scrapser
08-07-05, 11:28 PM
I'm on patrol #35 on my way to AM27. Just south of Ireland, I picked up a lone contact and decided to investigate...a C2 (icky). But as I was getting ready to move on with my patrol, I picked up multiple warship contacts west of my position heading northeast. At first, I thought it was a patrol but it turned out to be an Bogue Escort Carrier with 4 escorts. Unfortunately they were steaming at 15 knots and too far away for me to intercept. Darn.
So I start heading northwest for about an hour and stopped to listen with the hydrophones and picked up yet another signal. A convoy! This time I'm in a good position and it's almost daybreak. It turns out to be a convoy of tankers and a Fiji Cruiser! My first time to see one of these.
I managed to line myself up right alongside the path of the number three column (there were four) near the middle of their path. The lead escort was zigzagging and moved far enough away as he passed so I remained undetected. What luck.
As the lead ship (a small tanker) approached alongside, I ordered ahead one third and periscope depth. This masked my noise I think. Behind and to my starboard aft side was the Fiji taking up the rear. I fired #5 just under the forward guns (keel shot) and lowered the scope. Boom! Immediately the convoy slowed to 6 knots which was helpful for me to keep up as most of them were passing me by now. They had been moving at 14 knots.
I raised the scope and took my time. I hit four T3's and sank each with a single keel shot just like the Fiji. Almost 60,000 tons with 5 torpedoes! The escorts must have been confused by my attack from within the convoy as they searched around the perimeter of the convoy instead of where I was. I dove to 75 meters and slipped away.
scrapser
So I start heading northwest for about an hour and stopped to listen with the hydrophones and picked up yet another signal. A convoy! This time I'm in a good position and it's almost daybreak. It turns out to be a convoy of tankers and a Fiji Cruiser! My first time to see one of these.
I managed to line myself up right alongside the path of the number three column (there were four) near the middle of their path. The lead escort was zigzagging and moved far enough away as he passed so I remained undetected. What luck.
As the lead ship (a small tanker) approached alongside, I ordered ahead one third and periscope depth. This masked my noise I think. Behind and to my starboard aft side was the Fiji taking up the rear. I fired #5 just under the forward guns (keel shot) and lowered the scope. Boom! Immediately the convoy slowed to 6 knots which was helpful for me to keep up as most of them were passing me by now. They had been moving at 14 knots.
I raised the scope and took my time. I hit four T3's and sank each with a single keel shot just like the Fiji. Almost 60,000 tons with 5 torpedoes! The escorts must have been confused by my attack from within the convoy as they searched around the perimeter of the convoy instead of where I was. I dove to 75 meters and slipped away.
scrapser