View Single Post
Old 01-25-22, 03:35 AM   #6137
Kapitän
The Old Man
 
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Frankfurt, Germany
Posts: 1,580
Downloads: 29
Uploads: 0
Default U 113 (IXC) - 3rd War Patrol - Air attack and damage to the boat

Quote:
Originally Posted by Kapitän View Post
Started new career in August 2019 to commemorate the beginning of WWII, 80 years before ...

+++++

KTB - U 113

Saturday, 24 January 1942 - East of Charleston -

0200 - Outgoing F.T.: To B.d.U.:
During outbound transit was forced south by heavy storm into the air cover zone of Bermuda. Many airplanes, was bombed once, no damages. Arrived in Op.-area on 15 Jan., 1536h. On 22 Jan., 0511h, sunk U.S.A. Steamer 1710ts, and on 23 Jan., 1813h, sunk British M04B Steamer 5650ts, both in Qu.3945DB. On 23 Jan., 1130h, double Eto Early Detonator on Panamanian Steamer 2180ts, in Qu.3831DB, attack broken off. All remaining torpedoes checked, no damages found. Current position Qu.3916DB, heading north. 9 internal and 8 external eels. 139cbm. NE6/5, overcast, light haze, visibility 5sm, medium swell, <1000mb.
- RST -

0245 - Incoming F.T.: From B.d.U.:
RST: Well "pauked". Continue acc. Op.-Orders.

0825 - Qu.3655DB -

0950 - 15sm south of Bald Head Island - Early Morning Dawn.

1051 - Off Frying Pan Shoals - Sunrise. Weather unchanged in 3 days.

1200 - Qu.3637DB - Days Run: 147.1sm - 139.0sm (19h) - 8.7sm (5h).
137.1cbm (3.6cbm/24h). On course 53°. Battery 10000Ah. 9 internal and 8 external torpedoes. Weather unchanged since Sunrise, 21 January.

1516 - Incoming F.T.: From U 130:
30000ts sunk. Expended all torpedoes. 130cbm. Commencing return transit. - Kals -

1702 - Qu.1177DC - "Surface Vessel!". A Small Merchant and a Coastal Schooner ahead, E=8000. Both on parallel course SSW, distance between them is about 1600m.

1715 - At E=4500, Diving for submerged attack. Water depth here is 33m.

1720 - Incoming F.T.: From B.d.U.:
Ship contact report in Qu.1167DC, on course WSW, medium speed.

1725 - Turning boat hard to port, in order to bring bow tubes to bear. Course is 300°. "Battle Stations!". Flooding tube I. Targeting the Small Merchant, which is another Panamanian Steamer of 2180ts, and is burning in the forecastle.

1731 - Qu.1177DC - Single Shot with tube I: G7a/G7H (K-a/AZ); Running depth 4.0m; Vt40. Own course 300°; Own speed 2kn ahead; Shooter: Kptlt. & Cmdr. RST.
Target ship: Panamanian Steamer of 2180ts, draught 5.6m.
Target course 210°; Target distance 692m; Target angle red90°; Target speed 8kn; Firing angle α 007°.

=> Torpedo is a hit under the bridge after 27 Sec.!

The steamer catches on fire over its entire length. As its continuing on, its burning cargo is setting the water on fire. The steamer sinks after 1-2 minutes on an even keel, the top of the masts are still sticking out of the shallow water. 1 boat with 4 survivors seen in the periscope.

1736 - The U.S.A. Coastal Schooner is approaching the sinking position. Boat is staying at S-Tiefe and running off on course 30°. "Dismissed from Battle Stations!".

1825 - Surfaced after 1h 10min. and 3.5sm. Boat operating on ship contact report 1720/24. New course 68°, 2xH.F.-Ahead.

1902 - Qu.1175DC - Boat has to dive from a Catalina, direct approach from 230°true, E=6000, water depth is 26m.During the diving process, 2 bombs behind the boat, no damages.

1903 - At Reception Depth, 4 more bombs at the diving position, no damages.

1912 - Running off submerged on course 0°, 1/3-Ahead.

2012 - Surfaced after 1h 10' and 4.6sm. Weather unchanged. 9000Ah.

2021 - Qu.1172DC - Sundown. Weather unchanged since Sunrise, 21 January. Fly over by a double-tail airplane, identified as a Lockheed P-38 "Lightning", right over the boat from stern to bow, was all of the sudden right over the boat, flew off again on heading NNE. No gunfire or bombs dropped. Suspect air reconnaissance from Norfolk.

2050 - Nothing seen at calculated interception point of ship contact report 1720/24.

2125 - Diving for sound check. Water depth is 30m.

2130 - At Reception depth nothing heard.

2135 - Surfaced after 10min. and 0.3sm. Darkness. Weather unchanged. 2x235RPM.

Cmdr.: The ship contact must have by-passed our position, due to the airplane sightings.

Boat operating acc. to Op.-Orders "Paukenschlag".

RST
Kptlt.&Cmdr.

Started new career in August 2019 to commemorate the beginning of WWII, 80 years before ...

+++++

KTB - U 113

Sunday, 25 January 1942 - Southwest of Cape Lookout -

0019 - Qu.1182DC - The boat is being illuminated by a search light from a Catalina and attacked with machine guns and bombs. The bombs fall short to the port side of the boat, resulting in water entry in the Control Room and the Main Bilge Pump being damaged.

0020 - Diving at water depth of 33m. During the diving process 2 more bombs are dropped without effect. Boat cannot be held at 20m and drops to the ocean floor, resulting in further damage, to the forward battery, and to the bow and stern torpedo tubes.

0024 - All engines stop. Bottoming boat and repairing damages.

0027 - Back to Reception Depth. All damages repaired, however, the pressure hull seems to have been damaged as well.

0150 - Surfaced after 1h 30 min. and 4.8sm. Weather and Sea unchanged. Battery 8900Ah.

0156 - Some light damage to the Flak Guns repaired. The light damage to forward upper deck cannot be repaired yet, due to the swell washing over the deck.

0200 - Outgoing F.T.: To B.d.U.:
On 24 Jan., 1732h, sunk Panamanian Steamer, 2180ts, in Qu.1177DC. On 24 Jan., 1902h, attacked by Catalina, direct approach, bombs, no damages, Qu.1175DC. On 24 Jan., 2022h, direct approach by a P-38 "Lightning", no attack, Qu.1172DC. On 25 Jan., 0019, attacked by Catalina, direct approach, search lights, bombs and machine-gun fire. Water entry, main bilge pump and forward battery damaged. All damages repaired after bottoming boat at 33m. Qu.1182DC. 5 internal Eto and 3 Ato. 136cbm. NE6/5, overcast, light haze, visibility 5sm, medium swell, <1000mb. Continuing Op. - RST -

0228 - Incoming F.T.: From B.d.U.:
RST: Message received.

0710 - Boat operating on new Ship Contact Report 0700/25, position Qu.1229DC, on course West, medium speed. This is within the Op.-area of U-Zapp.

0744 - Qu.1244DC - Boat is attacked by a pair of Catalina's, direct approach from 240°true. Bombs and Machine-Gun fire, Flak slightly damaged.

0745 - Diving to T=20. Water depth here is 26m. During the diving process and in due course more bombs, but without effect.

Cmdr.: It is now clear, that we are being hunted by enemy airplanes, that have been equipped with radar and special search lights.

0815 - Surfaced after 30 min. and 1.5sm. Weather and Sea unchanged.

0820 - Flak repaired. 2xH.F.-Ahead.

0930 - Early Morning Dawn.

0950 - Nothing seen at plotted interception point of ship contact report 0700/25. Diving for sound check. Water depth is 40m.

0951 - At Reception depth, sound contact of steamer bearing 140°, E=20000, going away. Seems to be ship contact report 0700/25.

Cmdr.: Again, the ship contact must have been alerted by aircraft and by-passed our position.

1020 - Surfaced after 30min. and 1.6sm. Weather and Sea unchanged. Battery 8500Ah.

1022 - Incoming F.T.: From U 66:
Sank altogether: 1 tanker 9200 BRT, 1 freighter-passenger 9000 BRT, 1 freighter 7500 BRT, 1 tanker "Charles Black" (14,000 BRT), 1 ore steamer 10,000 BRT, total tonnage 50,000 BRT. 3 undetermined misses on 3 other tankers. Heavy ship movements from the south to Cape Hatteras. Still have 2 torpedoes. - Zapp -

Cmdr.: Now, that the enemy has been alerted, the ship movement seems to be going from north to south.

1029 - Sunrise. Weather unchanged in 4 days.

1036 - Compressed Air Supply filled.

1200 - Qu.1227DC - Days Run: 149.1sm - 132.8sm (19h) - 16.3sm (5h).
134.5cbm (2.6cbm/24h). On course 75°. Battery 8500Ah. 8 internal and 8 external torpedoes. Weather unchanged since Sunrise, 21 January.

Cmdr.: The experiences gained since entering the Op.-area have shown, that the tactics to obtaining contact to a ship report with restricted visibility and strong enemy air cover, have to be altered to plotting an interception point based on sound contact, rather than visual contact.

- to be continued -

__________________
KSDII-Ace/GWX 3.0 Gold/CCoM 10.0 + h.sie-patch; Windows 7 (64-bit); NVIDIA GeForce GTX650 (310.90)
Kapitän is offline   Reply With Quote