[Kapitän]

Originally Posted by Kapitän

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

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KTB - U 113

Wednesday, 21 January 1942 - East of Charleston -

0338 - O₂ = 18%.

0838 - O₂ = 17%. Setting for Reception Depth.

0848 - At S-Tiefe. Weather and sea have improved somewhat. It stopped raining but still overcast and a heavy swell.
The L.I. is distributing O₂ in the boat.

0850 - Surfaced after 17h 50' and 23.sm.
Weather and sea improving somewhat, wind shifting NE, sea still with a heavy swell that washes over the bridge, although, not as much as before, overcast, medium visibility.

0858 - Boat ventilated. 2x235RPM.

0930 - Compressed Air Supply filled.

0955 - Early Morning Dawn.

1000 - Charging Batteries (2900Ah):
- Port Engine Propulsion 285RPM/6kn;
- Stbd.Engine Charging, 496RPM.

1108 - Sunrise. NE6/5, overcast, light haze, medium visibility, heavy swell, <1000mb.

1200 - Qu.1772DC - Days Run: 48.6sm - ↗ 25.4sm (3h 55') - ↘ 23.2sm (20h 05').
145.1cbm (0.8cbm/24h). On course 300°. Battery 6500Ah. 14 internal and 8 external torpedoes. Weather unchanged since Sunrise, swell subsiding, visibility ~5sm.

1342 - Qu.1747DC - Single Engine airplane in 90°true, on northerly heading, E=6000, turning back right behind the boat and flying off on course South. 100sm from land. Suspect airplane belonging to U.S.A. Naval Air Command Tampa, Florida. Boat remains surfaced.

1506 - Batteries charged (5h for 7100Ah). 2x235RPM.

1515 - On course 270°. Water depth 435m.

1605 - Diving for Torpedo Maintenance and Trial Dive acc. Standing B.d.U.-Order 507.

1611 - T=49, 65rpm/1.6kn. Beginning of torpedo maintenance.

1741 - Stern tubes serviced.

1758 - O₂ = 20%.

2103 - Sundown.

2130 - Bow tubes serviced.

2135 - Beginning of trial dive. Depth under keel 333m. 135rpm/3kn.

2138 - O₂ = 19%.

2155 - Boat is safe and secure at 2A-Meter. Setting for Reception Depth.

2212 - At Reception Depth. No F.T.s received.

2228 - S-Tiefe. Darkness. Weather and Sea unchanged.

2230 - Surfaced after 6h 25' and 9.7sm.
Weather unchanged since Sunrise.

2238 - Boat ventilated

2245 - Charging Batteries (9500Ah):
- Port Engine Propulsion 285RPM/6kn;
- Stbd.Engine Charging, 496RPM.

2315 - Batteries charged (30' for 500Ah). 2x235RPM/7kn.

2319 - Incoming F.T.: From U 123:
Have sunk 53360ts off New York. - Hardegen -

Cmdr.: The other Paukenschlag boats that have left after us, have already scored nice successes further north, while we were yet again, battling through another storm. We have now arrived in the operational area as well, as the most southern boat of the Group Paukenschlag. Let's hope, the Americans have not closed their shipping lanes already.

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

Thursday, 22 January 1942 - South of Bald Head Island -

0032 - Incoming F.T.: From U 82:
Have sunk from convoy ON.56, the British tanker Athelcrown, 11999ts. - Rollmann -

0115 - Qu.3955DB - Water Depth 280m.

0505 - Qu.3945DB - "Commander to Bridge, Surface Vessel!".
A small American merchant relative bearing 29°Stbd., on course 82°, E=1800m.

0507 - Turning boat hard to stbd. and to course 355°.

0508 - Slow Ahead. "Battle Stations!".

0509 - Flooding tube I.

0510 - Qu.3945DB - Single Shot with tube I: G7e/G7H (K-b/AZ); Running depth 4.5m; Vt30. Own course 355°; Own speed 5kn ahead; Shooter: Ltnt.z.S & I.W.O. Rainer SCHEUFLER.
Target ship: Small Freighter of 1710ts, draught 6.8m.
Target course 82°; Target distance 1110m; Target angle green75°; Target speed 7kn; Firing angle α 357°.

=> Torpedo is hit amidships after 66 Sec.!

Steamer immediately looses headway and settles in the water, and sinks over the stbd. beam within 1-2 minutes. No radio message intercepted. After about 1 min., loud underwater explosions. Water depth here is 185m.

0520 - Questioned and supplied 3 survivors in one boat, and ran off on westerly heading. 2x235RPM/7kn. "Dismissed from Battle Stations!".

0600 - Water Depth 130m.

0707 - Qu.3866DB - Water Depth 55m.

0955 - Early Morning Dawn.

1000 - Diving for torpedo reloading. Water Depth 35m.

1010 - T=32. Depth under keel is 5m. Commencing torpedo reloading.

1021 - Tube I reloaded with G7e/G7H (K-b/AZ).

1026 - At Reception Depth.

1104 - Sunrise. Depth under keel is 14m.

1140 - Sound contact turbine bearing 262°, approaching at medium speed on course 350°, E=19000. Heading directly for our position.

1148 - O₂ = 20%.

1200 - Qu.3864DB - Days Run: 118.5sm - ↗ 103.6sm (15h 35') - ↘ 14.9sm (8h 25').
144.2cbm (0.9cbm/24h). On course 270°. Battery 9500Ah. T=20. O₂ = 20%. 13 internal and 8 external torpedoes.

1212 - S-Tiefe. In the A-Periscope, the patrol vessel comes into sight, bearing 248°, E=8000. Is identified as a Patrol Boat of 925ts, draught 2.5m, top speed 12kn.

1233 - Crossing our stern at a distance of 4300m.

1236 - I.W.O. manning the A-Periscope. Continuing Lunch Break until 1300h.

1300 - Patrol Boat has gone out of sight, still on course 350°. Surfaced after 1h and 2.9sm since Etmal, and 3h and 8.1sm in total. Battery 9400Ah. Weather unchanged since Sunrise, 21 January.

1308 - Boat ventilated. 2x235RPM

1445 - Qu.3855DB - Water depth 30m.

1508 - Diving from a Single Engine Airplane in 140°true., on course NNW, E=8000. Before closing the Conning Tower Hatch, noticed that the airplane is crossing exactly Qu.3855DB and at a distance of about 5000m behind the boat, turns around and flies off again on course 164°. Suspect that the center of Qu.3855DB is used as a navigational fix point.

1548 - Surfaced after 40 min. and 1.9sm. Battery 9300Ah.
Weather unchanged since Sunrise, 21 January.

1902 - Incoming F.T.: From U 553:
Have sunk the Norwegian tanker Inneröy, 8260ts. - Thurmann -

2105 - Sundown. Weather unchanged since Sunrise, 21 January.

2120 - On new course 305°.

2200 - Running along the coast of Kiawah Island from East to West and back again, until 0030h.

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

RST

Kptlt.&Cmdr.