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Learned that well in one of my "experimenting" careers...surfaced...aircraft spotted us...diving...surfaced...aircraft spotted us...diving...I was stuck in an endless loop till my crewmen hijacked the submarine, shot me from stern tube and diserted for Cuba beaches :har: |
U48 - Type VIIb - 2nd patrol - part 5
2216 Very faint sound contact south of us...seems to be heading NE...we will try to cut ahead of it and intercept...sky is overcast but at least it does not rain and yet it's very dark so we shall make good use of our sonar and dive frequently to keep track of our target.
January 8, 1940 Grid AM34 0006 We have been diving couple more times in the last 2 hours to track her and U48 is now at periscope depth, our quarry is moving slowly into our laps, it's barely visible in this darkness so I can't identify her yet...while we wait for her to get closer I'll determine her speed...probably 6 knots. 0011 Our prey is an ore carrier, a worthy prize, and moving at 5 knots...we are crawling at 2 knots and getting very close...plan is to shot a two torpedoes salvo....5 degrees spread...impact pistol...running fast..depth 4,5m...opening tubes...fire!...torpedoes away...start reloading tubes...should get impact in a couple of seconds...Impact!...and again!...Woo-hoo!..Two hits, small fire on forward deck...time to wait and see 0024 Secondary explosions going on and...she is sinking...nice! It took a lot of work to track her down but it was worth the effort. SS Port Auckland (Ore Carrier), 8913 tons. Cargo: Iron Ore. Crew: 74. Crew lost: 36 1235 Sound contact...warship moving fast...coming almost straight at us...changing course to increase the distance...perhaps we can manage to get a glimpse of her 1247 there are three warships contact coming our way...we should get a visual contact quite soon...what's going on here? 1254 What do we have here...leading ship is a destroyer...the two behind are bigger...auxiliary cruisers perhaps?...I'm regretting the decision to keep our distance... 1259 An A&B destroyer with two auxiliary cruisers...I thought to move out of sight, surface and rush ahead to intercept them but they are going fast...about 15 knots...not possible...resuming previous course...I'll surface in a little while and report them to BdU, perhaps someone else can sink these beauties... 2216 Ship spotted straight ahead and coming our way!...weather conditions improved so we can now use our deck gun...let's see what our prey is... 2222 It's a medium cargo going 6 knots...U48 is now diving for a stealthy approach...the plan is to shot one torpedo and finish things up with our deck gun. 2228 G7a set for fast running, magnetic pistol, depth 10 meters...opening tube...aiming for the bow...fire!...ahead full, turning for parallel course...ready to surface and man the guns...impact! Right in the middle, no visible fire...let's wait a bit...either I miscalculated her speed or made a mistake with the AOB...surface the boat! 2232 This british medium cargo took quite a few shells but is now sinking. U48 is moving away from this area running full on the surface. We are down to 6 torpedoes so I think it's time to start our trip back. I bet we will soon find targets to shot at. SS Wacosta (Medium Cargo), 5115 tons. Cargo: Machinery. Crew: 53. Crew lost: 15 |
U48 - Type VIIb - 2nd patrol - part 6 - On the way back
January 9, 1940 Grid AN15
1512 U48 is now diving after having spotted a cargo ship almost straight ahead...we are changing course to south to get closer to her projected course 1517 Target is a Granville freighter, cruising SW at 8 knots...we are going to use a single torpedo...should be enough to send her down. 1523 we are in a very good position right now...she is about 500m away...aiming at her bow...fire!...torpedo running...Impact!...a bit more amid ship then intended...no visible fire...let's lower our periscope and shadow her... 1546 She has slowed down to 4 knots and has an heavy nose... 1654 Granville is now barely crawling at one knot, nose is often submerged and she is smoking now...possibly an internal fire is going on...let's be patient 1812 she is dead on the water, waves are washing her forward deck and smoking but still refuses to sink...getting ready to launch one more torpedo...wait...she is sinking! At last! It's been 3 hours...changing course to NE and resuming our trip back home. SS Imperial Valley (Granville-type Freighter), 4709 tons. Cargo: Copper Ore. Crew: 74. Crew lost: 48 2022 Sound contact! Merchant moving slow and closing somewhere NE of us...let's surface for a quick dash...changing course to north... 2046 Down to periscope depth and sound contact is now east of us and much closer...let's wait a couple of minutes and see if we can spot her...raise attack periscope! 2049 there she is! Looks like it's coming straight to us...let's identify her and check how fast she is going 2057 Target is going 9 knots and seems to be another Granville...let's go back slow for a while to increase the gap a bit... 2109 she is about 600m out and we are ready to attack...wind picked up suddenly and aiming is not easy due to the waves...opening tube 2...let's go for the bow mast...fire!...it won't be long...a dud!...open tube 3!..fire!...Searchlight! she is zigzagging now but should not matter....Impact!...got her astern...huge fire going on!...lowering scope and shadowing...hopefully it will be enough...I hate duds... 2116 Secondary explosion on the Granville!...she has slowed down to 2 knots and is very low on her back now... 2126 Here goes the fireworks! This Granville is being dismantled by the explosions! Nice! Let's surface and run away from here. SS Sheaf Crown (Granville-type Freighter), 4710 tons. Cargo: Aircraft. Crew: 54. Crew lost: 19 |
16/Jun/1941
Last patrol from my beloved Kiel. Take care of my sweetheart until fate reunites us again. Ordered to patrol grid ET41 and return to Brest. KapitänLeutenant Heinrich Liebe Commander U-38 https://i.postimg.cc/zDhmc1Dw/SH3-Im...-52-54-854.jpg https://i.postimg.cc/DyKVVYm9/SH3-Im...-54-15-767.jpg https://i.postimg.cc/BbHdL277/SH3-Im...9-11-23-39.jpg |
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I can imagine ... not a bad choice ... yes, should get interesting as of next year ... |
January 11, 1941 Grid AN14
0024 U48 is slowly making it's way back home. Weather is still windy and the waves don't make for a comfortable trip inside the boat...I think it's time to dive and stay down for a while to give the men some proper rest. 0348 Sonar contact! Warship closing at medium speed...talk about a proper rest...raising to periscope depth...let's see if we can spot her... 0357 not one but two warships...no visual contact yet...they are coming our way but not straight for us...let's wait for a while longer... 0408 Two destroyer going 15 knots...should pass some distance ahead of us...let's play it safe and move back slow...I don't want to tangle with them... 0419 destroyer are chugging along and getting away blissfully unaware of our presence...but we have a new sound contact NNE of our position...sounds like a merchant...we will wait till these guys are fully gone then surface and go investigate the new friend. 0526 U48 managed to intercept our merchant friend, our lookout just spotted it...we are in a good position already so we are diving now, I don't want to risk them spotting us and call for help. 0548 We are in a perfect position but also bobbing up and down in these huge waves so we must be carful not to broach the surface and get spotted...I've lowered the periscope and we are now going full at 20m to get even closer...we'll be back to periscope depth in a matter of seconds to raise the scope for a last check and fire. Target is a Granville type freighter yet again, that's three in a row. We will shot a single torpedo, impact pistol I guess. 0550 here we are...raise the scope...here is the target...let's adjust the AOB a bit...open the tube..aiming at mid ship...fire!...lower scope....tic tac tic tac...couple of seconds left...up the scope...Impact!...got her under the funnel...small fire going on...let's increase the gap and shadow her 0622 She is very slow now, about 2 knots, and waves are lapping her decks. Not burning anymore but still smoking... 0705 She is sinking now...another Granville goes down...let's resume our course to NE SS Sheaf Mead (Granville-type Freighter), 4750 tons. Cargo: Textiles. Crew: 49. Crew lost: 48 |
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It happened to me once (I mean the airplanes keeping coming and coming again (and detecting my snorkel from far distance with radar), not the crew shooting me from stern tube :D). It was near Scapa Flow, east coast of Scotland, maybe in 1943 or later... A true nightmare... :k_confused: |
January 12, 1941 Grid AN43
0333 Very faint sound contact SE of us...rising to the surface and closing the gap. 0422 Small merchant vessel spotted straight ahead...seems like she is moving away from us...it will take a while to get into good firing position. 0617 Target is a coastal freighter moving 11 knots...that's why it took so long to get ahead of her...the good new is that weather improved and we can use our deck gun....we are changing course to cut in front of enemy ship...man the guns! 0624 they spotted us but we are close enough...open fire! 0631 Coastal freighter is a burning wreck...she is going down slowly now...let's move toward the Norwegian coast...we just have two torpedoes left, but if the weather holds we could make good use of our deck gun. SS Adherity (Coastal Freighter), 1870 tons. Cargo: Military Vehicles. Crew: 22. Crew lost: 19 1212 Sound contact south of us...merchant closing at medium speed...let's change course to intercept... 1253 Grid AN34 Ship spotted! She is still far away and it's difficult to identify her properly. Still, it does not seem to be a big prey...guess our deck gun will be called in action once again 1338 Target is a British small merchant with no visible weapons. We made an underwater approach and now U48 is ready to attack. Surface the boat! Man the guns! 1347 Small merchant is exploding! She was engulfed in flames for the last couple of minutes and now she is going down quickly...clearing the area and moving back north. SS Ciltvaira (Small Merchant), 2375 tons. Cargo: Iron Ore. Crew: 58. Crew lost: 40 1712 Sound contact...east of us...very faint...looks like it's moving southward...let's investigate 1757 Ship spotted! This one looks bigger and seems to be moving slow on a SSW course. Let's adjust our course to cut in front of her. 1823 U48 is diving now. Target is a Large merchant going 6 knots. Guess we will shot both our remaining eels. It's a worthy prey. 1841 We are in position now...opening tubes 1 & 4...fire!...both eels running...let's cross our fingers...Impact!...aaaaand...nothing else. A dud! Ahead full and hard to starboard to go on parallel course...there is a small fire on her forward deck...hopefully it's enough. 1927 She is not burning anymore and did not even slow down...we will use our remaining shells...surface the boat! Man the guns! 1933 We have no more deck gun shells and used some of our flak ammo too but this last merchant is sinking! U48 is now running full toward our base. SS Memnon (Large Merchant), 10928 tons. Cargo: Military Stores. Crew: 110. Crew lost: 47 January 14, 1940 Kiel 0854 Weather has been horrible on our way back, cold and rainy almost all the way here but now the sky is clear and there is a gentle breeze welcoming us back. U48 and its crew are ready to some well deserved relax and fun. Patrol results Crew losses: 0 Ships sunk: 14 Aircraft destroyed: 0 Patrol tonnage: 75188 tons |
Beware of mines!
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+++++ Dangerous Mine-Situation outside the Naval Bases in France, after the loss of U 206 (Opitz) - missing since 29 November (probably sunk on or about 30 November south-west of St. Nazaire, in approx. position 47.05N, 02.40W, by an air-laid mine in the British minefield "Beech", 46 dead, all hands lost)! Boats must stay on the ordered approach paths and follow escorts in and out of the Western Naval Bases! |
August, 1943: U-343 lost at sea, BD39, to unknown causes. Aircraft reported in the area.
(Boat was actually hit by a FIDO in the game, but the German's didn't know about those at the time). |
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They can be evaded, I have before, but there isn't much time and the odds are against it. |
I should also add they don't always mean instant destruction. However, they do result in serious damage to the hull.
I've survived a FIDO hit. But the problem is dealing with future aircraft on the way back to base with a seriously damaged hull. This usually results in a sunk boat at some point unless very lucky. Best to travel submerged all the way back, but there's that pesky problem of having to surface to recharge the batteries that can cause trouble......:) |
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