U-50 VII, My 2nd patrol April 8 1940 (90% realism) and I learned a new lesson. After sinking a Pyro ammo ship in a large convoy and finally evading a couple close depth charge attacks at 80 meters ( I could go no deeper as its to shallow and I think I might not try this again lol) I surfaced as the convoy was moving away but failed to check for enemy aircraft
. But to my suprise a swordfish was waiting
(called in by the enemy escorts) and pounced. Alarm! crash dive! to late! 2 bomb hits and I was flooding and sinking
. I had no choice but to blow ballast and surface. I had both batteries knocked out and looked like I was going to the slam into the bottom at 90 meters but was able to stop sinking and get back to the surface. Well I got bombed again and straffed by machine gun fire but I managed to limp away and repair my batteries and stop the flooding. My veteran chief engineer Wilhem Villian, winner of both the Iron cross 1st and 2nd class repaired all critical damage so we can dive again. I got real lucky no one was killed on my watch crew. I think I will head back to port as my hull is badly damaged. Hopefully I will get lucky and find some lone merchants on the way back. Only 2 torpedos fired on the 10th day of the patrol and 1 ship sunk
. Bdu will be very unhappy with my mistake.