meduza
12-01-08, 01:02 PM
January 24th 1940. AM53.
04:00 Regular sound check revealed multiple contacts. We turned to intercept course and surfaced. Visibility unlimited, wind 3 m/s. Depth 110m.
Ships spoted! It looks like it's a task force with one battleship and several escorts. Further observations revealed 2 battleships - HMS Hood and HMS Revenge, escorted by 8 destroyers. Course 130, 15 knots. I decided to leave the Revenge and attack HMS Hood only. The decision whether to attack surfaced or submerged will be made later, depending on circumstances.
We started to overtake, full speed, keeping the task force on the edge of visibility. After a while, not quite into ideal position, I notice that one escort left the formation and went into usual sweep. That opened a gap in defense and I decided to take advantage of it. I set almost perpendicular course and proceeded ahead standard, deck awash.
We were still far from firing position, when the escort suddenly changed course and decided to return at his previous position. As he was passing between us and the battleship, I had to significately reduce speed. I was at risk of missing opportunity for attack.
05:15 Reached firing position, and fired a four torpedoes at Hood. Distance was 4 km, more than I anticipated, because of that escort. We turned at opposite course, and proceeded ahead standard. A few minutes later, an escort nearest to the Hood started firing star shells. They must have spotted torpedo wakes... In total darkness? :hmm:
05:18 Three impacts! All hell broke loose. Star shells and search lights everywhere. The Hood listed to port, and there was fire around bow turrets. (screenshot) (http://img508.imageshack.us/img508/5589/hood1hh8.jpg)
The escorts were almost everywhere around us, but we continued on course, adjusting it only to show the smallest silouethe to nearest ship. Finaly, an hour later, they gave up.
The Hood didn't sink, but her speed dropped to 9 knots, and she fell behind the rest of the task force. We shadowed her.
08:30 The sunlight started to appear over the eastern horizont, and we caught up with the trailing escort of the task force. The time has come to dive.
We had no visual contact with the Hood for some time. I calculated intercept course and rushed full speed, not taking care of the batteries. We got to our destination, but the Hood wasn't there. After a short search, we found her on a new course (110 degrees), going only 5 knots. (screenshot) (http://img143.imageshack.us/img143/3797/hood2vl0.jpg)
09:32 I fired a single torpedo. It struck The Hood almost in the middle. (screenshot) (http://img143.imageshack.us/img143/8339/hood3rd5.jpg) I was actually aiming at stern gun turrets, but forgot to update the speed. :oops:
The Hood sank.
screenshot (http://img508.imageshack.us/img508/5530/hood4it9.jpg)
screenshot (http://img509.imageshack.us/img509/4219/hood5as8.jpg)
screenshot (http://img370.imageshack.us/img370/5159/hood6lj9.jpg)
04:00 Regular sound check revealed multiple contacts. We turned to intercept course and surfaced. Visibility unlimited, wind 3 m/s. Depth 110m.
Ships spoted! It looks like it's a task force with one battleship and several escorts. Further observations revealed 2 battleships - HMS Hood and HMS Revenge, escorted by 8 destroyers. Course 130, 15 knots. I decided to leave the Revenge and attack HMS Hood only. The decision whether to attack surfaced or submerged will be made later, depending on circumstances.
We started to overtake, full speed, keeping the task force on the edge of visibility. After a while, not quite into ideal position, I notice that one escort left the formation and went into usual sweep. That opened a gap in defense and I decided to take advantage of it. I set almost perpendicular course and proceeded ahead standard, deck awash.
We were still far from firing position, when the escort suddenly changed course and decided to return at his previous position. As he was passing between us and the battleship, I had to significately reduce speed. I was at risk of missing opportunity for attack.
05:15 Reached firing position, and fired a four torpedoes at Hood. Distance was 4 km, more than I anticipated, because of that escort. We turned at opposite course, and proceeded ahead standard. A few minutes later, an escort nearest to the Hood started firing star shells. They must have spotted torpedo wakes... In total darkness? :hmm:
05:18 Three impacts! All hell broke loose. Star shells and search lights everywhere. The Hood listed to port, and there was fire around bow turrets. (screenshot) (http://img508.imageshack.us/img508/5589/hood1hh8.jpg)
The escorts were almost everywhere around us, but we continued on course, adjusting it only to show the smallest silouethe to nearest ship. Finaly, an hour later, they gave up.
The Hood didn't sink, but her speed dropped to 9 knots, and she fell behind the rest of the task force. We shadowed her.
08:30 The sunlight started to appear over the eastern horizont, and we caught up with the trailing escort of the task force. The time has come to dive.
We had no visual contact with the Hood for some time. I calculated intercept course and rushed full speed, not taking care of the batteries. We got to our destination, but the Hood wasn't there. After a short search, we found her on a new course (110 degrees), going only 5 knots. (screenshot) (http://img143.imageshack.us/img143/3797/hood2vl0.jpg)
09:32 I fired a single torpedo. It struck The Hood almost in the middle. (screenshot) (http://img143.imageshack.us/img143/8339/hood3rd5.jpg) I was actually aiming at stern gun turrets, but forgot to update the speed. :oops:
The Hood sank.
screenshot (http://img508.imageshack.us/img508/5530/hood4it9.jpg)
screenshot (http://img509.imageshack.us/img509/4219/hood5as8.jpg)
screenshot (http://img370.imageshack.us/img370/5159/hood6lj9.jpg)