriegfischkutter literally means ‘war fishing boat’. It was one of the most popular, successful, relatively cheap to build and operate structures that were produced for the longest time during the war. The idea behind the designers was to create a ship built according to one standard, which would be used as a civilian fishing boat in peacetime and, at the same time, if necessary, could be quickly and effectively armed and transformed for war purposes.
KFK cutters were powered by a solid five-cylinder diesel engine. They had a steel internal structure and wooden decking. The superstructure housing the wheelhouse and the platform amidships, where a 20 or 37 mm anti-aircraft gun was installed, were also made of wood. The Kriegfischkutter’s armament, depending on the version and purpose, consisted of two or four anti-aircraft guns (20 or 37 mm), machine guns and depth charges. The crew consisted of 15-18 sailors.
Comments