Impressive, as usual!

Thank you, sir.

You are always, welcome my friend!

U-103 IXB
 

Patrol No10
FInally U-39 returned to Lorient. I was starting to worry that something bad had happened. U-552 has also retuned home safely. U-65 is out at her first war patrol. After a daring raid in the South Atlantic U-123 is in need of assistance

After the neccesary repairs were done U-103 was ready to set sail. Orders were to patrol grid DH26
23 June 1941
07:24 hours. U-103 left Lorient. Kaleun Snestorm was on the conning tower of U-39 and waved us goodbye. I think I heard him shouting "Sink them all"

27 June 1941
Grid CG27
03:55 hours Medium merchant 01 sunk by 28 105mm rounds. I can't stop the deck gun but it is very risky,

3 July 1941
Grid DH58
16:24 hours. While on the surface , we saw an American Great lakes freighter bearing 349 doing 9 kts at long range.

10 July 1941
Grid EK74
08:39 hours Heading south

11 July 1941
Grid ET16
07:18 hours. Hydrophone and visual contact with small convoy after BdU message. 4 merchants + 1 escort calm seas
07:20 hours 4 bow torpedoes fired : 2 at an ore carrier 2 at a large merchant
Dowm scope
07:24 hours 3 explosions heard Up scope : The ore carrier is on fire listing heavily but the large merchant seems un harmed.
08:57 hours Sinking noises. Up scope Nothing seen. Later the BdU informed us of the sinking of an enemy ore carrier

19 July 1941
Grid EJ39
08:07 hours Dead calm seas , reloading of external torpedeos 0m/s winds

10 August 1941
Grid BE17
08:20 hours Medium merchant 01 sighted. Dived for submerged torpedo attack
08:32 hours Ship sunk by 2 stern torpedoes

16:45 hours Tanker 16 spotted probably unarmed. Moving in for deck gun attack
16:51 hours Tanker was sunk by 34 105mm rounds

Grid BE39
23:38 hours Tramp steamer spotted. Dived for submerged torpedo attack
23:44 hours Ship sunk by 1 bow torpedo

13 August 1941
Grid BF17
20:33 hours Hydrophone contact with enemy convoy. Bad weather helped us to penetrate the destroyer screen and attack from within the convoy
21:18 hours Passenger/cargo sunk by 1 stern torpedo
21:20 hours Medium merchant 02 sunk by 2 bow torpedoes
21:21 hours PING ... PING .... some escort was looking for us and he was close. No visual contact with the escort.
21:23 hours Converted whale factory ship hit by 2 bow torpedoes
21:26 hours PING.... PING.... wasserbomben. U-103 was rocked heavily and took some damage but now we were used to such conditions
22:05 hours U-103 was at 125m running silent and away. Distant pinging and DCs exploding.

14 August 1941
Grid BF17
02:27 hours. Still submerged hydrophone picked up a merchant closing. Moved to PD.
03:32 hours Up scope no visual contact but clear sounds on the hydrophone
2 bow torpedoes fired
03:33 hours 2 explosions and a star shell seen
03:34 hours 2 bow tubes fired but either missed or were duds
03:45 hours visual contact medium merchant 06 dead in the water bearing 005 range 350m Tube 1 reloaded and fired. Ship sunk in a ball of fire.

16 August 1941
00:41 hours In heavy rain and darkness U-103 docked at Lorient
55 days at sea
8 ships sunk
44365 tons
No casualties
88% hull integrity

Hope you find one...

A real shame this issue is so prevalent... :damn:

U-552, patrol 5, report 1
 

Leutnant. z.s. Alfons Dietzmann
U-552, VIIC
11. Flotille, Bergen
Orders: Patrol CG11

1.6.1943
1724 AN24 cloudy, 8 – 9 km, 6 m/s. Leaving Bergen. The morale of the crewmen seems to be a bit shaky. Bad news from every front and now even in the U-boat front. Rumours say that tens of boats were lost last month. There are new boats and promising crews and commanders coming to replace them, like Hessler's U-65, but it doesn't look too good right now.

Thankfully U-39 has returned safely and U-103 wreaked havoc on a convoy and U-123 in a harbor raid. U-123 almost got destroyed by a mine, but they managed to repair the boat, and in a depth of 245 meters! Now those guys should send the steel workers who built that type IXB a bottle of champagne as a thank you for excellent work!

BdU’s new orders tell us that we should fight aircraft on the surface if we would lose a contact with a convoy by submerging, or if there is any doubt we can’t dive to 80 meters before the airplanes are on us. He promises four-barrelled Flak guns, homing torpedoes and a new type of radar are becoming available soon. But we don’t have any of these now and our patrolling grid and the route to it is covered by airplanes and destroyer's that will know where we are, before we have any idea of their presence.

3.6.1943
0913 AF78 clear, 15 – 16 km, 15 m/s. Two one-engined airplanes sighted coming straight at us, bearing 160, range 5 – 6 km. Shooting with all guns from long range. Crash dive and hard turn towards the enemy. At 0916 hours airplane engines heard clearly inside the boat, then two explosions. One farther away, one close enough to shake the boat. No damage, but we did have slight trouble getting the boat to respond to controls.
2225 AF78 cloudy, 8 – 9 km, 15 m/s. Two small freighters sighted. Course 70, speed 5 knots. Our radar worked so badly, that in the end the course was estimated by sighting bearings. Submerged in perfect position. Impact pistols used because of the rough seas. Depth 3 meters. A 2000 BRT steamer sunk by 2347 with a TIII G7e and a 2000 BRT freighter sunk by 2353 with a TIII G7e. 10 torpedoes left. We don't carry external torpedoes anymore, because BdU thinks the external carriages have leaked during depth charge explosions, causing uncontrollable flooding.

http://img88.imageshack.us/img88/7312/sh3a.png

4.6.1943
0507 AF78 clear, 15 – 16 km, 7 m/s. Metox warning. Dived, nothing heard. Continuing towards our grid.

Dietzmann

Good, :up:

U39 IX(A). Patrol 8. Part 1.
 

20.maj.41
BF61
1825: Underway from Lorient, for FF58 (SE of Freetown).
Sunrise 0440. Sunset 1940. Calm & Clear.

23.maj.41
BF81 (N of Spain's NW corner).
1200: Save & Exit.
Cleared Biscay's shallows, and a reasonable distance farther, surfaced at Standard by night, and submerged at 2 knots by day.
With only 5 hours of darkness per night, the danger area was cleared in only 2 nights, after which speed was dropped to One Third Ahead (6 - 7 knots) both day and night.

No encounters to date.

Thanks Vendor, much appreciated :DL

U-505 IXC continue from U-103 IXB
 

20 August 1941
vonHarris was called to the flottila HQ. He was given command of the brand new U-505 IXC U boot. His IWO took over U-103 with a new crew since vonHarris requested the whole crew to be trnasfered to U-505
On his new Uboot vonHarris ordered the 3.7cm flak to be removed as it was useless. An Alberich sonar coating was installed to hide U-505 from the enemy's ASDIC

Patrol 11
15 September 1941
23;28 hours U-505 left Lorient for grid DT54

23 September 1941
Grid DH62
12:12 hours Coastal freighter seen
12:22 hours Ship sunk by 27 105mm rounds

28 September 1941
Grid DT54
00:42 hours Reached patrol grid

01 October 1941
Grid DT89
U-505 headed south for Kapverden and Freetown

05 October 1941
Grid ET28
16:59 hours Sound contact with enemy convoy while submerged
17:24 hours Enemy pinging but no attack. The coating might be working
17:27 hours 2 bow torpedo fired. More pinging. The escorts are closing in/
17:28 hours Explosion from torpedo heard. It must have hit something before its target. Black swan frigate sunk. DC attacks
18:05 hours Down at 127m running silent
18:49 hours Depth 160 m running silent. Escaped
22:00 hours. Surfaced , 0m/s winds, moving in external torpedoes

08 October 1941
Grid ET37
15:26 hours Moving in to intercept enemy convoy after BdU message
16:16 hours Sound contact made
17:24 hours 2 bow + 2 stern torpedoes fired
17:25 hours Large cargo hit twice medium merchant 06 hit twice
17:26 hours 1 bow torpedo fired
17:27 hours 1 bow torpedo fired on the large cargo
17:28 hours Large cargo hit for third time
18:08 hours Depth 73m running silent no pinging
18:20 hours Sinking sounds Medium merchant 06 sunk
21:40 hours Surfaced 7m/s winds no rain
22:11 hours Aircraft attacked spotted at medium range, Enganged with 20mm flak gun
22:14 hours Shot down PBY Catalina with RAF markings.

12 October 1941
Grid ET25
21:37 hours Lone destroyer spotted Dived at PD preparing a stern shot attack
21:46 hours 1 stern torpedo fired
21:48 hours A&B class destroyer sunk

14 October 1941
Grid ET29
01:37 hours Lone destroyer spotted Dived at PD preparing a stern shot attack
01:38 hours 2 stern shots fired
01:40 hours 1 explosion seen and a star shell was fired
01:44 hours L class AA destroyer sunk. vonHarris decided to leave the area for the safety of U-505

01 November 1941
Grid CG82
03:32 hours Medum merchant 02 spotted. Preparing for night surface attack
03:33 hours 2 bow torpedoes fired
03:35 hours 2 hits , ship is left DIW
03:37 hours 1 bow torpedo fired
03:38 hours Ship sunk.

02 November 1941
Grid DJ21
13;38 hours Aircraft spotted , crash dived

03 November 1941
Grid CG89
18:08 hours Moving to intercept convoy
18:33 hours Sound contact gained
19:40 hours 2 bow torpedoes fired
19:41 hours Turbine tanker hit twice 1 stern + 1 bow torpedoes fired
19:42 hours 1 bow torpedo fired Sinking sounds : Turbine tanker and medium merchant 02 sunk
22:29 hours Surfaced and spotted two ships falling back, No sign of the rest of the convoy
22:54 hours Start shelling medium merchant 06
22:57 hours Ship sunk by 28 105mm rounds
23:12 hours Start shellinr medium merchant 01
23:15 hours Ship sunk by 14 105mm rounds

04 November 1941
Grid CG82
16:37 hours Medium merchant 02 sunk by 3 bow torpedoes and 18 105mm rounds. Took a hit from a 3in shell. Major damages in the forward deck , gun crew killed. U-505 was unable to dive. This is the end of deck gun attacks,
17:00 hours Fought off PBY Catalina

07 November 1941
01:07 hours. U-505 returned to Lorient. No pennants this time as we had 3 deaths.
The Alberich sonar coating was helpful. It should be installed on all Ubooten if possible.
U-39 and U-552 are out there plunging torpedoes in enemy ships. No further news of U-65 yet
11 ships sunk
47626 tons
1 aircraft shot down
3 dead men

Troubles
 

6th June 1942. Sector CA28, 40km from New York.
I hunted down some juicy tankers, and one ceramic-type ocean liner. He just hit the bottom, when I saw a inbound convoy. Estimated course 295 deg. I see one leading escort, and two escorts on sides. After 10 min. I can recognize them. It's A&B DD as leader and old, ex American, four pipes DD's on sides. It's stupidity to attack a counvoy on this shallow waters. On the other hand... I never was too smart :88). The plan is simple: Two torpedos (just to be sure) to large tanker, one to modern tanker, and one to leading escort. Magnetic pistols set, depth also. Two TIII G7e, and two TII G7e torpedos ready to action. There's only lack of speed parameter in TDC. Because of big distance I can't estimate it precise enough. Once it's 8,5kt, and 9 kt other time. If I want to have torpedos hitting targets simultaneously I need to fire to large tanker first, then after ~one minute to modern tanker, and after another 1 min. 15' to leading escort. I don't have much time to enter speed parameter into TDC. 8,5 kt looks quite possible for me. Time to fire torpedo. First aiming point is last mast of large tanker. Shooting distance 4500m. FIRE TWO! FIRE THREE! Second aiming point is between last mast and funnel of Modern tanker, but I need to remember about corrections in distance, and wait some time to synchronize hits. NOW! FIRE FOUR! Last aiming point, first funnel of leading A&B destroyer. Same as previous: distance check, and wait to synchronize hits. Before shoot I double-check the speed... 8,5kt. SET! NOW! FIRE ONE! All eels are on the way. Now, run away from here. 200rpm both engines, turn 90 deg right, and prey. But we have no luck this time...
-Destroyer turning towards us!- Hydro says.
-Sh*t! Sh*t!! Sh*t!!! Sh*t!!!!!!!!
PING!......PING!......PING!.....PING!....PING!...P ING!..PING!.PING!PING!PING!PING!
A large torpedo detonation between pings couldn't drown this terrible sound. We're sitting duck. 13m to surface 10m to bottom. First DC series isn't very accurate, but after a while two DDs are pinging me, and the third vessel is listening by his hydrophone. If I want to survive this I have to reduce the number of persecutors. So... periscope up! It takes some time before the head of periscope touches the surface, but when it does... The only thing I see is water boiling around me. Boiling from hitting bullets! Periscope down! Immediately! But in a blink of an eye, before I lost a visual I saw old four pipe DD dead stop, listening us probably.
-Flank ahead! Hard starboard!- I turned my boat 30 deg right. Before turn end, I set stern torpedo: 0kts, straight run.
-FIRE!- I did this in last second because in next one some destroyer rammed us.
-Both periscopes destroyed! All antennas destroyed! All the bridge destroyed! Both flak guns destroyed! Board gun destroyed. Hydrophone, Radio, Sonar, Radar destroyed! Hull badly damaged! Hydro- and Radioman are dead!- Screams chef engineer. Just after he finished his monologue we've heard stern torpedo detonation.
-One less!- But our situation is helpless. I'm not dead yet, but now it's a matter of time. He will return.
-All leakages sealed!- Says CE
-Silence on deck!- I know, that I can hear a destroyer by my ears a couple seconds before he reaches me. -All stop!
Without my hydrophone, and periscope this single DD scares me to death.
PING...PING...PING...PING...PING...PING...PING...P ING...PING...PING...PING...PING...
All the time, without break, continuous terrifying sound.
PING...PING...PING...PING...PING...PING...PING...P ING...PING...PING...PING...PING...
I want to hide myself, lie on the floor, but there's nowhere to hide. Nobody breaths... Now when I'm blind and deaf my imagination sets me images of destroyer's bow cutting my command room. Images are so convenient, that I'm pretty sure that nothing can help us. I'm expecting a hit in a second... next second... next second... next second... next second... next second... next second...
Then I hear something else, something else except pings.
-DD's propellers larboard! Flank ahead, hard larboard!- Boat jumped submissively like a pike! -C'mon!!!!!!
Destroyer propeller is very loud now -Prepare for collision!- I shout, but... Destroyer passed, and instead of collision we hear DC explosion. ONE, TWO, THREE... Boat is shaking nervously after this third explosion, but holds still in one peace. No leakings! There is a hope for us. I look at the map of area. There it is. 20 km north of us, small bay... to wide and to narrow to let destroyer to continue its attacks. To small to use ASDIC... Perfect for us.
I spear You next 6 hours of real time evading destroyer and some vessel, while trying to reach our promised bay... Anyway, finally DD hit into a ground trying to ram us. We enter (Hewlett Bay I think) submerged, and wait there all the day under water. This is how I looked:

http://img835.imageshack.us/img835/1...1121348906.jpg

http://img827.imageshack.us/img827/4...1213340265.jpg

Uploaded with ImageShack.us

I order to surface few minutes past midnight. I was so happy so I could scream about it, but I couldn't because of destroyer not far from us. He stuck on ground, but his guns doesn't seem to be damaged. I don't see any other units nearby. I decide to escape the same way I came here. People aren't wiling to go down, but... They don't dare to disobey an order... Yet. We hit the ground couple times , but nothing serious happens. After a rest of the night, and all the next day spend on silence run, on periscope depth I was sure that we're safe, so an hour after sunset I order to surface the boat. Well... I order to surface remainings of u-boot. I spend the night circling around and recharging batteries. I have two torpedos left.

Should I finish a patrol and return base, or go back there and take my revenge...

What would be Your decision mates?

Avoiding shallow water, is my hypothesis purely spontaneous, there are convoys of much safer water, remove the single ship in shallow water is okay, as long as you have an eye on the surroundings....and good luck, in your mission :up:

If the uzo still works, stationary targets are simple, and safe, to hit from max torpedo range at midnight. :arrgh!:

UZO full operational :)

Kermit the frog

With that damage on your sub and without sonar and radio you are doomed. The only choice you have is go back avoiding any contact.

Good luck.

Well BdU might say: "Sink 'em all!", but I would call it a day. 'twas great reading this report, lots of nervecracking tension here. Congratulations on surviving :arrgh!:

Assigned to patrol just NW of San Juan Puerto Rico.

No joy in assigned oparea so... Hrm, can I raid San Juan? Let's find out.

Weather check: Heavy precip, visibility poor, 13m/s winds. Perfect! :oops:

Ok, so not so perfect, but you know what they say, "If you don't like the weather in (insert city here), stick around an hour, it'll change."

WRONG!! FIVE DAYS later and I'm sure I just saw Noah and his ark float by. Hurricane season, BAH! Sank the Somers class DD and trawler patrolling north of the harbor mouth to shake off the rust.

My chart notes the Mona Passage as a possible convoy route, so we head west of Puerto Rico and listen. Of course, the weather clears though the sea state remains very rough. Reduced a small merchant to flaming wreckage, but where's my convoy?

Sure enough, an unescorted two ship convoy, followed two days later by another. Followed four days later by an eight ship convoy with two escorts. Made three attack runs in just over a twenty-four hour period.

Totals: 11 ships sunk

2 warships
2 tankers
1 whaling factory ship
6 cargo (including 2 ore carriers)

Just over 64,000 tons of allied shipping.

Returning to Lorient with a single T-1 in tube #5.

I think I like the Mona Passage...

U-505 IXC
 

Patrol No12
(time off in real life so more patrols can be done)
In Loreint , new batteries were installed in U-505 promising longer underwater ranges. Orders were to patrol Grid ES36

07 December 1941
01:56 hours. U-505 left Lorient under the cover of night to avoid aircraft attacks

20 December 1941
Grid EJ33
01:22 hours Moving in to intercept convoy
03:23 hours Sound contact established , calculations begun
03:55 hours Penetrated escort screen. 4 bow + 2stern torpedoes fired
03:56 hours Liberty cargo sunk by 2 bow torpedoes. Large cargo hit by 2 stern torpedoes
03:57 hours Turbine tanker sunk by 2 bow torpedoes
04:12 hours Depth 90m running silent no pinging
04:34 hours Depth 148 m running silent escaping
07:04 hours Surfaced , no rain , 1m/s winds , moving in external torpedoes

23 December 1941 (Kaleun's birthday , really)
Grid ET13
17:18 hours Moving to intercept convoy
19:52 hours Sound contact gained , convoy moving away , aborting approach

26 December 1941
Grid ES63
Reached patrol grid

28 December 1941
Grid ET42
00:10 hours Heading east for Freetown

29 December 1941
Grid ET52
02:40 hours Shells landed near U-505. Under attack by enemy destroyer. Minor damages , diving to PD
02:46 hours Somers class DD sunk by 2 stern torpedoes. Our first US ship
03:00 hours While submerged picked several merchant noises. Up scope US ships run at various speeds and various directions like crazy. Indetified as Turbine tanker , large merchant . ceramic type ocean liner , troop transport
03:57 hours 2 bow torpedoes fired
03:58 hours 2 bow torpedoes fired turbine tanker hit twice
04:02 hours 2 stern torpedoes fired large merchant hit twice. The ships kept moving unpredictable , Reloading tubes since depth was kept at PD speed steady at 2kts
04:06 hours 1 bow torpedo fired turbine tanker hit once more
04:56 hours 2 bow torpedoes fired
04:57 hours 1 bow torpedo fired
04:58 hours 1 bow torpedo fired. Internal torpedoes expended, down scope leaving the area
05:12 hours sinking noises large merchant sunk

2 external bow torpedoes remaining and carried in

09 January 1942
Grid CG54
10:24 hours merchant ship spotted dived for submerged torpedo attack
10:29 hours 1 bow torpedo fired
10:30 hours 1 bow torpedo fired , 2 explosions medium merchant 06 sunk

14 January 1942
03:30 hours U-505 docked in Lorient. No news of any sub yet.

39 days at sea
5 ships sunk
35735 tons
94% hull integrity
no casualties

U-552, patrol 5, report 2
 

Leutnant. z.s. Alfons Dietzmann
U-552, VIIC
11. Flotille, Bergen
Orders: Patrol CG11

4.6.1943 clear, 15 – 16 km, 7 m/s.
1105 AF77 Metox warning. Dived.
1410 AF77 Airplane sighted 332 relative bearing. Crash dived.
1713 AF77 Metox warning. Crash dived.
1812 AF77 Metox warning. Crash dived. Made a major course change as a precautionary measure.

5.6.1943 heavy rain, 800 – 900 meters, 15 m/s.
1105 AF77 Fumo-30 contact, 342 relative bearing, long range. Dived to periscope depth. Frachter, 34 RPM. Surfaced for making radar-based estimations. By 1120 a course of 30 - 40 degrees true and a speed of 9 knots estimated by keeping the ship out of visible range, at a constant relative bearing of 130 degrees and a range of 4000 meters.

http://img19.imageshack.us/img19/3273/sh3fumo30.png

Two TIII G7e’s fired submerged at 1200 hours at an 8500 BRT freighter, impact pistol, depth 3, range 600 meters. One hit under the front mast and another just behind the bridge. A fire observed by periscope on the bow of the vessel. Then at 1213 hours first the sounds of the engine and the screws disappearing, then sounds of metal bending. Presumed sunk.

2243 AN11 Metox warning. Dived. Fast warship screws coming closer. Lost sounds by 2253.

6.6.1943 heavy rain, 800 – 900 meters, 15 m/s.
1200 AM34 BdU reports heavy traffic near Puerto Rico, New York and Freetown. Continuing towards our patrol grid. Eight torpedoes left.

Dietzmann