Can you go in to neutral port if....
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:hmmm: |
Thanks all for the answers, even if I must say that it hasn't got much importance now. I saved while (of course) underwater and now it won't let me load that mission anymore. Bleah!:nope:
Oh well... |
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Never save whilst submerged mate :nope: |
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U27 Type VII"A" 2. Flotilla
Patrol #4.
Pulled out of Willy for BF44 on d. 16. feb. 40. Decided on using "Der Kanal" for the outbound leg. Our tally for the patrol was 5 ships for 16.589 GRT. 4 of the 5 were alone, and without escort. The biggest prize (C3 Cargo 7949 GRT) was sunk in convoy, 10 miles from Dover. While south of Portland, the last torpedo was expended, forcing our return to base, back through "Der Kanal". Side note: While examining a flag, with a magnifying glass, my elbow caused an accidental release of 3 torpedoes. Bernard offered to take the blame, but was refused. Between the two of us, and some very fast math, the last bow torpedo found it's intended target. Good thing my mistake involved 3 G7As set to "Slow", or the end of run detonations would have compromised our presence. On the bad side, they were the total number of G7As withwhich we left port. (I prefer G7As, but force myself to take a majority of G7Es.) U27 arrived back at Willy on 1.mar.40 without damage, or loss of life. 4 patrols for 74.925 GRT (15 merchants. 0 warships.) Thus far, this VII(A) has more tonnage to it's credit, than my last IX(A) (U37), at the same point in time. It should be interesting to see how that developes. She's also accomplished one more patrol, in the same amount of time. There's just a one torpedo difference. VII(A) = 11 torps. IX(A) = 12 torps. |
Not bad at all....
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Great report, by the way. :sunny: |
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No supermods, but it's not stock either. Beery's Flotilla Mod. (With additional modifications by me.) TweekSub. (Allows for a more historical torpedo loadout, without the hassles.) SH3 Encore Version. (Comes with many modifications and improvements over my original install). Quite a few modifications that I did myself. Many, but not all, are inspired by GWX. (Although I do not have GWX installed as a whole, I must, and do, say: Thank you, GWX Team! You have contributed greatly to my SH3 enjoyment.) |
U-51
Type VIIB 2-Flotilla, Wilhelmshaven Kptlt Kurt Dennert, Commander When last I reported in we had just intercepted a British task force whilst patrolling the Vestfjord in defense of Narvik in mid-April 1940, and had successfully attacked and sunk her proud centerpiece, the HMS Warspite. We continued to patrol Norwegian waters until released from that duty by BdU, and did so in increasingly rough weather. Our only subsequent contacts there were via the hydrophone as we waited out the storms and poor visibility beneath the surface for as long as our batteries would allow - and Helmut, the senior man on station there, reported the sounds of the two nearest us sinking before I'd even given the order to reemerge into the tempest and attempt an interception. Whether they were friends or foes was impossible to determine, as was the means by which they met their unhappy ends. We could only stand by and listen as Helmut relayed his reports of their descent into the abyss and hope that anyone who had survived the sinkings would not be left to linger too long in the water before some merciful hand released them from their present misery. Whether it would be the hand of man, or of death itself, was a question none of us was willing to voice out loud. After receiving orders from BdU to depart from the North Sea and attend to our original assignment, we headed northwest around the British Isles and then south towards our patrol grid, BE21. On the way there we sighted and intercepted a lone British ore carrier just east of Rockall, sinking her from periscope depth with two well-placed eels. Then it was a long dry stretch of no enemy contacts whatsoever until we completed our assigned patrol in early May and began patrolling the adjoining grids, slowly working our way south along the Liverpool-Freetown shipping routes. Reports of a large neutral convoy further to our south and heading WNW drew us into what turned out to be a long and ultimately fruitless pursuit; although Helmut reported hearing their approaching screws - including those of their two warship escorts - when we submerged for sound checks, we had run into yet another fierce Atlantic storm on the surface. Our visibility was reduced to less than 4 kilometers in what passed, at least, for broad daylight. What it might have been had we continued on and found ourselves in the midst of our prey after nightfall was something I was unwilling to find out firsthand with no confirmation of enemy ships among the herd. We dutifully reported what information we could; perhaps some of our kamaraden would intercept and identify any potential enemy targets farther north or west, and under more fortuitous circumstances. (to be continued...) |
(U-51, patrol 6, continued...)
We'd no sooner plotted a course back to our intended patrol area when we received report of another convoy, not far SE of us, this one heading WSW and with a confirmed Royal Navy escort. It was just after midnight, and the intercept course we plotted would put us in a decent attack position well before sunrise if the convoy held true to her reported course. And it was indeed just a few hours later when the first shout of "Ship sighted" from the watch brought me scrambling to the bridge myself. A destroyer, zigzagging back and forth in advance of the convoy. A quick drop to periscope depth and a sweep of the area from there revealed no change in her patrol pattern; she hadn't seen us! I gave the order for silent running and lowered the scope; as I did, Helmut began reeling off reports of merchant after merchant heading directly into our intended line of attack, and then identified the screws of another two warships coming along with them. As they drew within visual range I raised the 'scope once more to have a peek at our oncoming adversaries; a battleship and, yes, another destroyer, the former cruising along in the middle of the pack and the latter just barely discernible as it nipped at the heels of its hindmost charges. Another quick look around as we passed unseen in front of the first column of ships revealed the totality of the herd: three columns, none more than four rows deep, not including the warships, not one of which had altered course or given any indication that they'd tumbled to our presence. A quick 90 degree turn to port would put us nose-first into the convoy, in between the two starboard columns; good enough. Another well-timed turn would put all our tubes, fore and aft, in optimum attack position. As we maneuvered, slowly but surely, I popped up the 'scope again to choose my targets. A Granville-type freighter and two medium-sized cargo tubs seemed to be the best the convoy had to offer, other than the menacing hulk of the afore-mentioned battleship; no doubt another capital ship would be a prize feather in my well-worn cap, but this patrol was about sinking merchants, and we'd probably not get a second chance at that - or have enough eels left over to make taking it worthwhile - if I went after the bristling monster in their midst instead. So be it. I popped up the 'scope again; still no apparent threat from the escorts, who all continued on their merry unheeding way; and now my first two targets were coming into range. Rohr eins - los! rohr zwei - los! The first two eels were on their way, and if luck was with us today and not the Tommies that cargo ship would have an unpleasant surprise in, oh, about three minutes, give or take. Now a present for the Granville as well: rohr drei - los! rohr vier - los! And last but not least, a timely fart in the general direction of the second cargo ship. Rohr fünf - los! The sound of the first explosion coincided almost perfectly with my order to dive. Helmut counted off two more distinct detonations as I lowered myself into the zentrale; Josef, my 1WO, insisted he'd heard four total. I glanced at Johannes, leaning over his chart table as usual, his stopwatch in hand, and watched as the young obersteuermann finally slid it back into its accustomed pocket and met my eyes with his own. A simple shrug told me the time had run out on our last eel; the noises that soon reverberated all around us told me and everyone else on board that at least one of our victims would never see port again. Well, I thought, three - maybe four - hits out of five eels fired, and one confirmed sinking so far; not bad for a day's work, all things considered. And miracle of miracles, no sign of serious retaliation from the enemy escorts. We'd dropped to 100 meters, still running silent and making a scant 2 knots, as the tail end of the convoy had passed over us; one of the escorts had made a few passes on the outer fringes of the herd and put a few wabos in the water, but they seemed to have no idea exactly where the attack had come from or where the attacker had gone. The dreaded, unmistakeable ping of their ASDIC searching us out never came at all. (to be continued...) |
(U-51, Patrol 6, continued...)
As the convoy slowly but surely pulled out of range I reversed course and headed back to the scene of the carnage, releasing the crew from silent running so Their Lordships could begin the arduous task of reloading the tubes with our two remaining eels. Once that was completed we began our slow rise back to periscope depth. Helmut had reported a merchant lagging well behind the pack, and we found her soon enough. One of the medium cargo ships, the crates on her foredeck ablaze in testament to at least one of the explosions we'd heard. She was listing slightly to port and looked to be making a mere 4 knots in the general direction of her now disappearing companions. Another eel in her side halted her progress and then sent her sliding bow-first beneath the waves. Off in the distance I could see a cloud of black smoke at the edge of the horizon. Our third target, I thought, most assuredly on fire, but still making good enough time to stay with the rest of the convoy. We plotted another intercept course, one that would take us out of visual range until we'd left them well behind us and also put U-51 back into attack position; with any luck we'd have our chance to deliver a final, fatal blow to the damaged survivor of our first attack. With only one eel left to play with, we couldn't hope for much more. At last the periscope revealed no lingering trace of the convoy on the horizon, and I gave the order to surface and again considered our options. A lengthy chase south and west would take us even further from home than we already were, and if the convoy continued on at her last known speed - we'd estimated 8 knots - we'd have to throw economy over the side to catch up. The LI was already grumbling about our fuel reserves; there was a limit to how long and how far we could continue our pursuit and still have enough to make it back to Wilhelmshaven. There were other options for refueling between here and there, yes, but our last time out had stretched into almost 14 weeks at sea after a resupply stop in Las Palmas, with barely a week in port before being sent back abruptly into the fray. No one, including me, would be overjoyed at the prospect of an encore of that performance so close on the heels of its immediate predecessor. A quiet conference with the LI confirmed what I'd guessed at already; we'd need to overtake the convoy and attack by mid-afternoon at the latest, then head directly for home or else give up any hope of making it there without seeking out some resupply ship and then no doubt receiving orders to make full use of what they gave us before returning to base. As much as I disliked the risks involved in taking on a protected convoy in broad daylight - and especially if the good weather held, as it seemed intent on doing - the failure of the escorts to offer an effective defense the first time around gave me some hope of success. By midday we'd outflanked the convoy and turned in for our attack run; at periscope depth, running silent, and with our fingers crossed that the Tommies in those escorts would do no better this time around. Our intended target was easy enough to find, even at the edge of visual range - it was the other medium cargo, still leaving a telltale trail of black smoke but easily keeping pace with the rest of the herd. It must've been the Granville whose death agonies we'd overheard in the darkness before dawn. Another quick sweep with the scope revealed both destroyers and the battleship chugging along in their expected positions, giving no indication that we'd been detected; perhaps our luck would hold out today as well. Our one remaining eel was in the stern tube, and I lowered the 'scope as I passed orders to the helm that would put us in a good spot to turn tail and fire on our would-be victim as she crossed our path. The boat had barely begun its first slow turn towards its prey when a ragged whisper came back up the ladder: destroyer, bearing 050, closing, increasing speed! Verdammt noch mal! I popped the 'scope as far above the surface as I dared and there she was - heading straight for us, and closing at what had to be top speed. No more luck for us today, at least not the kind that sinks ships; I could only hope that the kind of luck that kept our little tub from sinking wouldn't thumb its nose at us as well. Flank speed and dive, there was nothing else for it. If we could just get deep enough before... (to be continued...) |
Never mind, I started a new career completely, from Kiel this time with a VIIB.
I completed my pre-war patrol and I am heading now toward my patrol zone off the southwestern coast of Ireland. I will go through the Channel (it's still 6 september 1939) sink some french ships and afterwards go patrolling in my zone. I plan to return to home base passing NORTH of UK, I still have never tried to explore those regions and I am curious to see how the traffic (err, preys) is. Only, I fear the almost sure RAF presence... One question though: I am using SH COmmander and GWX3, I ordered it to show real ship names already since the start of my last ruined career, but on that occasion nothing showed up on Captain's Log when at home again after a patrol with sinking. Just the usual reports. Any ideas? :hmmm: (yes, I have installed that "patch" to make GWX and Commander work together as reminded to me by Jimbuna when I wsa downloading) |
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When returning home be sure to pass between the Shetland Islands and the NE tip of Scotland submerged,you should pick up MANY contacts,that area is a very busy thoroughfare :up: |
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Am I the only one who has MAJOR aircraft problems in the far north? Sometimes even along Norway's coast, they show up! But usualy from North of Scottland, well north of Færøerne, and halfway to Island. And ja, even in 1939. |
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