sharkbit
07-03-08, 01:18 PM
Sunk my first warship that wasn't a destroyer(or a tiny little MTB:) ).
I'm in my trusty VIIB U-48 on her 7th patrol(6th war patrol).
I intercepted a north bound convoy in the afternoon of January 28, 1940. I was working my way into position in reduced visibility, trying to get a couple of ships in the outside column. I couldn't see what else was in the convoy due to the visibility. I was just about to dive to do a submerged attack but I must have got a little too close. A Black Swan frigate emerged from the mist and started shooting. :damn: I dived and tried to get a shot off with my stern tube but missed and had to go deep.
The frigate kept me down for about 30-40 minutes before heading back to the convoy.
I surface and work my way around and get ahead of the convoy again 3 hours later, still planning a daylight, albeit overcast, submeged attack. Everything worked out great except that I had to dive a little earlier than I wanted-I'm keeping a eye on the Black Swan that was at the head of the convoy when I see a lit up ship off in the distance cutting across the path of the convoy and heading right for me. I went to PD because I didn't want him to spot me. It turns out to be a independent neutral medium cargo ship sailing by.
No problems though. I take out a small freighter and a coastal freighter on the outer row, but I saw the shapes of a large and medium freighter in the next row. Those will be my targets next attack in the evening because here comes that pesky Black Swan again.
Another 30 minutes pass while I listen to distant depth charges astern of me and the Black Swan heads to his position again. Time to rinse and repeat-get ahead again and attack, this time on the surface at night.
I work into position to attack the large and medium cargo ships in the second row and am lined up with the doors open ready to shoot when the lookout says "Warship sighted, bearing xxx!" The bearing seemed odd unless I was sighted and that escort had been working his way through the convoy. I look in the direction reported and there she is....a Southhampton Class cruiser sailing seenely on, lead ship of the second column.
Quick decision...2 freighters for a total of around 9000 tons or a 10000 ton cruiser?:hmm:
Cruiser. :yep:
Quick adjustment to course for a better gyro angle on the cruiser, fire all bow tubes, and hard starbord to try to get a stern shot off at one of the small ships in the outer column.
Unfortuneately, Bernard was at the helm :damn: and didn't hear my rudder command and we kept sailing straight and I was busy and didn't notice that we weren't turning. When I finally noticed and got the boat turning, all 4 eels hit the cruiser and I was sighted by the large freighter, who then started taking what looked like machine gun shots at me. I just saw a bunch of tracers and searchlights.
I didn't even try a stern shot. I poured the coals to her and vacated the area and got under when that damn Black Swan got in the area.
Odd thing happened on the way down. I get the message "She's going down!" and the sunk ship icon on the map where the cruiser was very quickly after the eels hit and soon after that, I get another "She's going down!" message and another icon on the map. I'm almost positive all the torpedoes got past the lead ship in the first column and hit the cruiser. It turned out to be a tramp steamer. I either hit her with my 4th eel (shot that one after a little delay) or the cruiser blew up after the convoy zigged away from me and the steamer got caught in the blast, if that is possible.
I'll take the cheap tonnage. :smug:
The Black Swan gave up after about 30-40 minutes of dropping depth charges far away from my position and I decided it was enough for this convoy. I set course for my patrol area to the west of Gibraltar with 3 torpedoes left-1 bow tube loaded and 1 in the stern tube with 1 reload in the stern.
Lack of agression for not hitting the convoy again?
Maybe. but it paid off later.
Few days later, I run into 3, count 'em, 3 large, unescorted freighters sailing in line ahead at night . I sink all 3 of them with my remaining eels and a bunch of artillery shells for over 15000 tons total :arrgh!: , but, I also managed to get too close to one and we sorta, kinda, scraped hulls.:oops:
No system damage or casualties, but I wonder what my hull integrity will look like when I get home. Between the collision and a run in I had with a destroyer north of Ireland, I know I'm well below 100%.
What started out as a so-so patrol, turned out to pretty nice, tonnage wise. I'm heading home to Wilhelmshaven now with over 39000 tons for the patrol. Should put me over the 200000 ton mark.
Sorry for the length, but I just wanted to share what a great expereience I've had so far.
:)
I'm in my trusty VIIB U-48 on her 7th patrol(6th war patrol).
I intercepted a north bound convoy in the afternoon of January 28, 1940. I was working my way into position in reduced visibility, trying to get a couple of ships in the outside column. I couldn't see what else was in the convoy due to the visibility. I was just about to dive to do a submerged attack but I must have got a little too close. A Black Swan frigate emerged from the mist and started shooting. :damn: I dived and tried to get a shot off with my stern tube but missed and had to go deep.
The frigate kept me down for about 30-40 minutes before heading back to the convoy.
I surface and work my way around and get ahead of the convoy again 3 hours later, still planning a daylight, albeit overcast, submeged attack. Everything worked out great except that I had to dive a little earlier than I wanted-I'm keeping a eye on the Black Swan that was at the head of the convoy when I see a lit up ship off in the distance cutting across the path of the convoy and heading right for me. I went to PD because I didn't want him to spot me. It turns out to be a independent neutral medium cargo ship sailing by.
No problems though. I take out a small freighter and a coastal freighter on the outer row, but I saw the shapes of a large and medium freighter in the next row. Those will be my targets next attack in the evening because here comes that pesky Black Swan again.
Another 30 minutes pass while I listen to distant depth charges astern of me and the Black Swan heads to his position again. Time to rinse and repeat-get ahead again and attack, this time on the surface at night.
I work into position to attack the large and medium cargo ships in the second row and am lined up with the doors open ready to shoot when the lookout says "Warship sighted, bearing xxx!" The bearing seemed odd unless I was sighted and that escort had been working his way through the convoy. I look in the direction reported and there she is....a Southhampton Class cruiser sailing seenely on, lead ship of the second column.
Quick decision...2 freighters for a total of around 9000 tons or a 10000 ton cruiser?:hmm:
Cruiser. :yep:
Quick adjustment to course for a better gyro angle on the cruiser, fire all bow tubes, and hard starbord to try to get a stern shot off at one of the small ships in the outer column.
Unfortuneately, Bernard was at the helm :damn: and didn't hear my rudder command and we kept sailing straight and I was busy and didn't notice that we weren't turning. When I finally noticed and got the boat turning, all 4 eels hit the cruiser and I was sighted by the large freighter, who then started taking what looked like machine gun shots at me. I just saw a bunch of tracers and searchlights.
I didn't even try a stern shot. I poured the coals to her and vacated the area and got under when that damn Black Swan got in the area.
Odd thing happened on the way down. I get the message "She's going down!" and the sunk ship icon on the map where the cruiser was very quickly after the eels hit and soon after that, I get another "She's going down!" message and another icon on the map. I'm almost positive all the torpedoes got past the lead ship in the first column and hit the cruiser. It turned out to be a tramp steamer. I either hit her with my 4th eel (shot that one after a little delay) or the cruiser blew up after the convoy zigged away from me and the steamer got caught in the blast, if that is possible.
I'll take the cheap tonnage. :smug:
The Black Swan gave up after about 30-40 minutes of dropping depth charges far away from my position and I decided it was enough for this convoy. I set course for my patrol area to the west of Gibraltar with 3 torpedoes left-1 bow tube loaded and 1 in the stern tube with 1 reload in the stern.
Lack of agression for not hitting the convoy again?
Maybe. but it paid off later.
Few days later, I run into 3, count 'em, 3 large, unescorted freighters sailing in line ahead at night . I sink all 3 of them with my remaining eels and a bunch of artillery shells for over 15000 tons total :arrgh!: , but, I also managed to get too close to one and we sorta, kinda, scraped hulls.:oops:
No system damage or casualties, but I wonder what my hull integrity will look like when I get home. Between the collision and a run in I had with a destroyer north of Ireland, I know I'm well below 100%.
What started out as a so-so patrol, turned out to pretty nice, tonnage wise. I'm heading home to Wilhelmshaven now with over 39000 tons for the patrol. Should put me over the 200000 ton mark.
Sorry for the length, but I just wanted to share what a great expereience I've had so far.
:)