[Kapitän]

Originally Posted by Kapitän

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

++++++

- continued from 28 April, 1200h -

1214 - O₂ = 20%. Sound contact 1116/28 is running off on northerly heading.

1224 - S-Tiefe. On course 136°. Distance to sound contact 1116/28 is 20000m.

1230 - Surfaced after 30min. and 1.6sm since Etmal, and 2h 10min. and 6.5sm in total.

NNE6/5, overcast, rain, hazy, poor visibility, <1000mb. Wind and Sea increasing and shifting East.

1238 - Slight damage to Flak repaired.

1245 - Boat ventilated. Charging batteries (9100Ah):
Port Diesel, Propulsion 285RPM/6kn; Stbd.Diesel, Charging 496RPM.

1340 - Batteries charged => 55min. for 900Ah. 2x1/3-Ahead.

ENE7/6, overcast, rain, hazy, poor visibility, <1000mb. Water depth here is 150m.

1415 - Diving for submerged cruise.
Sound contact bearing 339°, fast on a westerly heading, about 13kn and on course 277°.

1421 - Surfaced directly from T=20, after 6min. and 0.4sm.
It stopped raining but still foggy, wind and sea shifting East.

1425 - On course 185°. Preparing boat for surface attack according B.d.U.-Standing Order No.302.

1430 - "Battle Stations!". 2xH.F.

1432 - Flooding tubes I&IV for salvo shot.

1434 - 1/3-Ahead.

1435 - Small-Ahead.

Cmdr.: Out of the fog appears a Small Panamanian Passenger Steamer of 1449ts, draught 4.6m. I decide to switch to single shots.

1439 - Small-Astern. Just before the first torpedo is launched, the steamer fires one round with its stern gun, but the shot passes well over the boat, E=700, also, has slowed down to 2kn, possibly going into reverse, and turns away to its port side.

1440 - Qu.9815ED - Single Shot with tube I: G7a/G7H (K-a/AZ); Running depth 3.0m; Vt30; Own course 185°; Own speed 2kn astern; Shooter: Ltnt.z.S & I.W.O. Rainer SCHEUFLER.
Target ship: Panamanian Passenger Steamer of 1449ts, draught 4.6m.
Target course ~260°; Target distance 700m; Target angle green87°; Target speed 2kn; Firing angle α 342°.
Closing tube I.

Torpedo is a failure, understeers midships!

1441 - Qu.9815ED - Small Ahead. After the shot, Small-Astern.
Single Shot with tube IV: G7a/G7H (K-a/AZ); Running depth 3.0m; Vt44; Own course 185°; Own speed 5kn ahead; Shooter: Ltnt.z.S & I.W.O. Rainer SCHEUFLER.
Target ship: Panamanian Passenger Steamer of 1449ts, draught 4.6m.
Target course ~260°; Target distance 750m; Target angle green87°; Target speed 2kn; Firing angle α 345°.
Closing tube IV. Compressed Air Supply filled.

Torpedo is a failure, understeers midships!

1442 - The steamers fires another shot with its stern gun, which misses the boat by a hair.

"ALARM!". At A-20 no damages. Breaking-off attack. "Dismissed from Battle Stations!". Boat remains submerged, running off on course 133°.

Cmdr.: The steamer seems to be stationary about 1000m astern. However, I will not expend another torpedo at this small target in such weather and sea conditions.

1510 - T=50. Reloading tube IV.

1520 - Tube IV reloaded with G7a. Continue submerged cruise at A-20, 135rpm/3kn.

1624 - O₂ = 20%.

2004 - O₂ = 19%.

2046 - Sundown.

2055 - S-Tiefe. It has cleared-up, but wind and sea are still stormy.

2057 - Surfaced after 6h 15min. and 18.4sm.
SSE7/6, clear, light haze, good visibility, >1000mb.
Battery 8700Ah, Compressed Air Supply 5.4Atü, 2x1/3-Ahead.

2114 - Boat ventilated.

2151 - Qu.9855ED - On new course 190°. It has grown dark.

2205 - Compressed Air Supply filled. Charging Batteries: Port-Diesel Propulsion, 396RPM/8-9kn; Stbd.-Diesel Charging, 496RPM.

2256 - 7sm north of Chacachacare - Lighthouse is dimmed. Port-Diesel on 1/3-Ahead.

2320 - 4.3sm north of Chacachacare - Batteries charged: 1h 15min. for 1300Ah. Small-Ahead in order to prevent any bow waves or stern wake.

2351 - On new course 220°. Passing the Bocas del Dragon, between Punta Peñas in the West and Chacachacare in the East.

2400 - 1/3-Ahead. "Maneuver Stations!".

Boat operating acc. Op.-Order as per F.T.0907/23.

RST

Kptlt.&Cmdr.

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

++++++

Wednesday, 29 April 1942 - Trinidad & Tobago -

0000 - Passing the northwestern Fortress of Chacachacare, at a distance of 5000m. All remains calm.

0020 - Making out a second Fortress on the southwestern tip of Chacachacare, passing at a distance of 5000m, as well.

0029 - Diving from a Parcel Freighter and a Colonial Freighter in keel-line, bearing 35°, on course 6°.
Diving to T=30 at a distance of 2100m and bearing 56°.
Boat remained undetected.

0051 - Shortly before surfacing, sound contact with a small vessel bearing 302°, slow speed, E=20000.
Surfaced directly from T=20, after 22min. and 1.1sm.

0055 - On new course 114°. Nothing seen. 1/3-Ahead.

0110 - 2/3-Moon rising in the South.

0126 - On new course 90°. Approaching Port-of-Spain.

0235 - Port-of-Spain comes into sight, E=10000. Harbor is darkened. Need to be careful of radar detection as of E=7000.

Located a Light Cruiser of the Arethusa Class and a what is identified as a fully laden Standard Tanker, north of the northern harbor mole. The Cruiser is covered by a Small Coastal Steamer and the Tanker is covered by a L02-Merchant.
Preparing boat for surface attack according B.d.U.-Standing Order No.302.

0305 - At E=3600, turning in toward the targets on course 73° and 2kn. "Battle Stations!".

0307 - Flooding tube II.

0308 - Qu.9894ED - Single Shot with tube II: G7a/G7H (K-a/AZ); Running depth 3.0m; Vt44; Own course 73°; Own speed 2kn ahead; Shooter: Ltnt.z.S & I.W.O. Rainer SCHEUFLER.
Target ship: Light Cruiser Arethusa Class, 5240ts, draught 5.0m.
Target course ~350°; Target distance 3800m; Target angle red80°; Target speed 0kn; Firing angle α 355°.
Closing tube II.

Torpedo is a failure, Early Detonator!

0308 - Qu.9894ED - Flooding tube IV.
Single Shot with tube IV: G7a/G7H (K-a/AZ); Running depth 3.0m; Vt30; Own course 73°; Own speed 2kn ahead; Shooter: Ltnt.z.S & I.W.O. Rainer SCHEUFLER.
Target ship: Light Cruiser Arethusa Class, 5240ts, draught 5.0m.
Target course ~350°; Target distance 3600m; Target angle red80°; Target speed 0kn; Firing angle α 355°.
Closing tube IV.

Torpedo is a failure, Early Detonator after 4sec.!

0311 - Qu.9894ED - Flooding tube III.
Single Shot with tube IV: G7a/G7H (K-a/AZ); Running depth 3.5m; Vt30; Own course 73°; Own speed 2kn ahead; Shooter: Ltnt.z.S & I.W.O. Rainer SCHEUFLER.
Target ship: Light Cruiser Arethusa Class, 5240ts, draught 5.0m.
Target course ~350°; Target distance 3600m; Target angle red80°; Target speed 0kn; Firing angle α 355°.

Torpedo is a hit in the forecastle after 3min 40sec.!

0312 - Closing tube III and turning boat hard to stbd., to bring the stern tubes to bear.

0316 - The cruiser sinks by the bow and capsizes to port.

0317 - Weather and Sea are improving: SSE5/4, shifting to south, clear, light haze, visibility ~3sm, >1000mb.
Boat on heading 237° and Small-Astern. Flooding tube V.

0318 - Qu.9894ED - Single Shot with tube V: G7a/G7H (K-a/AZ); Running depth 6.0m; Vt30; Own course 67°; Own speed 3kn astern; Shooter: Ltnt.z.S & I.W.O. Rainer SCHEUFLER.
Target ship: Standard Tanker, 8230ts, draught 9.0m.
Target course ~355°; Target distance 3600m; Target angle red80°; Target speed 0kn; Firing angle α 358°.
Closing tube V. Flooding tube VI.

Torpedo is a hit midships after 3min 54sec.!
The tanker is burning at the impact zone but doesn't sink.

Behind the Standard Tanker, a Tanker09 of 6949ts is identified. Boat on heading 247°.

0325 - Qu.9894ED - Single Shot with tube VI: G7a/G7H (K-a/AZ); Running depth 6.0m; Vt30; Own course 77°; Own speed 1kn astern; Shooter: Ltnt.z.S & I.W.O. Rainer SCHEUFLER.
Target ship: Standard Tanker, 8230ts, draught 9.0m.
Target course ~355°; Target distance ~3000m; Target angle red80°; Target speed 0kn; Firing angle α 359°.
Closing tube VI.

Torpedo is a hit midships after 3min 12sec.!
The tanker burnes over its entire length and breaks in two, both halfs sticking out of the shallow harbor water.

Cmdr.: As the weather and sea state is immproving, I decide to engage the Tanker09 with the deck gun.

0331 - Turning boat hard to port.

0335 - Manning deck gun.

0337 - E=3200. "Weapons Free!"

0339 - After 18 shots and hits (10 remaining), the tanker explodes and sinks on an even keel!

0341 - Turning boat hard to stbd., and running off at high speed on an easterly heading. The entire time during the torpedo and deck gun attacks, the entire harbor remains quite.

Cmdr.: Now B.d.U. should become aware of our continued presence in the Op.-area.

0355 - "Dismissed from Battle Stations! Remain on Maneuver Stations!".

0445 - On new course 295°. 1/3-Ahead.

0516 - Taking the steamer path on course 6°.

0545 - SW1/1, clear, light haze, visibility ~3sm, >1000mb.
Passed the Bocas del Dragon. At both fortresses of Chacachacare, everything remained calm. On new course 15°. "Dismissed from Maneuver Stations!".

- to be continued -