[Kapitän]

Originally Posted by Kapitän

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

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Tuesday, 28 April 1942 - North of Venezuela -

0125 - Qu.9455ED - On new course 135°.

0154 - Sound contact with steamer bearing 260°, E=21000. on course 147°, slow speed.

0159 - Second sound contact with steamer bearing 259°. E=20000, on course 147°, slow speed.

The steamers seem to be running next to each other and heading toward Port-of-Spain.

0207 - T=20.

0208 - S-Tiefe. It stopped raining but is very foggy.

0210 - Surfaced after 4h 55min. and 14.3sm.
N4/3, overcast, fog, visibility ~600m, <1000mb.

0214 - Boat ventilated.

0220 - On new course 72°. 2xH.F.-Ahead. "Maneuver Stations!".

0255 - Diving to T=20 for sound check.
Steamers now in keel-line, bearing 305°, on course 147°, E=5000. Picking up a second sound contact of a warship, bearing 68°, E=20000, running away at high speed, in general direction toward Port-of-Spain.

0300 - Surfaced directly from T=20, after 5 min. and 0.3sm.

0310 - "Battle Stations!". Flodding tubes II&III. Speed 1.6kn. Preparing boat for surface attack according B.d.U.-Standing Order No.302.

Lead tanker comes into sight through the fog, visibility about 600m. Is an empty Standard Tanker of 8286ts.

0325 - Qu.9464ED - Salvo Shot with tubes II&III: G7a/G7H (K-a/AZ); Running depth 3.0m; Vt30; Angle of divergence 1.5°; Own course 72°; Own speed 1.6kn ahead; Shooter: Ltnt.z.S & I.W.O. Rainer SCHEUFLER.
Target ship: Empty U.S.A. Standard Tanker of 8286ts, draught 5.5m.
Target course 147°; Target distance 500m; Target angle green91°; Target speed 5kn; Firing angle α 001°.
Closing tubes II&III.

Tube II understeers amidships, Tube III hits amidships but fails to detonate!

0326 - Flooding tubes I&IV.
- Qu.9464ED - Salvo Shot with tubes I&IV: G7e/G7H (K-b/AZ); Running depth 3.0m; Vt30; Angle of divergence 1.5°; Own course 72°; Own speed 1.6kn ahead; Shooter: Ltnt.z.S & I.W.O. Rainer SCHEUFLER.
Target ship: Empty U.S.A. Standard Tanker of 8286ts, draught 5.5m.
Target course 147°; Target distance 550m; Target angle green120°; Target speed 5kn; Firing angle α 018°.
Closing tubes I&IV.

Both torpedoes are hits! The tanker explodes and sinks after 1-2min.!

In the meanwhile the pos.2 tanker comes into sight. It is a Supply Tanker of 2555ts. Turning boat hard to stbd. and 2xH.F., to bring the stern tubes to bear.

0330 - On course 241°, speed 1.6kn. Flooding tubes V&VI.

0331 - Qu.9464ED - Salvo Shot with tubes V&VI: G7e/G7H (K-b/AZ); Running depth 3.0m; Vt30; Angle of divergence 1.5°; Own course 241°; Own speed 1.6kn ahead; Shooter: Ltnt.z.S & I.W.O. Rainer SCHEUFLER.
Target ship: U.S.A. Supply Tanker of 2555ts, draught 6.0m.
Target course 147°, zig-zagging; Target distance 700m; Target angle green82°; Target speed 4kn; Firing angle α 011°.
Closing tubes V&VI.

Both torpedoes are hits! The tanker explodes in a huge ball of fire, immediately after tube V hits, even before tube VI hits. Debris are flying through the air, as the tanker sinks within mere seconds. The flames of the cargo that was set on fire, linger on the ocean surface for 2-3 minutes after the sinking.

Running towards the sinking positions, which are very close to each other. Questioning and supplying 3 survivors in 1 boat and 16 survivors in 4 boats.

0400 - Running off at high speed on a southerly heading. "Dismissed from Battle Stations!".

- to be continued -

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

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- continued from 28 April, 0400h -

0500 - About 16km from the sinking position, diving for torpedo re-loading and submerged cruise.

0506 - T=50, 135rpm/3kn.

0553 - Sound contact with steamer, bearing 102°, at medium speed on course 130°, E=20000.

0600 - Beginning of torpedo loading.
Sound contact turbine, bearing 340°, fast on course 320°, E=22000.

0603 - Sound contact turbine, bearing 284°, at medium speed on course 272°, E=21000.

Cmdr.: It seems that we reached the outer defense line, about 100sm from Port-of-Spain.

0619 - Qu.9492ED - Tubes II&III re-loaded. Sound contact 0600/28 is passing our port beam on opposite course, E=3500.

0623 - Interrupting torpedo works, going to Silent Running.

0630 - Lost sound contact 0600/28, in relative bearing 200°, on course 320°, E=7000.

0644 - O₂ = 20%. Sound contact turbine, bearing 159°, fast on course 183°, E=7000 - seems to be sound contact 0600/28, now on its way back toward the main land.

0648 - Lost sound contact 0603/28, in relative bearing 200°, on course 272°, E=10000.

0652 - Sound contact 0613/28 is passing our stbd. beam on parallel course, E=7500.

0705 - Continuing torpedo re-loading.

0709 - Sound contact turbine, bearing 159°, at medium speed on course 271°, E=18000 - seems to be sound contact 0603/28.

0713 - Lost sound contact 0613/28 in relative bearing 52°, fast on course 182°, E=18000.

0719 - Lost sound contact 0709/28 in relative bearing 155°, medium speed, on course 271°, E=21000.

Cmdr.: Both patrol vessels have crossed our diving position.

0723 - Re-loaded all bow tubes.

0742 - Re-loaded both stern tubes.

0800 - Beginning of trial dive, 135rpm/3kn.

0807 - Boat is safe and secure at A+20.

0819 - At A-20. Sound contact turbine, bearing 334°, fast on course 318°, E=18000 - seems to be the same as sound contact 0600/28 and 0613/28, repeating its patrol pattern.

0838 - Sound contact 0819/28 passing our port beam on course 318°, E=5000.
Lost steamer sound contact 0553/28, in relative bearing 17°, medium speed, on course 130°.

0850 - Sunrise. Setting for T=20.

0857 - At T=20.

0858 - S-Tiefe. Wind and Sea seem to be unchanged, fog.
Lost sound contact 0819/28 in relative bearing 198°, fast on course 318°, E=10000.

0900 - Surfaced after 4h and 11.6sm.
Weather and Sea unchanged since 0210h.

0910 - Boat ventilated. Charging batteries (8200Ah):
Port-Diesel, Propulsion 396RPM/9kn; Stbd.-Diesel, Charging 496RPM.

1000 - Port-Diesel, 285RPM/7kn.

1020 - Qu.9499ED - The charging process has not yet been finished (9500Ah), when the boat is being attacked by a S-Boat with surface weapons. Direct approach from relative bearing 136°, is already very close, coming out of the fog. The conning tower is taking some damage. "ALARM!". Water depth here is 105m.

1025 - At A-Meter, Silent Running. Depth under keel is 30m.

1030 - The S-Boat is circling our diving position.

Cmdr.: I suspect that the S-Boat is the sound contact we obtained throughout the morning, last heard at 0819h. As it directly approached us out of the fog, it must also be fitted with somekind of radar equipment.

1037 - Sound contact with what appears to be a cutter of somekind, bearing 352°, on course 32°, slow speed, E=20000.

1039 - Second sound contact with a cutter, bearing 356°, on course NE, slow speed, E=20000.

1045 - Third sound contact with a cutter, bearing 359°, on course NE, slow speed, E=20000 - seems to be a fishing trawler fleet.

1055 - T=60.

1109 - On new course 135°.

1116 - T=20. Sound Contact turbine bearing 190° within our own baffles (can only be heard if operating the hydrophone yourself, command key-"H"). Turning rudder 15° to port, for the Sound Operator to hear the contact as well.

1121 - Sound contact 1116/28 is identified as the S-Boat still at our diving position, 6000m astern. Boat remains submerged.

1156 - S-Boat running off on course 86°.

1200 - Qu.9811ED - Days Run: 183.3sm - ↗ 152.2sm (13h 20') - ↘ 31.1sm (10h 40').
173cbm (6cbm/24h). Battery 9100Ah. 7 internal & 2 external Ato. 10.5cm: 26xSpG, 28xLkG. On course 103°. T=20.

- to be continued -