Bubblehead1980
12-12-09, 04:18 PM
5th patrol of USS Billfish(Balao), October 1944.Formosa Straits.
Arrived in patrol area on October 23, 1944, first night in encounter an armed tug, quickly dispose of it using 5 inch deck gun and 40 MM bofors, blew up nicely.
Next 4 days nothing but a few planes.Then a large convoy on radar, heading north , 15 ships and 5 escorts.Would be great to do surface attack but APR RWR is buzzing, so have to go with submerged attack.Race ahead so can attack convoy is deeper place in straits(300 feet under keel there) and dive, close in.Convoy is moving slow, much to my dismay.Finally convoy is closing I keep a 0 AOB on lead escort running 1 knot, he doesnt pick me up, I find i'll be 1000 yards off outside column so all other columns will be in range of the Mark 18's I have aboard.Set up on a Large Mordern Passenger/Freighter(Miners creation) leading third column and a Nippon Maru tanker which is second ship in second column, three fish each should do the job.
Unfortunately can see the starboard flank escort was rejoining and closing, would be close enough to detect me soon, going to have to fire earlier than I wanted but still a good chance of hitting.So fire 3 at Nippon Maru and three at the Large Maru and order 300 feet.With no external view, I wont get to watch the fish hit, sucks but it happens.
As I pass 200 feet, pinging starts, seems the escort somehow heard me, with 40 seconds left in torpedo run, luckily they are wakeless so ships dont know whats coming but were no doubt making evasive moves by now.
Then BOOM.....the first torpedo hit the tanker, then another hit and a HUGE, very loud explosion could only be the tanker going off, mustve been full of fuel.Then the third hit further sealing her fate.Time then passed for two of the Mark 18's to hit the large Maru, then boom, the third hit on time.Soon the escorts were closing, dropped a decoy at 220 feet and went on down to 310 feet, 15 feet off bottom.The escorts pounded away with plenty of charges, most wll above at decoys but a couple went deep and came near me but were just lucky ones, not really aimed at me.I slipped away surprisingly easy for fairly shallow weather in flat calm seas.
I was aggravated since wasted three fish esstently, the big ship was not harmed really by one fish, so it was wasted and other two missed, wouldve hit had the escort not picked me up, not saying their sensors need to be reduced, just sayings its damned aggravating.I soon surfaced and planned on tracking convoy for an en around and attack later but they were entering very shallow waters and would be in until out of the straits, out of my area so headed away.If night surface was possible I wouldve went after the convoy.
Two days later, another big convoy 14 ships with 4 escorts, late afternoon, plan night surface attack but ah they have radar, blah.So plan a dusk scope attack, set up all in position, they zigged, set up again, still dusk but dark fast approaching.Ready to fire, come to radar depth, but unfortunately due to the badly placed radar dish on the Balao conning tower, have to come to 38 feet for SJ to work, not 45, thus their radar picked me up and closed in.:damn: Japanese radar is way too effective here, their radar was rather inferior, enough so that us subs rountinely attacked on surface even with radar equipped escorts.Whne surfaced after avoiding escorts, convoy was near coast and leaving the straits, out of my area, so turned south.
The day planes were everywhere, heaviest air activity i've seen since being in the area, kept me down all day.Encountered a fishing boat, which opened fire with machine gunes, quickly disposed of her with forward 40 MM bofors.Then a Ryunn Maru literally hugging the coast alone, closed in and sank in night surface attacked.Pretty soon though was in a race for my life, two contacts were closing fast, apparently alerted by the mortally wounded merchant.After 6 hours at flank speed, was clear of the patrol and in deeper waters.
Aggravating patrol so far, main aggravating is not being able to due night surface attacks when in RL it was done even when enemy had radar.Anyone know how to reduce IJN radar range? i'm thinking the 3-5000 yard range they actually had that allowed many a sub to close in unopposed on surface.Would make the game much more fun I believe.I say 3000 yards so Mark 18's could be used. 5000 would be okay though I guess.
Also, anyone know if the Balao's radar dish in correct spot on the conning tower? its low and aft, not up high where think it should be.
Arrived in patrol area on October 23, 1944, first night in encounter an armed tug, quickly dispose of it using 5 inch deck gun and 40 MM bofors, blew up nicely.
Next 4 days nothing but a few planes.Then a large convoy on radar, heading north , 15 ships and 5 escorts.Would be great to do surface attack but APR RWR is buzzing, so have to go with submerged attack.Race ahead so can attack convoy is deeper place in straits(300 feet under keel there) and dive, close in.Convoy is moving slow, much to my dismay.Finally convoy is closing I keep a 0 AOB on lead escort running 1 knot, he doesnt pick me up, I find i'll be 1000 yards off outside column so all other columns will be in range of the Mark 18's I have aboard.Set up on a Large Mordern Passenger/Freighter(Miners creation) leading third column and a Nippon Maru tanker which is second ship in second column, three fish each should do the job.
Unfortunately can see the starboard flank escort was rejoining and closing, would be close enough to detect me soon, going to have to fire earlier than I wanted but still a good chance of hitting.So fire 3 at Nippon Maru and three at the Large Maru and order 300 feet.With no external view, I wont get to watch the fish hit, sucks but it happens.
As I pass 200 feet, pinging starts, seems the escort somehow heard me, with 40 seconds left in torpedo run, luckily they are wakeless so ships dont know whats coming but were no doubt making evasive moves by now.
Then BOOM.....the first torpedo hit the tanker, then another hit and a HUGE, very loud explosion could only be the tanker going off, mustve been full of fuel.Then the third hit further sealing her fate.Time then passed for two of the Mark 18's to hit the large Maru, then boom, the third hit on time.Soon the escorts were closing, dropped a decoy at 220 feet and went on down to 310 feet, 15 feet off bottom.The escorts pounded away with plenty of charges, most wll above at decoys but a couple went deep and came near me but were just lucky ones, not really aimed at me.I slipped away surprisingly easy for fairly shallow weather in flat calm seas.
I was aggravated since wasted three fish esstently, the big ship was not harmed really by one fish, so it was wasted and other two missed, wouldve hit had the escort not picked me up, not saying their sensors need to be reduced, just sayings its damned aggravating.I soon surfaced and planned on tracking convoy for an en around and attack later but they were entering very shallow waters and would be in until out of the straits, out of my area so headed away.If night surface was possible I wouldve went after the convoy.
Two days later, another big convoy 14 ships with 4 escorts, late afternoon, plan night surface attack but ah they have radar, blah.So plan a dusk scope attack, set up all in position, they zigged, set up again, still dusk but dark fast approaching.Ready to fire, come to radar depth, but unfortunately due to the badly placed radar dish on the Balao conning tower, have to come to 38 feet for SJ to work, not 45, thus their radar picked me up and closed in.:damn: Japanese radar is way too effective here, their radar was rather inferior, enough so that us subs rountinely attacked on surface even with radar equipped escorts.Whne surfaced after avoiding escorts, convoy was near coast and leaving the straits, out of my area, so turned south.
The day planes were everywhere, heaviest air activity i've seen since being in the area, kept me down all day.Encountered a fishing boat, which opened fire with machine gunes, quickly disposed of her with forward 40 MM bofors.Then a Ryunn Maru literally hugging the coast alone, closed in and sank in night surface attacked.Pretty soon though was in a race for my life, two contacts were closing fast, apparently alerted by the mortally wounded merchant.After 6 hours at flank speed, was clear of the patrol and in deeper waters.
Aggravating patrol so far, main aggravating is not being able to due night surface attacks when in RL it was done even when enemy had radar.Anyone know how to reduce IJN radar range? i'm thinking the 3-5000 yard range they actually had that allowed many a sub to close in unopposed on surface.Would make the game much more fun I believe.I say 3000 yards so Mark 18's could be used. 5000 would be okay though I guess.
Also, anyone know if the Balao's radar dish in correct spot on the conning tower? its low and aft, not up high where think it should be.