Thought I'd post this story here instead of the "Bug" thread as some have had this sinking prob and theirs was buggy.
I was heading east on the surface cruseing at 'standard' speed returning from "Honshu" completly out of torps and ammo when here comes a betty. I immediately ordered crash dive but was to late and Betty gave the Sub a good blow causeing massive flooding in the forward torpedo room, control room and engine room. Of course the Sub was picking up speed to the bottom. I ordered battlestations and the repair crew was allready working on the bulkheads. Then it dawned on me "Hey" your diving at flank speed, this will never work so I ordered "Emergency" and "Blow balast". By now I'm down to about 250' but slowly riseing to the surface in emergency reverse at 5 kts. Meantime I've dragged the "Bulkhead" icon to the top of the repair list ( Y key ) and the water started pumping out of the bulkheads fairly quick. By now most of the flooding was pumped out and then the stern of the sub appeared on the surface, screws spinning in mid air and Sub just hanging there ( First pic ). After about five minutes the stearn and screws settled in the water with the bow up to the sonar antenna on deck still under water.
By now the repairs had all been done except the forward torpedo room flooding.
I ordered flank speed and sure enough the bow straightened up and the screws were throwing up a large rooster tail on the surface. OH D#%* here comes Bad Betty again and I don't have any ammo whatsoever and the forward torp room is still flooded, "
crash dive !" Here we go again but this time luck was on my side and Betty had missed. No more extra flooding accurred but I had to order another blow balast and also order "Emercency", again the Sub slowed and then started back up to the surface in reverse.
Back on the surface and running at flank ( scared if any slower we'd sink
although that may not have happened but I wasn't taking any chances ) speed looking with the radar for betty ( almost out of her range by now ) the crew were all still on 'Battle stations' and were still in good shape as only the AA flak operator got hit very bad ( 1/100 health ). By now which was about 8 hours later and out of Bettys reach, with only 2,000 nm to Midway and less than a half tank of fuel I deceided to run at 1/3 speed for the rest of the way to Midway and hope there was enough fuel to do so.
Well no more Bettys nor any more bad guys the rest of the way to Midway. refited at Midway, all fueled up, 20 new torps and just a few shells for both th AA and deck gun not full amount of ammo though.
I was watching the rest of the way back for the AA gunner to kind of heal up but no he was still at 1/100 health when we docked at pearl, I had to call the ambulance for him. :rotfl: For HQ sure did not care.
I must have done something right in that patrol for I got this. ( but why "0" war patrol, heck I'd just returned from one. :hmm: )
And a lot of my crew received medals along with a purple heart for my AA gunner ( he's now at base hospital, hope he makes it.
)
My point is that with major flooding you can control your ship if you set your people to work ( all of them ) and put the worst task at the top of the repair list ( Y key ) in "Damage management". And on your way to Davey Jones Locker
hit the "emergency" reverese and blow balast for it can save your life.
Oh yes PV, in case your reading this post. You can dive and control your Sub after the bulkheads have repaired but it will take 10/12 hours
after the panal shows the bulkheads clear and repaired. I did
before the refit at Midway ( and several hours after bulkheads were repaired ) dive to 165' and resurface with no problems. Damn I've a good crew.
