[Kapitän]

Originally Posted by Kapitän

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

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U 115
- KTB -
First War Patrol
(17th war patrol overall)

Thursday, 24 June 1943 - Off Cape Town -

- continued from 24 June, 0818 -

0837 - Steamer sound contact bearing 259°, course 242°, speed 10kn, E=14500, located in Qu.5388GR center bottom left.

0852 - Qu.5387GR bottom center - The Clan-Type-Transport is now bearing 300°, on course 239°, speed 10kn, E=6000. The distance is too great for an attack and the boat cannot secure from Silent Running and increase speed, as the Sloop is still too close, about 5300m astern.

0855 - Steamer sound contact bearing 257°, course 242°, speed 10kn, E=16900.

0910 - Sound contact 0837 comes into sight, is identified as a Granville Class Dry Bulk Carrier of 2197ts.

Cmdr.: Apparently, the steamers are now leaving Capetown in intervals of 20-50min.

0928 - The Granville Class Carrier is crossing our stern at a distance of 1200m, has a deck gun on the stern, and flying a Australian flag.

0929 - Boat is maneuvering into attack position, when a Flying Boat is sighted right over the boat on course SW.

0931 - Sound contact 0855 is identified as a Large Ore Carrier of 7333ts, draught 5.8m, max. speed 17kn. Seems to be the same one, that turned around and back to Capetown at 0325, after sinking the High Speed Cargo Star at 0144.

0938 - "Battle Stations!".

0943 - Qu.5621GR center top right - Flooding tube VI.
Submerged Single Shot with tube VI (B-Periscope): T-4 "Falke"/Pi39H (MZ); Running depth 6.8m (1m below target draught); Vt20.
Target ship: Australian Large Ore Carrier of 7333ts, draught 5.8m.
Target course 242°; Target distance 2000m*; Target angle green90°; Target speed 9.0kn; Firing angle α 000°.
Own course 152°; Own speed 1.6kn astern.
Weather/Sea: SSE4/3, clear, visibility 4-5nm, >1000mb; Water Depth 125m.
Shooter: KvtKpt. & Cmdr. RST.

After the shot, flooding Tube V (EtoFat).

=> Torpedo is a hit underneath the aft section after 3min. and 27 Sec.! => 207 Sec. x 10.29m/s (20kn) => 2130.03m*.

Steamer turns away to port on a southerly heading and then turns eastward, settles in the water and comes to a stop. Steamer is armed and has upper deck cargo in crates.

Cmdr.: Looks like the steamer is trying to escape back to Capetown again.

0955 - The stern settles more and more in the water, lifting the bow out of the water. The Sloop picks up speed but doesn't approach. Closing tube V.

0958 - The steamer sinks by the stern, the bow standing straight up in the air as the stern hits the ocean floor

1001 - The Steamer silently slips beneath the waves. "Dismissed from Battle Stations!".

1004 - Running off on westerly heading. All of a sudden, underwater explosions can be heard from direction of the sunk steamer.

1035 - On course 225°. Battery 71.4%; Compressed Air Supply 290Atü; CO₂ 1.7%.

0513 - Surfaced after 5h and 12.7nm. - Weather and Sea unchanged. Water Depth 153m.

1053 - Boat ventilated and Compressed Air Supply filled. 1/3-Ahead. Course 180°.

1057 - FuMB-Detection in 35°true, E=10800. Boat remains surfaced, suspect FuMB signal is coming from the Sloop.

- to be continued -

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

+++++++

U 115
- KTB -
First War Patrol
(17th war patrol overall)

Thursday, 24 June 1943 - Off Cape Town -

- continued from 24 June, 1057 -

1155 - Outgoing F.T.: To B.d.U.:
24 June sunk 2 steamers off Capetown: 0139 Australian High Speed Cargo 3923ts, Qu.5385GR bottom center. 0958 Australian Large Ore Carrier 7333ts, Qu.5621GR center top right, with Falke. Steamers leaving Capetown in intervals of 20-50min., on course 240°, via Qu.5388GR center until Qu.5621GR center left, and then continue on course SSW. Medium air patrol: 23 June, 2349 shot down 1 Liberator in QU.5385GR top right. On 24 June, 0443 attack from twin engine airplane in Qu.5385GR center right, 2% hull damage, no further damages. Entry between Capetown and Robben Island is patrolled by 1 Hunt-I and 1 Armed Trawler. Area off Capetown is patrolled by several Black Swan Sloops. During ASW chase on 24 June from 0600 to 0800, received 158 Wabos, 2% hull damage, total hull damage 9%. No further damages. Still have 2 EtoFat and 461cbm. SSE4/3, clear, visibility 4-5nm, >1000mb. Continue outbound transit. - RST -

1200 - Qu.5627GR - Days Run: 119.7nm - ↗ 75.9nm (7h 30') - ↘ 43.8nm (16h 30')
Total: 8895.1nm (50tg 22h) - ↗ 8525.0nm (45tg 6h 29') - ↘ 370.1nm (5tg 15h 31')
Course 180°; 461cbm (1cbm in 24h); Battery 71.4%; 2xEtoFat; 8xBold.
SSE4/3, clear, visibility 4.5nm, >1000mb (Weather & Sea unchanged in 13h) - Early Morning Dawn -

Diving for submerged cruise at Reception Depth.

1202 - Deterrent-Wabos are being dropped about 6 times in the distance until 1258. As there is no sound contact with warships, suspect being dropped by A/C.

1305 - Sunrise - After lunch break, going to T=50 for torpedo maintenance and loading. Sound contact steamer bearing 43°, on course SSW, speed 10kn, E=37400; Suspect steamers leaving Capetown along the ascertained shipping lane.

1309 - At T=50. Beginning of torpedo maintenance and loading.

1400 - Tube V serviced (EtoFat/Pi39H).

1416 - Tube VI loaded (EtoFat/Pi39H).
Sound contact bearing 145, fast on course SSW, along the steamer route course 202°. Setting for Reception Depth.

1423 - T=20.

1425 - S-Tiefe. Just before surfacing, a Catalina is sighted in the B-Periscope bearing 151°, on course 202°, along the shipping lane, E=8000; Goes out of sight at 1430 in relative bearing 55°.

1432 - Qu.5651GR top center - Surfaced after 2h 32min. and 6.6nm.

1437 - On course 270°. 2xH.F. going to investigate the sound contacts.

1441 - Steamer sighted bearing 38°, E=13300; Is identified as a Large Ore Carrier of 7330ts, on course 200°, speed 10kn.

1445 - When going on course 245° to intercept, a Hansa-Type Cargo of 3291ts is sighted, and between the two another steamer, all appear to be going on course 200°, speed 10kn.

Cmdr.: It appears as though, that the steamers leaving Capetown have assembled to a small convoy.

1451 - On course 235°; Full-Ahead, 16kn.

1454 - Qu.5643GR top center right - FuMB-Detecion in 240°true, E=16500.

1455 - Airplane in direction of the FuMB-Detection, E=6000, direct approach. It's too late to dive. Evading with A.K. hard to port, presenting our beam. The airplane drops 3 bombs behind the boat and flies off on course NE, no damages.

1457 - The 3rd steamer comes into sight, a Vostok Cargo of 7200ts, running 4000m to the stbd. beam of the Hansa Cargo. Boat is continuing on course 235° and Full-Ahead, 16kn.

1503 - Qu.5643GR center right - Again airplane (Consolidated) in 225°true on course NE, E=9000 (no FuMB or Magic Eye Detection). "ALARM!". At T=25, 2 bombs, lights go out temporarily. At T=75, another 3 bombs.

Pressure Hull sustained 2% damage (Total 11% => 89% of 230m => 204.7m safe diving depth).

1512 - Sound contact with 4 steamers. Setting for Reception Depth.

1521 - T=20. Compressed Air Supply 290Atü, Battery 65.7%.

1523 - At S-Tiefe the Large Ore Carrier can be seen 7600m to our stbd. beam, and behind the Hansa Carrier, E=7400.

1526 - Surfaced after 23min. and 1.2nm. Going to parallel course 200°, 1/3-Ahead.

1530 - Compressed Air Supply filled. 2xH.F. The Vostock Carrier comes into sight and 3000m behind her another Hansa Carrier.

1535 - Full-Ahead.

1540 - Qu.5643GR top center right - Magic Eye Detection and right afterwards a Catalina in 52°true, E=6300, direct approach out of the sun. Evading with A.K. hard to port, presenting our beam.

1541 - The Catalina flies over the boat without attacking it. 3 bombs underneath each wing can clearly be seen. After the fly-over, "ALARM!". At E=2900, the Catalina turns around and approaches again. At T=35, 3 bombs, little concussions.

1545 - At A-Meter 2 more bombs and 1 more at 1546 - that was all of the 6 bombs she had. No damages.

1548 - Sound contact with to surface vessels bearing 225°, E=38000 and 235°, E=32500. Setting for Reception Depth.

1558 - T=20. Compressed Air Supply 290Atü, Battery 63%, CO₂ 1.1%.

1600 - At S-Tiefe, only the Hansa Carrier 4400m behind the Large Ore Carrier can be seen. Turning boat around hard to stbd. to course 290°, and operating on sound contacts 1548.

1610 - Surfaced after 29min. and 1.5nm.

1613 - Boat ventilated and Compressed Air Supply filled. 1/3-Ahead.

1618 - Qu.5646GR top center - FuMB-Detection in 204°true and right after a airplane on course NNE, E=11500.

1619 - "ALARM!". At T=45, 1 Wabo.

1622 - At A-Meter, 4 bombs and at 1623 1 more bomb. No damages.

1627 - 2 more bombs - no damages.

1628 - Sound contact 1548 now bearing 80°, E=29000 and 62°, E=28000. Setting for Reception Depth. 2 more bombs - seems to be more than one airplane.

- to be continued -