Bubblehead1980
07-02-10, 06:06 PM
TMO 2.0 100 realism USS Skipjack Salmon Class May 1942
May 1942 while en route to Patrol Area A2 off Luzon in USS Skipjack Salmon Class, encountered a lone freighter while I was making a submerged passage of Balabac Strait(between Borneo and Palawan) sonar reported contact, went to scope depth in heavy seas and could see the smoke plume, battery was kind of low due to 4 knot speed had maintained but decided to close submerged at flank and went to GQ.Went to 100 feet for some safety from possible planes, when sonar confirmed was 5000 yards from target, back to scope depth for a look, I had a large Nagara Maru freighter in sight, nearly 8000 tons worth, had to attack.Tracked her speed at 9 knots, AOB and range bearing into TDC, dropped scope to continue to close.Plot showed should be able to close to 1400 yards for a shot, perfect.On next observation, bad news, the ship had moved closer to the shore, would be firing from 4500 yards instead, a long shot in daylight.Unreliable torpedos also crept into my mind.I then decided to let her get further away, surface for a quick end around and then dive and attack at dusk.
After an end around and a dive, had a great approach going, next observation, the SOB had turned north into the Sulu Sea! I was down to 30 percent battery.A quick plot showed I could close her to 1200 yards if went to flank speed, I decided to risk driving the battery too low, it was almost dark after all.After a 10 minute run at flank speed, up scope perfect shot coming up.Readied all four forward tubes, Mark 14's, would fire two first, one to bust te keel, other to hit at 15 feet(play at this point in the war as if no knowledge of torpedos running deep, sometimes they dont) Finally, on firing bearing, fired two, the first one prematurely exploded after leaving tube, the second went on her way.I then fired the last two with different spread to cover target.The remaining fish from first salvo seemed as if she would hit dead center but nothing, the third fish launched slammed into the side of the freighter under the stack, large explosion, number 4 hit also but sound man reported a dud.
The ship was on fire but damaged, I was already bringing stern around for a shot from stern tubes as the burning ship slowed.I then fired two more, both prematures.Fired two more, both prematures.Low on battery power, torpedos being reloaded and dark approached.I let the ship sail off then surfaced.The ship went dead in the water.I planed to use deck gun on her but made sure was not too close, she had big turrets fore and aft.At 4000 yards, deck gun opened up scoring hits but the 3 inch gun seemed to be lobbing spitballs with mostly missed, with torpedos reloaded, I dove and approached, fired multiple torpedos with plenty of prematures, duds and unexplained(prob ran deep) misses.Finally another fish hit and exploded, the ship burst into flames and sank in 20 minutes.
Taking stock of the situation.I had only four torpedos left, thats right, only four left in fore tubes.
I've read accounts of subs in early war firing over and over at same ship and having the issues I did.Really brings home some of the aggravation:arrgh!:
May 1942 while en route to Patrol Area A2 off Luzon in USS Skipjack Salmon Class, encountered a lone freighter while I was making a submerged passage of Balabac Strait(between Borneo and Palawan) sonar reported contact, went to scope depth in heavy seas and could see the smoke plume, battery was kind of low due to 4 knot speed had maintained but decided to close submerged at flank and went to GQ.Went to 100 feet for some safety from possible planes, when sonar confirmed was 5000 yards from target, back to scope depth for a look, I had a large Nagara Maru freighter in sight, nearly 8000 tons worth, had to attack.Tracked her speed at 9 knots, AOB and range bearing into TDC, dropped scope to continue to close.Plot showed should be able to close to 1400 yards for a shot, perfect.On next observation, bad news, the ship had moved closer to the shore, would be firing from 4500 yards instead, a long shot in daylight.Unreliable torpedos also crept into my mind.I then decided to let her get further away, surface for a quick end around and then dive and attack at dusk.
After an end around and a dive, had a great approach going, next observation, the SOB had turned north into the Sulu Sea! I was down to 30 percent battery.A quick plot showed I could close her to 1200 yards if went to flank speed, I decided to risk driving the battery too low, it was almost dark after all.After a 10 minute run at flank speed, up scope perfect shot coming up.Readied all four forward tubes, Mark 14's, would fire two first, one to bust te keel, other to hit at 15 feet(play at this point in the war as if no knowledge of torpedos running deep, sometimes they dont) Finally, on firing bearing, fired two, the first one prematurely exploded after leaving tube, the second went on her way.I then fired the last two with different spread to cover target.The remaining fish from first salvo seemed as if she would hit dead center but nothing, the third fish launched slammed into the side of the freighter under the stack, large explosion, number 4 hit also but sound man reported a dud.
The ship was on fire but damaged, I was already bringing stern around for a shot from stern tubes as the burning ship slowed.I then fired two more, both prematures.Fired two more, both prematures.Low on battery power, torpedos being reloaded and dark approached.I let the ship sail off then surfaced.The ship went dead in the water.I planed to use deck gun on her but made sure was not too close, she had big turrets fore and aft.At 4000 yards, deck gun opened up scoring hits but the 3 inch gun seemed to be lobbing spitballs with mostly missed, with torpedos reloaded, I dove and approached, fired multiple torpedos with plenty of prematures, duds and unexplained(prob ran deep) misses.Finally another fish hit and exploded, the ship burst into flames and sank in 20 minutes.
Taking stock of the situation.I had only four torpedos left, thats right, only four left in fore tubes.
I've read accounts of subs in early war firing over and over at same ship and having the issues I did.Really brings home some of the aggravation:arrgh!: