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Leandros · 02-03-10, 05:56 PM

Patrol 37 Kaleu Eckhardt - U-68 - Dec 16th 1944 14:33

Left Trondheim for kvadrant AL66 on Dec. 8th. Very quiet crossing with calm seas untill we got north of the Shetlands, then the air traffic started. Had a brush with a Catalina. Soon after picked up a passenger/cargo that had been reported via the BdU. The Catalina came back and while our DG was engaging the merchant the flak guys kept the Cat at a distance. After one pass it went home. Eventually we expended our DG ammo - the firing started at long range - but then his speed had gone down so approached him submerged with the help of the schnorkel. Gave him a torp for good measure even if he certainly had gone down sooner or later. Didn't have time to hang around, Coastal Command would return for sure.

The schnorkel has its drawbacks. Using it during daytime is very dangerous, the water streaming around it can obviously be observed by the air patrols. Obs. periscope must be used at all times on such occasions. It's OK to use in the dark but one has to consider that the diesels can be heard much farther away than the electrical power source. Also own detection sensitivity decreases. And the speed shall always be less than when cruising surfaced. With other words - the fuel economy suffers.

We are presently in kvadrant AM12 having been interrupted by a large convoy coming out of the east. Probably a Murmansk-convoy returning. Based on info from the BdU we have been able to position us straight ahead of it. We have picked up some of the escorts on the sonar and some of the first merchants. Among the TI's and TIII's we also have 3 Falke. 2 loaded in the rear tubes and one forward. There were many more available in Trondheim, T5 and T6, too - but, we were not able to scrounge these out of the quartiermeister. Probably earmarked for the new E-boote.

Crew is getting quite rash now, most of them having served with me on my 36 patrols. I am getting hints all the time not to save on torps if the escorts are coming after us. Which they shall. The margins are closing.

02-03-10, 05:56 PM	#706
Leandros Seasoned Skipper Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Stockholm Posts: 676 Downloads: 17 Uploads: 0	Patrol 37 Kaleu Eckhardt - U-68 - Dec 16th 1944 14:33 Left Trondheim for kvadrant AL66 on Dec. 8th. Very quiet crossing with calm seas untill we got north of the Shetlands, then the air traffic started. Had a brush with a Catalina. Soon after picked up a passenger/cargo that had been reported via the BdU. The Catalina came back and while our DG was engaging the merchant the flak guys kept the Cat at a distance. After one pass it went home. Eventually we expended our DG ammo - the firing started at long range - but then his speed had gone down so approached him submerged with the help of the schnorkel. Gave him a torp for good measure even if he certainly had gone down sooner or later. Didn't have time to hang around, Coastal Command would return for sure. The schnorkel has its drawbacks. Using it during daytime is very dangerous, the water streaming around it can obviously be observed by the air patrols. Obs. periscope must be used at all times on such occasions. It's OK to use in the dark but one has to consider that the diesels can be heard much farther away than the electrical power source. Also own detection sensitivity decreases. And the speed shall always be less than when cruising surfaced. With other words - the fuel economy suffers. We are presently in kvadrant AM12 having been interrupted by a large convoy coming out of the east. Probably a Murmansk-convoy returning. Based on info from the BdU we have been able to position us straight ahead of it. We have picked up some of the escorts on the sonar and some of the first merchants. Among the TI's and TIII's we also have 3 Falke. 2 loaded in the rear tubes and one forward. There were many more available in Trondheim, T5 and T6, too - but, we were not able to scrounge these out of the quartiermeister. Probably earmarked for the new E-boote. Crew is getting quite rash now, most of them having served with me on my 36 patrols. I am getting hints all the time not to save on torps if the escorts are coming after us. Which they shall. The margins are closing.