Originally Posted by Michael Wood
Not certain what the Narwhal issue was.
Took the Narwhal out for a spin, December 9,1941, Pearl Harbor. Mission: Deposit spy near Kushiro.
1) Maximum time compression 4,096. Long way to Japan, never tried this high a compression, before.
2) Though hydrophone only works under water, did have sonar reports of unseen ships as I had in the S-18 class. Seems odd. I cannot hear, but hydrophone operator can. Is this SH4 limitation?
3) Engaged sailboat armed with AAMG 104 miles south of Kushiro at 17:50 in rough seas (13 mps). Enemy sunk with 9 round from rear gun (should have been 6" gun?). No damage to boat or casualties among crew.
4) Approaching mission target submerged, went to periscope depth and popped up scope. Message appeared aircraft spotted. Took a look just in time to see two Zero's glide bomb and damage boat. Didn't know aircraft could spot periscope. Dove to 300 feet, till night fall.
5) Surfaced 6 miles from target star and approached at night. Arrived 800 yards from shoreline at 21:00 hours. Waited one hour at speed zero. Spy refused to insert. Mission incomplete.
6) Next night, approach nearby Kushiro harbor. No ships in harbor. Didn't see any shore based guns. Surfaced at 1,400 yards, speed zero. Waited 15 minutes. Spy refused to insert.
7) Left harbor though center passage. Ran aground. Took a little hull damage.
8) Went back to target star and waited 12 miles off shore until following night. Surfaced and approached to 1000 yards from shore. Stopped and waited one hour. Spy refused to leave boat.
I think mission may be broken.
9) Decided to patrol in Tsugaru Strait, near Hakodate. On the way, ran into another sail boat armed with AAMG. Sank sail boat with three rounds from rear 4" gun (should have been 6" gun?). No damage to boat or casualties among crew.
10) Set up ambush position at periscope depth in center of Tsugaru Strait. At 17:10, December 29, 1941, hydrophone reported contact. At 17:35, spotted Jyunsen Type I submarine in moderate seas (6 mps). Fired spread of four torpedoes at 4,300 yards. Enemy sub took no evasive action. Three torpedoes hit and detonated. Enemy sub sank.
11) At 20:30, December 29, 1941, spotted sail boat. Surfaced and engaged at 9,000 yards. Took first hit before we were able to man guns. Surprise! Sail boat with deck gun. After 3 hits, many casualties, 42 percent hull damage and many systems damaged, crash dove. First time ever beaten badly at 9,000 yards by a sail boat.
12) Limped into Pearl on January 8,1942. Preparing for another insertion mission.
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