[Kapitän]

Originally Posted by Kapitän

Started a new career in August 2019, to commemorate the beginning of WWII, 80 years ago ...

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- continued from 26 September 1940, 1236h -

1415 - Convoy OA-216 in sight. Is still on course 260° and speed 6kn.

1422 - Outgoing F.T.: To B.d.U.:
Regained contact with convoy 2110/24 in Qu.3824BE, course 260°, speed 6kn. Convoy is OA-216. Have 8 internal eels. 149.7cbm. N2/2, clear, vis.16000, >1000mb. - RST -

1507 - Incoming F.T.: From B.d.U.:
RST: Free to attack convoy OA-216.

1600 - Boat moving to the starboard side of the convoy.
Another success report from U 31 (Prellberg).

1617 - On attack course 170°. "Battle Stations!"
Boat has to retreat from the No.2 escort going on a search pattern.

1622 - Decks awash, ahead slow. Target ships are running in the back row of the No. 1, 2 and 3 stbd. column of the convoy. Shooter: Ltnt.z.S. & I.W.O. Emmo MARBACH.

1635 - Shot with Tube I, G7a, K-a (contact fuse), Running depth 5m, Torpedo speed 30kn.
Target: Large Freighter.
Target distance 4000m, Target angle green75°, Target speed 6kn, Firing angle 000°.
Own course 170°, own speed 1.6kn ahead.

1636 - Shot with Tube II, G7a, K-a (contact fuse), Running depth 3m, Torpedo speed 30kn.
Target: Refrigeration Ship.
Target distance 3400m, Target angle green75°, Target speed 6kn, Firing angle 000°.
Own course 170°, own speed 1.6kn ahead.

1637 - Shot with Tube III, G7a, K-a (contact fuse), Running depth 3m, Torpedo speed 30kn.
Target: Refrigeration Ship.
Target distance 2600m, Target angle green75°, Target speed 6kn, Firing angle 000°.
Own course 170°, own speed 1.6kn ahead.

1637 - Shot with Tube IV, G7a, K-a (contact fuse), Running depth 4m, Torpedo speed 30kn.
Target: Standard Freighter in front of the tube III Refrigeration Ship.
Target distance 2000m, Target angle green103°, Target speed 6kn, Firing angle 030°.
Own course 170°, own speed 1.6kn ahead.

Right after launching the last torpedo, running off with slow speed hard to port in an easterly direction. Suddenly, star shells are being fired and search lights illuminated. The closest vessel is 1800m away. Blowing the dive tanks and running off with A.K.

1639 - Tubes I - III are hits; Tube IV is a miss, because the convoy turns hard to port.

1640 - Diving from approaching escort. At A-Meter ASDIC, which stops at A+10. At A+20, Wabos above the boat. Silent Running, 65RPM. Maneuvering away from the escort, always showing the stern of the boat. In total, 26 Wabos are counted.

1745 - Surfaced. Chasing the convoy. "Dismissed from Battle Stations."

- to be continued -

Started a new career in August 2019, to commemorate the beginning of WWII, 80 years ago ...

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- continued from 26 September 1940, 1745h -

1752 - The escort searching for us, returns to the convoy.

1806 - Norddeich Radio reporting on attacks of French naval and air forces on Gibraltar, in retaliation of "Operation Menace" (Battle of Dakar).

1820 - Regaining contact with convoy OA-216, which is zig-zagging around its general course of 260°, speed 4-5kn. The torpedoed steamers are still in formation. Boat is behind the convoy to stbd.

1845 - Tubes I and II reloaded. All the while, the No.3 escort - a US-American Clemson destroyer - goes on search patterns behind the convoy.

1900 - Boat is running on parallel convoy course. "Battle Stations!". Preparing for Running Attack with Angle Shot. Shooter: Ltnt.z.S. & I.W.O. Emmo MARBACH.

1912 - Shot with Tube I, G7a, K-a (contact fuse), Running depth 5m, Torpedo speed 30kn.
Target: Previously torpedoed Large Freighter.
Target distance 3800m, Target angle green83°, Target speed 6kn, Firing angle 273°.
Own course 263°, own speed 7kn ahead.

1912 - Shot with Tube II, G7a, K-a (contact fuse), Running depth 3m, Torpedo speed 30kn.
Target: Previously torpedoed Refrigeration Ship.
Target distance 3400m, Target angle green81°, Target speed 6kn, Firing angle 270°.
Own course 263°, own speed 7kn ahead.

Both torpedoes are hits! Both targets sink in Qu.3815BE.

Running off on a curve from heading north to west. The No.2 escort is searching aimlessly for us, while the No.3 escort is picking up survivors of the sunk steamers.

1940 - Boat in position for surface attack with the stern torpedoes.
Shooter: Ltnt.z.S. & I.W.O. Emmo MARBACH.

1949 - Shot with Tube V, G7a, K-a (contact fuse), Running depth 3m, Torpedo speed 30kn.
Target: Previously torpedoed Refrigeration Ship.
Target distance 2000m, Target angle green77°, Target speed 4kn, Firing angle 355°.
Own heading 350°, own speed 4kn astern.
The torpedo understeers!

1952 - Shot with Tube VI, G7a, K-a (contact fuse), Running depth 3m, Torpedo speed 44kn.
Target: Previously torpedoed Refrigeration Ship.
Target distance 2000m, Target angle green94°, Target speed 4kn, Firing angle 003°.
Own heading 350°, own speed 4kn astern.
Torpedo is a hit after 89 Sec., under the aft mast!

Running off on course 305°.

2003 - On course 261°. The refrigeration ship seems to fall slightly behind the convoy but remains in formation at a speed of 5kn and is being joined by No.3 escort.

2100 - The No.2 and No.3 escorts go on search patterns until 2200h. "Dismissed from Battle Stations."

- to be continued -