11 /22/1939

T.Von Hogan · 01-06-08, 08:47 PM

IXB -U420 encountered a convoy headed WSW in grid BE58 returning from a patrol in grid BE83. After allowing the C&D class leading the convoy to safely cross our bow and travel a couple thousand meters. We started checking out the rest of the goodies sailing towards us at a brisk 8 kts. Besides the C&D i counted 25 ships oddly only protected by that escort and the HMS Rodney running 2nd in line of the middle columm :hmm: To make things even better the 1st 2 ships of the 1st columm are Large Merchants

I set up a salvo of all 4 front tubes loaded with 2 T1's and 2 T2's for magnetic at 11 and a half meters and fired when she crossed 65aob from 1200 meters and crossed my fingers since wind speeds were 13 mph making rough seas. I quickly spun the periscope to the rear of the sub to locate that 2nd merchant in line and sent my 2 rear eels at her at 9 and a half meters I went to ahead standard dove and made a northeasterly course and waited. The 2 rear tubes arrived 1st with 1 making impact and the other running too deep and headed out to sea. The curses had barely crossed my lips when i heard the 1st of 4 explosions coming from the other direction. Within seconds the Rodney was heading towards a 1000 meter bottom

. I only had to play cat and mouse thru 4 racks of depthcharges before we received another "she is going down" message and the escort headed back to protect whats left of that juicy convoy giving up on me. I continued on that heading untill we were about 15,000 meters behind the convoy surfaced and radio'd in the contact to BDU. At the same time we were swinging around so we were tailing and closing in on the convoy. Its about 30 minutes before sunset and we are hoping the winds die down. Time to go increase that 47,000 tons we got from that convoy

bookworm_020 · 01-06-08, 11:00 PM

Nice work!

Just the other day I came across a convoy with only two escorts, and a S class sub!

Sank all three, sufaced and had my merry way with the convoy! All that was left was a small merchant from Sweden (Would be in my rights to sink him, but I need someone to tell Churchill the bad news!

) Bagged another ship on the way home, which brought me home with over 100,000 tons and some tin and ribbon, as well a a promotion or two!

papa_smurf · 01-07-08, 11:42 AM

Best convoy i've seen, was a 12 ship convoy with only 2 ASW trawlers escorting

Needless to say I took a few ships from that convoy

Tool · 01-07-08, 11:48 AM

I ran into one the other day in the lower channel in early 1940, 1 DD and 18 merchants. I did away with the DD first then had a field day.. 8 merchants to the bottom.

Tool.

looney · 01-07-08, 02:38 PM

I find it much more fun to keep the escorts alive and still sink most big merchants (above 5k in GWX2, in 1.3 I used to hit above 8k alone)

T.Von Hogan · 01-07-08, 04:07 PM

Reengaged the convoy about 9:30 that evening sinking a tramp steamer that was lagging behind to bait the c&d back. It worked

She closed to within 1200 meters or so and opened her belly to my stern tubes while hunting for me so i sent a t2 at 2.1 meters set for impact. A few minutes later we were steaming on the surface for the main group. Sunk 2 more Large merchants and 1 modern tanker before i ran out of eels. The weather didn't cooperate so i wasen't able to clean up with my deck gun.

Not In Balz league but its my most successful mission ever:

00:39 Status Report
23/11/1939 00:39
U-420 position grid BE57
Torpedoes left:0
Tankers sunk:2
Cargoships sunk:7
Warships sunk:2
Total Tonage: 99803

U420 will be at sea untill she can find weather suitable to expend the 66 4 inch shells she has left to get 197 tons to reach that magical level. Hopefully somewhere along the line of her 4400kilometer route home mother nature and the enemy will cooperate.

01-06-08, 08:47 PM	#1
T.Von Hogan Planesman Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: mississippi Posts: 190 Downloads: 51 Uploads: 0	11 /22/1939 IXB -U420 encountered a convoy headed WSW in grid BE58 returning from a patrol in grid BE83. After allowing the C&D class leading the convoy to safely cross our bow and travel a couple thousand meters. We started checking out the rest of the goodies sailing towards us at a brisk 8 kts. Besides the C&D i counted 25 ships oddly only protected by that escort and the HMS Rodney running 2nd in line of the middle columm :hmm: To make things even better the 1st 2 ships of the 1st columm are Large Merchants I set up a salvo of all 4 front tubes loaded with 2 T1's and 2 T2's for magnetic at 11 and a half meters and fired when she crossed 65aob from 1200 meters and crossed my fingers since wind speeds were 13 mph making rough seas. I quickly spun the periscope to the rear of the sub to locate that 2nd merchant in line and sent my 2 rear eels at her at 9 and a half meters I went to ahead standard dove and made a northeasterly course and waited. The 2 rear tubes arrived 1st with 1 making impact and the other running too deep and headed out to sea. The curses had barely crossed my lips when i heard the 1st of 4 explosions coming from the other direction. Within seconds the Rodney was heading towards a 1000 meter bottom . I only had to play cat and mouse thru 4 racks of depthcharges before we received another "she is going down" message and the escort headed back to protect whats left of that juicy convoy giving up on me. I continued on that heading untill we were about 15,000 meters behind the convoy surfaced and radio'd in the contact to BDU. At the same time we were swinging around so we were tailing and closing in on the convoy. Its about 30 minutes before sunset and we are hoping the winds die down. Time to go increase that 47,000 tons we got from that convoy

01-06-08, 11:00 PM	#2
bookworm_020 Navy Seal Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Sinking ships off the Australian coast Posts: 5,966 Downloads: 1 Uploads: 0	Nice work! Just the other day I came across a convoy with only two escorts, and a S class sub! Sank all three, sufaced and had my merry way with the convoy! All that was left was a small merchant from Sweden (Would be in my rights to sink him, but I need someone to tell Churchill the bad news!) Bagged another ship on the way home, which brought me home with over 100,000 tons and some tin and ribbon, as well a a promotion or two! __________________ "There is always one person in any organization who knows whats going on, That person must be fired"

01-07-08, 11:42 AM	#3
papa_smurf Ocean Warrior Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: High Peak, Derbyshire Posts: 2,851 Downloads: 33 Uploads: 0	Best convoy i've seen, was a 12 ship convoy with only 2 ASW trawlers escorting Needless to say I took a few ships from that convoy __________________

01-07-08, 11:48 AM	#4
Tool Planesman Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Pennsylvania Posts: 189 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	I ran into one the other day in the lower channel in early 1940, 1 DD and 18 merchants. I did away with the DD first then had a field day.. 8 merchants to the bottom. Tool. __________________ 309th Wild Ducks www.56thvfw.com

01-07-08, 02:38 PM	#5
looney Commodore Join Date: May 2007 Location: Sneek, The Netherlands Posts: 635 Downloads: 43 Uploads: 0	I find it much more fun to keep the escorts alive and still sink most big merchants (above 5k in GWX2, in 1.3 I used to hit above 8k alone)

01-07-08, 04:07 PM	#6
T.Von Hogan Planesman Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: mississippi Posts: 190 Downloads: 51 Uploads: 0	Reengaged the convoy about 9:30 that evening sinking a tramp steamer that was lagging behind to bait the c&d back. It worked She closed to within 1200 meters or so and opened her belly to my stern tubes while hunting for me so i sent a t2 at 2.1 meters set for impact. A few minutes later we were steaming on the surface for the main group. Sunk 2 more Large merchants and 1 modern tanker before i ran out of eels. The weather didn't cooperate so i wasen't able to clean up with my deck gun. Not In Balz league but its my most successful mission ever: 00:39 Status Report 23/11/1939 00:39 U-420 position grid BE57 Torpedoes left:0 Tankers sunk:2 Cargoships sunk:7 Warships sunk:2 Total Tonage: 99803 U420 will be at sea untill she can find weather suitable to expend the 66 4 inch shells she has left to get 197 tons to reach that magical level. Hopefully somewhere along the line of her 4400kilometer route home mother nature and the enemy will cooperate.