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Hambone307 05-05-18 02:17 PM

Twas a sad day, but you win some and you lose some. This game still keeps it fresh.

BristolBrick 05-12-18 01:28 AM

I've had better luck, found a huge convoy and sunk two escorts, the remaining flower corvet got scared and ran away after I surfaced and put two rounds into it with the deck gun.

Large convoy, and I had most of my torpedoes still left. It was at this point I also learnt how to reasonably reliably one-shot C3s and T3s, once out of torpedoes I made sure to sink every ship with guns before, beside the flower corvet so I surfaced and killed him at range with a deck gun. Then went and scored a couple more small merchants before heading home.

110k tonnage for that whole patrol.

R.S 05-12-18 12:08 PM

Thought I would join the community after reading the threads for so long! Very recently got GWX - can't believe I never bothered after years of playing the vanilla game!

Started a new career from 1942 with the 10th out of L'Orient.

April 1st and I'm currently heading towards my patrol grid CA57 in U-166, my Type IXC. In real life this boat never made it back from its first full patrol, having been sunk off the Mississippi Delta with 4 confirmed kills. Made a beeline for the US Coast going across the top of BE and BD, sticking near to the HX convoy routes. Didn't encounter anything apart from terrible weather, was down to 5 or 6 knots max at 1/3 for most of the way.

Would most of you captains sailing from France for the US coast head over a similar route or would you head up past Rockall Bank and then past Iceland? I can't imagine the weather is better as a rule on that route, but this is my first trip over to the US so I can't speak from experience.

BDU sent out a report of a large convoy beginning it's journey over the Atlantic at 8 knots just east of St.Johns. Found the convoy on hydrophone and to say it was large was an understatement! Around 30 or 40 ships (although I didn't count). The convoy seemed to split into two, with one part heading south of my position and the other heading on the NE course I assumed they would all be heading.

It was looking like a day attack on the top portion of the convoy. I moved ahead at periscope depth and was preparing to give the order for all stop and let the convoy come right to me from the west.

Alas it would not be that simple! My XO tells me we are being pinged...

In my exuberance I have missed one of the escorts appearing to circle round N of me and now coming in from 20 degrees fast.

I crash dive to 90 metres and alter course. On my way down two charges catch me aft, causing minor flooding to the diesel, aft battery and stern torpedo sections, with some minor hull damage. Nothing too serious...

I evade the escort with relative ease and bring myself back up to periscope depth hoping to still be in a favourable firing position. Given the poor visibility I have decided to come up inside the columns - firing from these sorts of positions isn't something I have much practice with. I usually shoot from the outside.

My periscope comes up into Dreamland. Two modern tankers on parallel courses fore and aft of me. The fore tanker seems around 300m at around 35 starboard AOB, which seems too close for an impact pistol to detonate by the time he comes in front of me. I order back emergency to put some distance between us. I then order all stop and quickly fire four T2s, 2 forward and 2 back.

The back tanker goes straight down from the two eels. But there wasn't enough distance between me and the front target. I now regret wasting 2 torps on such an unlikely hit. In hindsight I wish I had not side shot with impact pistols and instead come up behind the front tanker and shot a magnetic down the length of it.

Opening tubes III and IV, I put a T2 and a fast T1 into a large cargo on the next column over. By this point it's clear I'm not the only Type IX at the party as I hear explosions in the distance.

After circling round to starboard and a quick reload of Tube I, I put a single T2 into another Large Cargo from less than 500m and it goes down to the depths below. A quick check of the map reveals another 6 sunk by the Wolfpack along with my 3 for around 28000 GRT.

All in all not bad for less than 20 minutes work.

Onwards to CA57!

Niume 05-12-18 02:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by R.S (Post 2552777)
Thought I would join the community after reading the threads for so long! Very recently got GWX - can't believe I never bothered after years of playing the vanilla game!

Started a new career from 1942 with the 10th out of L'Orient.

April 1st and I'm currently heading towards my patrol grid CA57 in U-166, my Type IXC. In real life this boat never made it back from its first full patrol, having been sunk off the Mississippi Delta with 4 confirmed kills. Made a beeline for the US Coast going across the top of BE and BD, sticking near to the HX convoy routes. Didn't encounter anything apart from terrible weather, was down to 5 or 6 knots max at 1/3 for most of the way.

Would most of you captains sailing from France for the US coast head over a similar route or would you head up past Rockall Bank and then past Iceland? I can't imagine the weather is better as a rule on that route, but this is my first trip over to the US so I can't speak from experience.

BDU sent out a report of a large convoy beginning it's journey over the Atlantic at 8 knots just east of St.Johns. Found the convoy on hydrophone and to say it was large was an understatement! Around 30 or 40 ships (although I didn't count). The convoy seemed to split into two, with one part heading south of my position and the other heading on the NE course I assumed they would all be heading.

It was looking like a day attack on the top portion of the convoy. I moved ahead at periscope depth and was preparing to give the order for all stop and let the convoy come right to me from the west.

Alas it would not be that simple! My XO tells me we are being pinged...

In my exuberance I have missed one of the escorts appearing to circle round N of me and now coming in from 20 degrees fast.

I crash dive to 90 metres and alter course. On my way down two charges catch me aft, causing minor flooding to the diesel, aft battery and stern torpedo sections, with some minor hull damage. Nothing too serious...

I evade the escort with relative ease and bring myself back up to periscope depth hoping to still be in a favourable firing position. Given the poor visibility I have decided to come up inside the columns - firing from these sorts of positions isn't something I have much practice with. I usually shoot from the outside.

My periscope comes up into Dreamland. Two modern tankers on parallel courses fore and aft of me. The fore tanker seems around 300m at around 35 starboard AOB, which seems too close for an impact pistol to detonate by the time he comes in front of me. I order back emergency to put some distance between us. I then order all stop and quickly fire four T2s, 2 forward and 2 back.

The back tanker goes straight down from the two eels. But there wasn't enough distance between me and the front target. I now regret wasting 2 torps on such an unlikely hit. In hindsight I wish I had not side shot with impact pistols and instead come up behind the front tanker and shot a magnetic down the length of it.

Opening tubes III and IV, I put a T2 and a fast T1 into a large cargo on the next column over. By this point it's clear I'm not the only Type IX at the party as I hear explosions in the distance.

After circling round to starboard and a quick reload of Tube I, I put a single T2 into another Large Cargo from less than 500m and it goes down to the depths below. A quick check of the map reveals another 6 sunk by the Wolfpack along with my 3 for around 28000 GRT.

All in all not bad for less than 20 minutes work.

Onwards to CA57!

How did you saw the wolfpacks kills?

R.S 05-12-18 02:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Niume (Post 2552784)
How did you saw the wolfpacks kills?

The map showed grey "ship destroyed" markers, indicating they have been destroyed by other boats or causes other than me, rather than the usual red.

I saw a modern tanker set ablaze in the fog about 30 points off my port bow as I hit the 2nd large cargo which I definitely didn't target. Can't think what else would cause 6 ships to sink!

k2r 05-16-18 10:13 AM

Hi there, been a long time since I've posted here for the last time.

This is my last patrol with the U-64 XIB in "Aces Of The Deep".
A long and sucessful patrol but without an happy end...

24 march 1941
12:10 - Leaving Wilhemshaven to patrol area CF85. Orders to maintain radio silence until PZ.

31 march
03:50 AM7977 - Ship spotted bearing 276.
04:13 - Sunk british tanker 11718T.

04 april
23:49 CF8569 - Reached patrol zone. Status report to BDU.

07 april
13:15 CF8527 - Ship spotted bearing 344.
13:53 - Sunk british merchant 7835T. Status report to BDU.

08 april
10:38 CF8544 - Ship spotted bearing 39.
11:09 - Sunk british merchant 3170t. Status report to BDU.

09 april
10:30 CF8556 - Ship spotted bearing 18
11:28 - Sunk british merchant 5000t. Status report to BDU.

11 april
17:35 CF8591 - Message from BDU. U-157 (Henne) is dispatched to hunt near us in CF86.

18 april
16:13 CF8559 - Ship spotted bearing 177.
16:46 - Sunk british tanker 11626t. Status report to BDU.

24 april
01:40 CF8571 - Ship spotted bearing 337.
01:59 - Sunk british tanker 5125t. Status report to BDU.

26 april
16:23 CF8576 - Message from BDU. U-157 spotted a small convoy in CF8647 heading 36. Had to intercept.
20:09 CF85498 - Contact with small convoy, two tankers and two escorts.
21:17 CF8548 - Engaged convoy. Sunk british tanker 11327t.

27 april
05:06 CF8547 - Surfaced after been depthcharged by the escort. Exterior fuel tanks damaged but fixable. Status report to BDU.
16:01 - CF8583 - Fuel tanks repaired. Four external torpedoes loaded in the torpedoes room. Ready to return to patrol again.

07 may
05:43 CF8575 - Ship spotted bearing 57.
06:06 - Sunk british tanker 7000t. Status report to BDU.

12 may
08:30 - CF8546 - Received new orders from BDU. Assigned to the new patrol zone AM79. U-85 (Greger) is taking our place. Heading to new PZ.

16 may
20:14 AM7949 - Reached our new patrol zone. Status report to BDU.

21 may
08:00 AM7952 - Ship spotted bearing 288.
08:50 - Sunk british merchant 2344t. Status report to BDU.

29 may
06:00 AM7923 - Terrible weather conditions and absolute no visibility in our PZ for eigt days. Status reported to BDU.

31 may
19:54 AM7983 - Weather report requested by BDU. No ameliorations.

04 june
07:00 AM7916 - Becoming low on fuel. Status report to BDU.
07:59 - New orders from BDU, we had to return to base.

The U-64 never reached Wilhelmshaven. During the afternoon of the 8th june, the submarine was spotted by a british plane and sunk by a fatal deepcharge.
:k_confused:

kenmoik 06-09-18 12:54 AM

Quote:

Been several moths since I last played. Figured my failed patrol would make for a good read. I was once told that "there are old pilots and there are bold pilots, but no old and bold pilots." I guess that applies to captains of a Uboot. I wish I kept a better log of how this patrol went. Will attempt to provide a decent story from memory.

Journal entry recovered from floating debris by local fishing trawler.

Aug. 13, 1943 0800hrs.

Typ-VIIC U-128 Patrolling outside Gibralter straits.

Personal Journal of KptLt. Walter Heinz.

We left Lorient a week ago to patrol west of Gibralter. Our journey to the grid was uneventful. The crew's spirits were high and everyone hoped for continuing good fortunes. If we can sink another 10,000 tons, we will win the wager back at base. I hope Albert Dietz and his old VIIB have a dry run on his patrol!

Aug 14, 1943 1900hrs.
We spotted several fishing boats and a small, coastal merchant yesterday. We were unable to attack due to the foul weather. Report was made to BDU and we continued our patrol. The weather is rapidly improving. It appears good fortunes are in our favor!

Aug 15, 1943 1000Hrs.
Today, we have set up approximately 3km north of the shipping lane. Due to our proximity to the port, air cover has been heavy during the day. The crew has expressed some concerns with the shallow water and our extended time on surface at night to replenish batteries and air. So far we have remained undetected and my command staff are in agreement that we should move further west for deep water.

2000hrs.
The hunt has been bad today. We identified a small convoy moving toward the strait. Two small merchants escorted by a pair of Black Swan class destroyers. While setting up for a shot, our periscope was spotted and strafed by a plane. No damage was sustained during the initial attack on our boat, but one of the destroyers chased us out to deep water and dropped around 50 depth charges. Several detonated in close proximity to our boat, damaging one of the seals on our drive shaft and knocking one generator loose of its mounts. He circled above us for several hours before returning to his friends. We will surface in a few hours and assess for more damage.

Aug 16, 1943 0245hrs.

The damage to our boat was moderate. The charges we took buckled some of the plates on the conning tower. Deck boards were also blown loose. Radio mast was damaged but we have been able to get it more or less operational. Hull integrity seems to be intact. One crew member suffered a broken arm. Our generator is being secured as I write this and the drive shaft seal has been repaired to the best of our ability. It is good fortune we have such competent mechanics on board. We have sent a transmission to Bdu advising them of our damage.

0400hrs.
Bdu has responded. I have been advised that there are reports of a large convoy approaching. We have been cleared to operate at our discretion.

0630hrs.
Dawn is approaching. Our doctor has splinted the arm of our injured crew member and he is able to assist our doctor. I have decided to set up south of the merchant routes. We have set course back towards the coast. I hope to stay near the Atlantic shelf and have deep water to escape to in case of another air attack.

1900hrs.
I should have listened to my officers. They wanted to dive shortly after I wrote my last entry. I refused to pull the plug. I had all hopes that we would be able to make it to our desired position without incident. Right as we arrived and prepared for dive, we were spotted and attacked by a Liberator. We made it to 25m when two depth charges detonated on either side of the hull. We began to take on water instantly. Multiple injuries were reported and my XO was knocked unconscious. Damage crews instantly began to repair our leaks. We were able to continue toward shallow water on one motor with a 15 degree up angle. Once we were in waters 50m deep, I ordered our boat to sit on the sea bed.

Flooding was under control and our damaged systems were being repaired. I was advised that both diesels were damaged, two of our torpedo tubes were leaking water and were inoperable, one of our battery banks was rendered useless. Our aft dive planes are damaged and difficult to move. Our bilge pumps have been repaired and we are slowly getting the water out of our boat. Our sonar man is currently attempting to repair the hydrophone.

While we worked on repairs, my sonarman got the hydrophone working. He called out screws closing fast. Those damn planes called in the convoy escorts. I must get back to the control room. I pray that we survive today.


U-128 failed to report in on Aug 17, 1943. British escorts reported that a pair of Liberator bombers spotted a German U boat on the surface near shallow waters and attacked with depth charges. Liberators lost sight of the German submarine and notified the nearby convoy escorts. The escorts were able to detect the submarine with passive sonar. It was assumed that the submarine was damaged and performing repairs when it was detected. The sonar operators on the British escort recounted that they heard what sounded like "hammers on metal". Active sonar was used at close range and the submarine was located near the sea floor in 50m waters. Three escorts performed multiple passes with depth charges and hedgehog ASW weaponry. After several hours had passed, the remaining escort reported debris and fuel oil in the water. The submarine was declared destroyed with all hands.
Nice report to read Hambone307. When you go this type camping what type tool you use for self-defense? I am using the XT12GT flashlight from Klarus. But, I don't think it is a perfet one to use.

BristolBrick 06-23-18 04:24 AM

U-565 (VIIC) left from St Nazair mid February 1944, I decided to pull my usual late war trick of snorkelling up near Bristol, picking off lone merhants. Well I timed it right so I got off the coast of Cornwall about dawn, having torpedoed a Liberty (one shotting it, for me that's a notable patrol already) and taken two eels to down a c3. (also I rarity, I almost always sink them in one)

3 wellingtons come along, 3 wellingtons are shot down. 7 minutes later I noticed there is a river destroyer escort sailing straight at me (daylight) so I tested out an accoustic torpedo on him, it worked. I spent the next hour destroying hurricanes and sunderlands, before a corvette shows up.

I forgot why I didn't use the rear tube (it was a good reason) but he was so slow (12 knots) that it worked with bow tubes too, the tactic I'm talking about being running away ay 3-5km distance so he won't zig-zag, and shooting a torpedo at him. Only works if I'm about the same speed. So I turned straight at the corvette, and reversed, so I could pull that trick with a forward torpedo tube.

Anyway I had decided at this point I would rather be where half the royal airforce isn't, so I submerged and silent ran until I had to come up for air (snorkel had been broken by a loose bomb that also took the sub to 30% hull integrity) and battery power. I am immediatly jumped by more planes, after a 16 hour silent run, so I get the AAA guns going and shoot them down, before submerging for a bit more.

I kept that up until the batteries had simply had it, so I had to run on the surface. Where I was harrassed by planes all the way until I was past Ireland. (heading to my patrol grid to get the extra renown, just a bit short of enough to get an XXI and with this damage by the time I am repaired it will be available)

After patrolling a bit (and shooting down some loose PBYs) called it quits, returned to base. 5,000 renown. 85 aeroplanes shot down, 18.7k tons.

Got my XXI, I'm excited to go kill something! Hope I bump into a carrier!

Update: I bumped into a convoy, with a passenger liner. Guess what won't be afloat tomorrow.

Kaptlt.Endrass 07-21-18 06:10 PM

U-50 just ran across her first convoy of the war.

Departing Kiel on 24 February 1940, U-50 laid in a roundabout course to Grid AM35. Her path would take her past the coast of the Low Countries, continuing west until two hours after passing Dunkirk, where she would then turn north and make her way up the English coast, where some very notable success had been found by the crew prior.

The patrol was quiet, for the most part. Upon getting into range of the harbor patrols around Dunkirk, U-50 submerged and ran on batteries until 2300, whereupon she surfaced and continued on her course.

Taking a chance, I modified the course to take us well into the Thames Estuary, hoping to catch a merchant or two coming out of London. Rather than that, a sizable convoy of 12 merchants was picked up just outside the estuary, escorted by two destroyers. U-50 approached the convoy at standard speed, getting into position for a surface attack while selecting targets.

After finding the marks on two ore carriers and a Granville, a full salvo was launched from the forward tubes; one torpedo for the freighter, two for the foremost ore carrier, and one for the other. All but one hit and detonated, immediately alerting the convoy.

By this time, U-50 was already submerged and reloading her tubes, counting on the escorts searching where the torpedoes had come from rather than where the U-boat was now (admittedly, the two locations weren't that different). Finding success in this matter, the U-boat maneuvered into a new position. Upon raising the scope, I noted the Granville was all but sunk, her stern resting on the shallow bottom and her crew abandoning ship. The first ore carrier, which I had fired a single fish at, was threatening to capsize, a list of 30+ degrees having been acquired. The final ore carrier, however, looked to have shrugged off the blow, only one small fire burning.

Lining up the next shot on this relatively undamaged ship, tubes 1 and 2 were both loosed, scoring another hit that caused the ore carrier's back to snap, sending her to the seabed. The second shot found its target in the form of a passenger/cargo, which promptly erupted and sank.

Shortly after, the Granville's hull gave in, and she too met her end. The final ore carrier was lagging behind,her speed reduced to a simple 3-4 knots. Confident that, even if she didn't sink, I could finish her off once the main body of the convoy was over the horizon, I lined up the next shot on a medium cargo (C2) that had wandered a little close.

Looking back now, it wasn't the best target to choose from, but the torpedo found its mark. The C2, being as well built as they all are, just kept chugging along, continuing its voyage while her crew worked the spotlights over the seas around her.

Our final internal reserve torpedo was loaded into tube three, and a calculated shot was lined up on a large merchant at the rear of the convoy. This shot disabled her engines, bringing the ship to a halt.

At this time, a V&W-class destroyer came over, searching around for the perpetrator that had come so close to the English coast. A few charges were dropped to the port side, making a lot of noise but not causing any shaking in the U-boat, much less any damage.

As the destroyer slowed to search for any signs of life, she presented the stern tube with a broadside target, less than a thousand meters away. Not wishing to pass up the chance, a wild shot was fired from tube 5, the speed and AoB being quickly input by myself rather than measuring it. U-50's luck held, and the torpedo hit the V&W in the stern. The ship stayed upright for a few more minutes, then foundered and finally detonated as she went under.

As this had happened, the large merchant had sunk, and the other destroyer (an A&B) had come over to investigate and perhaps pick up survivors of the now submerged V&W. Her tubes all empty, U-50 went silent and snuck away, hiding near the still-floating (if immobile) ore carrier. As dawn broke, the destroyer departed, as did a MBT that had come by at some point.

An hour later, U-50 surfaced, putting a few rounds into the ore carrier, which finally went down. A report was made to the BdU on the convoy, and U-50 plotted a course for home.

Along the way, another passenger/cargo, alone this time, was intercepted only a few hundred kilometers from the convoy's intercept, and was put down with the deck gun.

Upon returning to port, the crew of the U-50 was applauded and congratulated. Herbert Schultze of U-48, with whom our tonnage scores had been in close competition, grudgingly accepted the victory, which placed us at nearly 150.000 GRT sunk throughout the course of the war so far.

Despite her age, it seems U-50 will continue being an effective warrior for the foreseeable future.

jonnymorris 07-22-18 03:36 PM

September 1940
 
After sinking a T3 tanker in a large convoy and a prolonged destroyer engagement, submarine suffered heavy flooding and damage from multiple depth charge attacks and subsequently entered an uncontrolled dive, eventually succumbing to excessive pressure resulting in the loss of all hands. Attempts were made to evade and blow ballast but to no avail.

Niume 07-23-18 08:34 AM

Third patrol of U-93


1941 3rd of January



As we left the port of Wilhelmshaven and we couldn't no longer see the lighthouses. Captain opened the safe with documents for the patrol. Captain revealed to us that we are going to patrol the BE area he didn't told us the exact locations, which is understandable. But the one concern he had that BDU ordered the U-93 to travel not further away then 350km of Scapa Flow. The Captain told us that he doesn't know why it was like that. He knows that Allied air cover in 1941 is dangerously increasing around the British Isles. Our watch officer Lietnaunt Heinz thinks that maybe BDU thinks there are precious targets or maybe they are testing the defences. Either way the u-boat sails further and further from home waters. The first two days where uneventful. Then on third morning we heard watch crew scream: enemy destroyer bearing 50 degrees. Captain jumped from the bed and ordered us to go immediately to periscope depth. It was too shallow for the crash dive. Then Josef who was our ears of the u boat siad it can't be destroyer the engines sound way too heavy. And everyone trusted him or believed him. The Josef was our old wolf. He has been in active duty from day one and racked up 7 combat patrols until he was transfered from coastal submarine to our Type VIIC. He even named our hydrophone "the donkey's kick" why? noone really knows. The captain starts to smile. Then like gentleman goes to attack periscope and says: you fools if the British destroyers were rrally that big. We would have already lost the war. It was actually not even enemy it was our light cruiser "Konigsberg" probably sailing to Norwegian ports. The captains brother was on the Konigsberg. After that embarrassing moment for our watch crew we sialed on. The closer we get to the Scapa Flow the more crew is nervoused. After nasty storm at night. In the morning our crew spotted destroyer starboard of us running parallel. Captain immediately ordered deck awash and battle stations. Weapon officer rushed with his recognition manual to the conning tower. After few minutes we heard weapon officer telling the captain which is Tribal class destroyer. Later we lost visual contact with destroyer because of the fog. After about 20 min we dived and then Josef was listening like cat and searching for destroyer on his hydrophone. Strangely no warship contact we stayed under the waves for a about and hour to make sure we are not getting ambushed. Josef shouted captain merchant dirrctly front of us, closing.


Will resume later Please correct me of any mistakes and tell me if it's interesting to read. First time writing

Niume 07-23-18 02:24 PM

We waited for him to come to us. Why waste precious fuel? Then the sun started to fall and waves started to rise, finally small mast appeared over horizon. It was small bulker no bigger than 2500 tons. While the water splashes the periscope, captain and weapon officer are calculating firing solution. The word that the whole crew waited has been finally said- torpedo looss. Everyone in the bow of the u boat heard the eels flying out of the torpedo tube. In less then a minute the sound of torpedo exploding appears. Weapon officer looks through the scope and confirms we have a hit right to the stern of the ship. Our prey quickly slows down into a stop, probably we blue of the propeller. But it looked like it wasn't‘t going to sink. A wise idea would be to surface and finish it off with deck gun, but not in the middle of a day while the merchant could radio for help. It was no choice but to wait. But even waiting was risky because any destroyer from scapa flow who heard the distress call could quickly appear in our crime scene. We understood that, but we couldn‘t leave it either. We decided to risk and wait. WE dived about to 50m. So the ragging waves wouldn‘t interfere with Josef‘s listening to the sea. Then it was midnight we surfaced and started to prepare to fire the deck gun. First shots were way off, but it was expected in that kind of weather. After few shots and she is going down. Then we went full ahead and left the area. The weather was on British side, visibility horrible, huge waves and cold wind. Our newbie crew of U-96 can‘t stand the banking left to right from the waves, everyone is getting tired. But we do not stop, we go on wards to the patrol grid and sink some convoys. Then the sea calmed down, in the middle of the night, around 3:20 in the morning something buzzed from the sky and over the boat soon explosions followed just port of our ship. The whole u boat started to shake. The captain almost flew of the deck into the cold water but luckily seaman Alfred Seefeld grabbed the captain and saved him. The captain promised that he would get iron cross and promotion. Without waiting u-boat crashed dived and quickly slipped under the waves. The crew reported zero damage on the boat. The captain was shocked how in the middle of a night aircraft detected them and our watch crew didn‘t. Then surfaced and ordered the radio man to report about this incident to BDU. I heard some crew talking about thing called radar that it detected us. I didn‘t believed them because it‘s clearly British propaganda. While traveling around the British territory we met U-95. The U-95 and our U-93 were almost sister ships, they were ordered at the same date 1938 May 30. We greeted each other and went on our ways. The only good thing about the weather is the heavy clouds, aircraft will be flying in this kind of weather. 14th day of patrol we spotted a couple of ships. It was C2 and modern medium merchant both of them were juicy targets. We dived and prepared for the attack. Shot two torpedoes at C2 with spread of 2 degrees. And one for medium merchant. Only two of three detonated. Both hit just tips of bows. The medium merchant were shredded to bits. But C2 took it like it was nothing and still not stopping but slowing down. Then we followed him for 3 hours waiting for him to give up and sink. Hoping the bad weather will take care of it. But it didn‘t, what a sturdy ship! Then we decided to shoot at it with stern torpedo in order to save what's left of bow torpedoes. But the eel never hit the target. Then again we tried our luck but still nothing. Then we turned around and shot the bow torpedo finally worked. It wen’t down fast. I felt sorry for the crews of the ship, stranded in the middle of the ocean, no supplies, and in bad weather their survival chances were slim. One of the officers even suggested destroying the life boats with flak gun. But captain instead turned around and said: If I ever again hear any ideas about shooting lifeboats I will shoot you from torpedo tube myself

Obltn Strand 07-24-18 02:27 AM

Strand's agony and possible salvation...

Extract from U-80 KTB.

21.11.1941
10:14
Radio message from BdU:/ Convoy at grid BE6225, course NE, speed 6/
14:12
Radio message to BdU:/My position BE6225. Expect contact at late afternoon U-80/
15:07
Ship sighted! Appears tanker on NW course. I will burn lots of fuel and time circling to a favourable attack position.
18:15
Target is indeed tanker and it is armed with one cannon located at aft poop deck.
Fired tube V, G7e
Range 1100, speed 4 kts, AoB green 80, depth 5m
Hit below bridge about 1/3 of target and was aimed at middle. Also it hit about 10 seconds too early. Not big fat tanker after all.
18:21
Dived to load tube V. Sea is too choppy to use deck gun or load torpedoes at surface.
19:11
Coup de Grace from tube V, G7a
Stationary target. Pistol failure.
19:25
Second Coup de Grace from tube IV, G7e
Ran too deep.
19:27
Third Coup de Grace from tube II, G7e
Ran too deep.
19:30
Fourth Coup de Grace from tube III, G7e
Finally a detonation. Tanker rolls over and sinks within ten minutes. Interrogation of the survivors reveals it was 4000 tons tanker.
Resumed hunt.
23.16
Reached calculated rendezvous point. No contact even with hydrophones.
23:23
Radio message from BdU:/ Convoy at grid BE3598, course NE, speed 6/

Quote:

Originally Posted by Niume (Post 2562471)
Will resume later Please correct me of any mistakes and tell me if it's interesting to read. First time writing

It's nice to read what other captains are up to...

stork100 07-24-18 06:52 PM

Very nice reading Strand. Just like the real thing.

Kaptlt.Endrass 08-14-18 04:58 PM

Commencing our 9th patrol out of our new base in Wilhemshaven, U-50 and her crew, receiving news of the commencement of Operation Hartmut, plot a course to take them off the shores of Norway in anticipation of the likely presence of both enemy merchants and enemy warships.

The first few days are very quiet...some ships are sighted, all either not worth the time or German, and U-50 plods on her course. Numerous times, word of a fleet or lone merchant comes in, and the crew gets excited for the next few hours, only to find the enemy has changed course at some point.

Finally, the third day after hostilities with Norway commenced, word comes in from the watch crew that an unidentified ship has been sighted, near midnight. The captain is roused and brought to the bridge. On first inspection, the night is too dark to observe the ship's colors, though her darkened nature marks her as a potential target. The captain orders a course change and U-50 closes the distance decks awash. Eventually, it is discerned that the ship, a coastal tanker, is Norwegian. U-50 rises from decks awash and the crew of the deck gun makes ready to commence firing.

The first shot delivers an outstanding hit to the tanker, and further firing brings the ship to a near halt. Firing is ceased, and after 30 or so minutes, the crew of the vessel abandons ship as the tanker capsizes.

With some tally on the board finally, U-50 moves north, where reports of English fleets abound from Luftwaffe and Kriegsmarine sources alike. Two more days in, the crew is tracking once such report, and at long last hears the sound of warship screws over the hydrophone.

Positioning, though not quite what the captain would have preferred, was sufficient, as the torpedoes would be in range, if having to travel some way. In addition, it was daytime, and the enemy fleet was moving fast, meaning it was likely this was the only shot U-50 would have at these ships.

Raising the scope, the captain immediately notes a C&D class some 2, perhaps 3.000 metres to starboard, moving away. Further inspection of the battlegroup reveals an astounding prize: an Illustrious-class carrier, escorted by three Southhampton-class light cruisers. The crew immediately goes to full alert, and the torpedo doors are opened as the captain swiftly takes measurements. Within two minutes, three torpedoes slide out of their tubes, followed by a fourth shortly after, aimed for the cruiser to the stern of the carrier.

The next four minutes are quiet, save for the occasional muffled cough from one of the crew, and the occasional drip of condensation. Then, one, then two detonations are heard, followed by many smaller ones, and then a third. The crew briefly rejoices, only to be shushed by the officers and petty officers as the most tense portion of their hunt begins. U-50 goes to 60 meters, and, to the crew's amazement, never hears a single sonar ping. Slinking away, the crew congratulates each other on a job well done.

Later that week, another report comes in, and just as before, U-50 moves to intercept. This time, it is a much grander prize: HMS Nelson, heavily escorted. Despite a full salvo from all forward tubes, however, all but one torpedo misses due to the turns that the great battleship was doing; the one torpedo, a Type II, did not detonate as hoped, and the Nelson lived on. When the enemy was nearly out of sight, U-50 surfaced, reporting the task force's strength, course, heading, and composition, then began heading home, her torpedo stores nearly depleted.


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