[Kapitän]

Originally Posted by Kapitän

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

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Friday, 3 October 1941 - Bay of Biscay -

0353 - South of Pen March - 3/4-Moon setting in the West.
Fishing vessel bearing 76°, E=10000, on course ESE. Evaded on surface.

0500 - Morning Dawn.

0615 - Sunrise.

0845 - Wind and Sea increasing, shifting to East.

1200 - Qu.5197BF - Days Run: 182.5sm - (↗ 24h) - since Lorient.
233.9cbm (6.1cbm/14h). SSE6/5, clear, visibility 8-9sm, >1000mb.

1437 - Three Fishing Vessels ahead stbd.12, E=16000, on course ESE, heading straight for Point "Kern".

1450 - Diving at E=10000. At S-Tiefe, sound contact with warship bearing 61°, E=17000, on course ESE - cannot make out in A-Periscope.

1456 - Diving to T=20.

1508 - The three fishing vessels are turning North. E=7000.

1555 - Point "Kern" - The three Fishing vessels now bearing 56°, E=10000, on northerly heading. Commencing Deep Dive Trial acc. Standing Order 507, 135rpm.

1617 - Boat is safe and secure at 2A-Meter.

1619 - 185rpm. Setting reception depth.

1629 - At reception depth.

B.d.U.-Report:
The convoy from the previous day was picked up again by air reconnaissance towards midday. D/F bearings were reported from 7 boats, which gave a fairly exact position for the convoy in AL 8240 at 1200h. Mean course since yesterday is SW. U 83 (VIIB, Ob.Ltnt.z.S. Hans-Werner Kraus) is fairly close to the convoy position and can still keep contact today.

According to an aircraft report, the convoy consists of 25 merchant ships, 4 patrol boats, 4 destroyers, 1 cruiser and 1 aircraft carrier. Air reconnaissance is again detailed for October, 4th.

1635 - Surfaced after 45min. and 4.6sm. 9500Ah.
Weather unchanged since Etmal.

The three fishing vessels can be seen bearing 71°, E=15000, on a northerly heading.

1748 - Sundown.3/4-Moon rising in the East.

Boat continuing on outbound transfer.

Cmdr.: Three fishing vessels loitering around Point "Kern", at the precise time that we are supposed to arrive, is very concerning!

RST

Kptlt.&Cmdr.

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

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Saturday, 4 October 1941 - Bay of Biscay -

0230 - Reducing speed to 1/3, due to the sea continuously washing over the bridge.

0344 - Incoming F.T.: From B.d.U.:
U 129 (IXC, Kptlt. Asmus Nicolai Clausen), which was an escort for the U-boat supply ship "Kota Pinang" and which was cruising in the Atlantic together with this ship, reported that the "Kota Pinang" was sunk from a distance by shell-fire from a cruiser of the Belfast Class in BE 7722. It has saved the entire crew (119 men) and has started on return to base. Its diving capacity is restricted by this additional load of men. It has been arranged with the Naval War Staff to hand over this crew in Ferrol, as it is not justifiable for U 129 to pass through the Bay of Biscay under the circumstances. U 129 received orders to do this.

0518 - Morning Dawn. New course 301°. 2xH.F.

0630 - Sunrise. Weather unchanged since last Etmal.

0909 - Qu.4255BF -

0930 - Boat is operating on ship contact report 0920/4. New course 128°.

1050 - Outbound steamer sighted bearing 331°, E=14000, on opposite course of the inbound ship contact, which also coming into sight, bearing 10°, E=14000.

The outbound steamer is a Refrigeration Ship of 4185ts, draught 5.8m and the inbound steamer is an Ore-II-Freighter of 3400ts, draught 5.8m. As the Refrigeration Ship has a wider field of view than the Ore Freighter, new course 180° is set, in order to get closer to both steamers on the surface, without being sighted be either.

1100 - New course 135°. The wind speed is still 13m/s and the boat is lee-ward. Therefore, the torpedo running depth has to be set between 3.25-5.2m. With the draught of both ships being 5.8m, a torpedo running depth of 4m is set for all bow torpedoes (G7e, Pi-G7H).

1101 - Incoming F.T.: From B.d.U.:
It has been arranged with the Naval War Staff to hand over the crew of the "Kota Pinang" in Ferrol, as it is not justifiable for U 129 to pass through the Bay of Biscay under the circumstances. U 129 received orders to do this.

1110 - "Battle Stations!".

1112 - Flooding tube I.

1116 - Qu.4283BF - Single Shot with tube I: G7e/G7H (K-b/AZ); Running depth 4m; Vt30. Own course 130°; Own speed 10kn; Shooter: OFähn.z.S & I.W.O. Udo HARTENSTEIN.
Target ship: Inbound OreII-Freighter, draught 5.8m.
Target course 45°; Target distance 4500m; Target angle red83°; Target speed 5kn; Firing angle α 359°.

=> The torpedo is a failure, as it understeers.

1119 - New course 120°. Speed is reduced, as the boat is in danger of being detected. Flooding tube II.

1121 - Qu.4283BF - Single Shot with tube II: G7e/G7H (K-b/AZ); Running depth 4m; Vt30. Own course 120°; Own speed 6kn; Shooter: OFähn.z.S & I.W.O. Udo HARTENSTEIN.
Target ship: Inbound OreII-Freighter, draught 5.8m.
Target course 45°; Target distance 3000m; Target angle red93°; Target speed 6kn; Firing angle α 358°.

=> The torpedo is a failure, as it understeers.

1122 - Qu.4283BF - Single Shot with tube III: G7e/G7H (K-b/AZ); Running depth 4m; Vt30. Own course 120°; Own speed 6kn; Shooter: OFähn.z.S & I.W.O. Udo HARTENSTEIN.
Target ship: Outbound Refrigeration Ship, draught 5.8m.
Target course 150°; Target distance 4500m; Target angle green76°; Target speed 7kn; Firing angle α 004°.

=> The torpedo is a failure, as it understeers.
Flooding tube IV.

1125 - As the two steamers overlap, they are being attacked by a pair of German aircraft - identified as Ju88 - approaching from 125°true. The bombs miss their intended targets. Both steamers - especially, the Refrigeration Ship - are putting up medium flak fire, which do not hit the aircraft.

1128 - New course 135°. Speed 1/3.

1130 - Qu.4283BF - Single Shot with tube IV: G7e/G7H (K-b/AZ); Running depth 4m; Vt30. Own course 135°; Own speed 8kn; Shooter: OFähn.z.S & I.W.O. Udo HARTENSTEIN.
Target ship: Outbound Refrigeration Ship, draught 5.8m.
Target course 150°; Target distance 3200m; Target angle green104°; Target speed 7kn; Firing angle α 016°.

=> The torpedo is a miss, as both steamers have started to zig-zag and are sending distress messages.

Right after the surface shot, diving to S-Tiefe. K.F., 135rpm.

1136 - At reception depth and running off on course 304°. "Dismissed from Battle Stations!".

1200 - Qu.4283BF - Days Run: 248.4sm - ↗ 246.8 (23h 30') - ↘ 1.6sm (30').
221.5cbm (12.4cbm/24h). 9100Ah. 10 internal torpedoes (6xEto, 4xAto). T=20. On course 304°.

- to be continued -