Tell us what you're up to in current campaign (lets get this one going lol)

[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, 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 -

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, 1628 -

1635 - T=20. Sound contact warship bearing 76°, E=17500.

1639 - S-Tiefe. In the A-Periscope a smoke plume can be seen bearing 80°; The II.W.O. is scanning the sky with the B-Periscope.

1643 - One by one, 6 sound contacts with warships approaching from general direction North, distance between 12500m and 17500m. Turning boat hard to port, in order to evade to East.

1653 - 7th sound contact warship. The first warship comes into sight (Hunt-III-Destroyer) and one by one the others as well, E=7000, all on course South. 1/3-Ahead and turning boat back around hard to stbd., in order to evade to west.

1658 - On course 270°. The 8th sound contact warship and at 1659, #9. Rigging for Silent Running.

1707 - #10 sound contact with warship.

1708 - A Sunderland and a Catalina drop 12 Wabos at our last diving position and fly off again in opposite directions at 1715.

The enemy has assembled a U-Hunt Group of 10 (!) escorts and at least 4 airplanes in search for us, the escorts are sniffing around our last diving position but not dropping any Wabos. Luckily, they are not conducting a "Swamp-Action".

The search group consists of: 3 Black Swan Sloops, 2 Hunt-I Destroyers, and 1 each Hunt-III, A&B, E&F and G&H Destroyer and 1 River Class Frigate.

1730 - The Search Group has split up with 5 searching around and diving position and 5 a bit more towards our direction.

1749 - A Catalina appears from SW and drops 3 bombs and the diving position, circles once and flies off on course NE.

1754 until 1800 - 3 airplanes that appear to be 2 Sunderlands and another twin-engine airplane, drop 16 bombs at our diving position. After they fly off, it seems as though, that one of the Hunt-I Destroyers is burning and lying low in the water by the stern. E=7000. Apparently, she was hit by one of the bombs dropped by the airplanes.

1843 - A Sunderland and another airplane continue to drop 13 Wabos at the diving position.

1849 - After dropping another 6 Wabos, the Sunderland flies off on course SW.

1851 - Another 1 Wabo can be heard and at 1853 2 more.

1854 - An airplane at the diving postition 11000m astern, flies off on course NE.

1912 - Retracting the A-Periscope and continuing to observe the situation with the B-Periscope.

1926 - 3 Wabos are dropped at the diving position by A/C and again 1 at 1929 and 1 at 1932.

1959 - An airplane (Consolidated) can be seen in 193°true, E=6000, on course 68° and disappears in 108°true, E=7000, in Qu,5646GR center top.

2008 - With the change of watch, secured from Silent Running.

2112 - CO₂-Warning at 1.7%.

2132 - Catalina in 217°true, E=6800, on course 47°, turns to course 85° when positioned 2000m abeam to port and is out of sight in 100°true, E=8000. About 1min. later, 6 Wabos are being dropped at the diving position, about 23000m astern, where the destroyers are still searching for us.

2136 - 2 Wabos at the diving position and 3 Wabos at 2138; a airplane can be seen flying off on course NE.

2149 - Surfaced after 5h 30min. and 14.9nm. Compressed Air Supply 285Atü, Battery 51.4%, Weather and Sea unchanged.

2153 - Boat ventilated and Compressed Air Supply filled.

2200 - Charging batteries (51.4%): Stbd.-Diesel Charging 496RPM; Port-Diesel Propulsion 185RPM/5kn.

2201 - Manning the 2cm-Flak Gun.

2210 - 1/3-Ahead, 285RPM, 8kn.

- to be continued -