sharkbit
06-11-09, 07:16 PM
U-80
We departed Toulon for our 5th patrol on Sept. 25, 1943.
We have not had a huge amount of success so far-only 3 ships for 13000 tons. Slight damage from an encounter with a Bathurst escort(96% HI).
Plenty of eels left. All of our stern eels have been used and we have 9 eels left up front and plenty of fuel left, so it may be a long patrol unless something big shows up.
A lot of aircraft about-we usually end up staying submerged all day and cruising surfaced at night. We still get the occasional aircraft at night though which forces us down for about 45 minutes or so.
About an hour before midnight on Oct. 19, 1943, we picked up radar signals and dove to 25m as a precaution. We soon picked up merchant screws on the hydrophone closing. Soon after, we picked up warship screws as well. Sounds like a single merchant escorted by a single escort. We change course to a probable intercept course and surface. Visibility is excellent and soon the targets are in visual range. It is a passenger/cargo escorted by a River class frigate.
We submerge and get into position. With the visibility excellent and a radar equipped escort, I feel a nighttime submerged attack is best.
The target is almost in position. I raise the scope for a observation and I see the target zigging away and the escort coming toward us, searchlights glaring and a bone in her teeth.
DAMMIT! All ahead emergency and take her deep! Her first pattern misses. We hear the pings against our hull as our screws drive us deeper. We rig for silent running and go ahead slow to try to creep silently away.
Suddenly, we are taking damage forward. Severe flooding in the bow torpedo room-3 tubes destroyed and another damaged. Hydrophone receivers damaged. Flooding in the sound room as well and the hydrophone is damaged. Now we are deaf as well as blind. There were no depth charge explosions Only a couple of explosions and sudden damage. Hedgehog!
We continue down and begin to level out at 160 meters. Thankfully the Chief is able to hold us at this level. But for how long? With the flooding up front, it is only a matter of time before we begin to slip into the abyss. We dare not try pumping out the water right now-the noise will draw our tormentor. Hopefully, our depth and stealth will protect us and the frigate will give up the hunt and rejoin her charge and leave us to lick our wounds.
The pinging, followed by the explosions of depth charges continue however. I look at the depth gauge and my heart goes cold. We are slowly beginning to sink-170 meters, 180 meters, 200 meters, and continuing down. Our good ship is groaning under the immense pressure that is building up. I order more speed as depth charges explode around us. The Chief wants to begin pumping but I only allow it as the depth charges are exploding. As soon as the explosions die out, our pumping ceases and we decrease speed. Our best hope still lies in stealth and in the depths. Our tormentor must lose the scent eventually. By alternating speed during the explosions, we are able to maintain some semblance of depth control.
I glance at the clock-it is 12:30am Oct. 20, 1943. An hour and half of this. How much longer will this go on? Will this be the day we die? WHAM! WHAM! WHAM! WHAM! WHAM! WHAM!
The explosions continue, shaking the boat. Soon the pinging follows.
The depth gauge reads 230 meters now. The chief must carry more speed to slow our descent but we are still descending. The flooding in the bows continues at too fast a pace and our pumps cannot keep up. I order the pumps run constantly now. The frigate above us has latched on to us and does not let up. The engine telegraph shows ahead standard and still, it is not enough to stop our gradual descent into death.
WHAM! WHAM! WHAM! WHAM! WHAM!
The explosions continue.
To be continued......
:)
We departed Toulon for our 5th patrol on Sept. 25, 1943.
We have not had a huge amount of success so far-only 3 ships for 13000 tons. Slight damage from an encounter with a Bathurst escort(96% HI).
Plenty of eels left. All of our stern eels have been used and we have 9 eels left up front and plenty of fuel left, so it may be a long patrol unless something big shows up.
A lot of aircraft about-we usually end up staying submerged all day and cruising surfaced at night. We still get the occasional aircraft at night though which forces us down for about 45 minutes or so.
About an hour before midnight on Oct. 19, 1943, we picked up radar signals and dove to 25m as a precaution. We soon picked up merchant screws on the hydrophone closing. Soon after, we picked up warship screws as well. Sounds like a single merchant escorted by a single escort. We change course to a probable intercept course and surface. Visibility is excellent and soon the targets are in visual range. It is a passenger/cargo escorted by a River class frigate.
We submerge and get into position. With the visibility excellent and a radar equipped escort, I feel a nighttime submerged attack is best.
The target is almost in position. I raise the scope for a observation and I see the target zigging away and the escort coming toward us, searchlights glaring and a bone in her teeth.
DAMMIT! All ahead emergency and take her deep! Her first pattern misses. We hear the pings against our hull as our screws drive us deeper. We rig for silent running and go ahead slow to try to creep silently away.
Suddenly, we are taking damage forward. Severe flooding in the bow torpedo room-3 tubes destroyed and another damaged. Hydrophone receivers damaged. Flooding in the sound room as well and the hydrophone is damaged. Now we are deaf as well as blind. There were no depth charge explosions Only a couple of explosions and sudden damage. Hedgehog!
We continue down and begin to level out at 160 meters. Thankfully the Chief is able to hold us at this level. But for how long? With the flooding up front, it is only a matter of time before we begin to slip into the abyss. We dare not try pumping out the water right now-the noise will draw our tormentor. Hopefully, our depth and stealth will protect us and the frigate will give up the hunt and rejoin her charge and leave us to lick our wounds.
The pinging, followed by the explosions of depth charges continue however. I look at the depth gauge and my heart goes cold. We are slowly beginning to sink-170 meters, 180 meters, 200 meters, and continuing down. Our good ship is groaning under the immense pressure that is building up. I order more speed as depth charges explode around us. The Chief wants to begin pumping but I only allow it as the depth charges are exploding. As soon as the explosions die out, our pumping ceases and we decrease speed. Our best hope still lies in stealth and in the depths. Our tormentor must lose the scent eventually. By alternating speed during the explosions, we are able to maintain some semblance of depth control.
I glance at the clock-it is 12:30am Oct. 20, 1943. An hour and half of this. How much longer will this go on? Will this be the day we die? WHAM! WHAM! WHAM! WHAM! WHAM! WHAM!
The explosions continue, shaking the boat. Soon the pinging follows.
The depth gauge reads 230 meters now. The chief must carry more speed to slow our descent but we are still descending. The flooding in the bows continues at too fast a pace and our pumps cannot keep up. I order the pumps run constantly now. The frigate above us has latched on to us and does not let up. The engine telegraph shows ahead standard and still, it is not enough to stop our gradual descent into death.
WHAM! WHAM! WHAM! WHAM! WHAM!
The explosions continue.
To be continued......
:)