%*#$%@ Sunderlands

Sacs · 05-30-06, 09:47 PM

Trolling south just West of Ireland on my way home to Brest, trying not to be seasick with the interesting weather, when I happened across a decent sized convoy. Only 2 fish left, so lined up the juicy T3 in the center, one under the keel, one into the smoke stack. Boom. Boom! Woot!

Damn thing wouldn't sink - water lapping over her deck and her engines disabled. So after dodging the escorts decided to sit quietly nearby and wait for the weather to clear so I could finish her with the deck gun.

4 days! 4 damned days sitting at 30m waiting for the weather Gods, coming up at night to breathe.

Finally the winds drop to 6ms, still a lit fog, but finally! Surface the boat! Man the gun!

Aircraft spotted!

Crap!

Man the AA. 2 Sunderlands coming in directly from the bow. Can't bring the guns to bear! Before I could turn, dive or run-away they each dropped a stick directly on the bow. Blew the damn 88 right off!

To make matters worse they killed my two highly trained Sr Warrant Officer gunners who had been with me since the start of the war. (They could shoot the fleas off the Captains beard from 3000 meters!) Naturally the untrained seaman loader (eminantly expendable) survived with just stained pants.

I had to leave the T3 wallowing there and limp home. Inventing new swear words all the way.

Reece · 05-30-06, 10:00 PM

:rotfl:I think we have all been in that situation, very frustrating, you'd think the heavy seas would finish it off, but no!

All it would have taken to sink the ship is a well placed fire cracker!:rotfl:

Ducimus · 05-30-06, 10:47 PM

Ive been desperate enough to use the 3.5 AA guns on a couple occasions. It works too :p

Sacs · 05-30-06, 11:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ducimus

Ive been desperate enough to use the 3.5 AA guns on a couple occasions. It works too :p

The 3.5's are still a few months away unfortunately. When they do arrive I'm gonna hunt down those 2 particular pilots and open a can of whoop-ass on them. (Actually I won't, I'll run screaming like a girl each time I hear "Aircraft Spotted")

I love taking out trawlers/tugs with the 2cm guns though. Big fun

bookworm_020 · 05-30-06, 11:48 PM

Give me the 37mm twin VII/4 flack set up and I'll take care of thoese Sunderlands for you. I'll even clean and gut them for you free of charge

Torplexed · 05-31-06, 12:20 AM

Those Sunderlands keep you on your toes for the day when the fly forever B-24s start showing up.

andy_311 · 05-31-06, 05:46 AM

On the subject of Sunderlands has anyone actually seen one land or take off ? they are amphibious so they are capable of landing on water.

STEED · 05-31-06, 08:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by andy_311

On the subject of Sunderlands has anyone actually seen one land or take off ? they are amphibious so they are capable of landing on water.

In the game no. :hmm:

Cybermagi · 05-31-06, 08:40 AM

On Patrol last night, near Gibraltar, we were doing a little recon
close to the narrows when, out of nowhere a PT boat pops in and starts filling my lovely IXC with machine gun fire.
I tuned our Quad loose on those tommies and put a few magizines into them.

The center of the PT bursts into flames, but they are still firing heavy into our
conning tower.

Just when I think "hey this PT is going to the bottom in a few minutes"
Two dammed Sunderlunds come diving down on us!
One hits foreward and other hits aft!
We're taking on water fast.
I turn all our AA guns on the Planes and call the deck gun
crew topside.
after a very intense battle, splashed to sunderlunds and send the PT to the
bottom.
Though we lost my best AA gunner and hull was so shot up and dented (10% Integ)
I had to return to base.

Sunderlunds are a pain, but easy enough to shoot down, B-24 on the other hand
are born of the devil!

Sacs · 05-31-06, 04:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cybermagi

B-24 on the other hand are born of the devil!

Met my first one last night

It tried that cute climbing turn lob tactic, lobbing a string of bombs from quite the distance. Must have been Davy Crockett flying the damn thing!

Could they actually do that lob thing? I'dve thunk it'd be too big & cumbersome to do something fancy like that.

lonehawknz · 05-31-06, 04:36 PM

That's exactly what they did. Don't forget they had Norden bombsights and so could effectively do an early version of CCIP (predicted point of impact).

VLR Liberators finally closed the air-cover gap that the U-Boats enjoyed in the Atlantic in 1944. Horrible flamin things... grrrr....

The U-Flak configuration kicks their arse usually though, but only because (unrealistically) your skilled, specially qualified gunners, have laser sights for eyes...

05-31-06, 04:36 PM

Yes; the technique is referred to as "toss-bombing". Prior to advanced avionics, though, it was really hard to actually hit anything (depending on what degree of accuracy was needed, of course). PLaying the PC game "Tornado", I made rather extensive use of the technique; what you'd do, is approach your target from the opposite side of a big hill, pull up so you're going up the hill, and the avionics tells you when to release the bomb, so its ballistic arc will get it over the hill and to the target, you drop the bomb, which continues up, over, and down onto the target; you veer off, and so never expose yourself to the target, and (hopefully) its defenses.

First time I'd heard of it being done with WWII era technology, but I have defnitely heard of it being done.

Now that I *look*for it, there's a google video of someone doing it in a flight sim, using... a Hurricane? How apropo!

http://video.google.com/videoplay?do...9333&q=bombing

Cerberus · 05-31-06, 05:34 PM

April '42 whilst crossing the Bay of Biscay - I was attacked by NINE Sunderlands!

What the &*()'s going on?

U-boats hunt in packs, but not Sunderlands.

If you have that many aircraft in operation at one time you spread them out & assign each a patrol area - you don't have the whole bl@@dy lot swarm together like flies round a dead dog's tail.

It quite spoilt my afternoon nap.

grouchy993 · 05-31-06, 09:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sacs

The 3.5's are still a few months away unfortunately. When they do arrive I'm gonna hunt down those 2 particular pilots and open a can of whoop-ass on them. (Actually I won't, I'll run screaming like a girl each time I hear "Aircraft Spotted")

I love taking out trawlers/tugs with the 2cm guns though. Big fun

I have sat and pumped star shells into crippled ships when I am out of anything more damaging than the crews laundry. Boy is it annoying to have them refuse to sink.

Manock · 05-31-06, 10:33 PM

Whose guarding the entrance? Sounds like somebody snitched on you, & the nearest airstrip specifically sent out a squadron to take you out.

You get the same action when you make a radio report. The island will triangulate your broadcast, & send a bunch of combat guys to check the area out.

Soon in later 42, High Frequency Directional Finder ('Huff Duff') will soon be sending single destroyers your way.

Down Boy! Dont eat the nice ferry people.

Nice new forum software.

05-30-06, 09:47 PM	#1
Sacs Watch Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: New Zealand Posts: 24 Downloads: 3 Uploads: 0	*%#$%@ Sunderlands** Trolling south just West of Ireland on my way home to Brest, trying not to be seasick with the interesting weather, when I happened across a decent sized convoy. Only 2 fish left, so lined up the juicy T3 in the center, one under the keel, one into the smoke stack. Boom. Boom! Woot! Damn thing wouldn't sink - water lapping over her deck and her engines disabled. So after dodging the escorts decided to sit quietly nearby and wait for the weather to clear so I could finish her with the deck gun. 4 days! 4 damned days sitting at 30m waiting for the weather Gods, coming up at night to breathe. Finally the winds drop to 6ms, still a lit fog, but finally! Surface the boat! Man the gun! Aircraft spotted! Crap! Man the AA. 2 Sunderlands coming in directly from the bow. Can't bring the guns to bear! Before I could turn, dive or run-away they each dropped a stick directly on the bow. Blew the damn 88 right off! To make matters worse they killed my two highly trained Sr Warrant Officer gunners who had been with me since the start of the war. (They could shoot the fleas off the Captains beard from 3000 meters!) Naturally the untrained seaman loader (eminantly expendable) survived with just stained pants. I had to leave the T3 wallowing there and limp home. Inventing new swear words all the way.

05-30-06, 10:00 PM	#2
Reece CINC Pacific Fleet Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Down Under Posts: 32,829 Downloads: 171 Uploads: 0	:rotfl:I think we have all been in that situation, very frustrating, you'd think the heavy seas would finish it off, but no! All it would have taken to sink the ship is a well placed fire cracker!:rotfl: __________________ *Sub captains go down with their ship!*

05-30-06, 11:48 PM	#5
bookworm_020 Navy Seal Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Sinking ships off the Australian coast Posts: 5,966 Downloads: 1 Uploads: 0	Give me the 37mm twin VII/4 flack set up and I'll take care of thoese Sunderlands for you. I'll even clean and gut them for you free of charge __________________ "There is always one person in any organization who knows whats going on, That person must be fired" Last edited by bookworm_020; 05-30-06 at 11:51 PM.

05-31-06, 12:20 AM	#6
Torplexed Let's Sink Sumptin' ! Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Seattle, WA Posts: 5,823 Downloads: 43 Uploads: 0	Those Sunderlands keep you on your toes for the day when the fly forever B-24s start showing up. __________________ --Mobilis in Mobili--

05-31-06, 05:34 PM	#13
Cerberus Mate Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: UK Posts: 53 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	April '42 whilst crossing the Bay of Biscay - I was attacked by NINE Sunderlands! What the &*()'s going on? U-boats hunt in packs, but not Sunderlands. If you have that many aircraft in operation at one time you spread them out & assign each a patrol area - you don't have the whole bl@@dy lot swarm together like flies round a dead dog's tail. It quite spoilt my afternoon nap. __________________ Cerberus Never knowingly undersailed.

05-30-06, 10:47 PM	#3
Ducimus Rear Admiral Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 12,987 Downloads: 67 Uploads: 2	Ive been desperate enough to use the 3.5 AA guns on a couple occasions. It works too :p

05-31-06, 05:46 AM	#7
andy_311 The Old Man Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Oldham, Lancs,England Posts: 1,312 Downloads: 82 Uploads: 0	On the subject of Sunderlands has anyone actually seen one land or take off ? they are amphibious so they are capable of landing on water.

05-31-06, 08:40 AM	#9
Cybermagi Swabbie Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: USA Posts: 12 Downloads: 13 Uploads: 0	On Patrol last night, near Gibraltar, we were doing a little recon close to the narrows when, out of nowhere a PT boat pops in and starts filling my lovely IXC with machine gun fire. I tuned our Quad loose on those tommies and put a few magizines into them. The center of the PT bursts into flames, but they are still firing heavy into our conning tower. Just when I think "hey this PT is going to the bottom in a few minutes" Two dammed Sunderlunds come diving down on us! One hits foreward and other hits aft! We're taking on water fast. I turn all our AA guns on the Planes and call the deck gun crew topside. after a very intense battle, splashed to sunderlunds and send the PT to the bottom. Though we lost my best AA gunner and hull was so shot up and dented (10% Integ) I had to return to base. Sunderlunds are a pain, but easy enough to shoot down, B-24 on the other hand are born of the devil!

05-31-06, 04:36 PM	#11
lonehawknz Mate Join Date: May 2006 Location: Bristol, England Posts: 52 Downloads: 33 Uploads: 0	That's exactly what they did. Don't forget they had Norden bombsights and so could effectively do an early version of CCIP (predicted point of impact). VLR Liberators finally closed the air-cover gap that the U-Boats enjoyed in the Atlantic in 1944. Horrible flamin things... grrrr.... The U-Flak configuration kicks their arse usually though, but only because (unrealistically) your skilled, specially qualified gunners, have laser sights for eyes...

05-31-06, 04:36 PM	#12
Engel der Vernichtung Stowaway Posts: n/a Downloads: Uploads:	Yes; the technique is referred to as "toss-bombing". Prior to advanced avionics, though, it was really hard to actually hit anything (depending on what degree of accuracy was needed, of course). PLaying the PC game "Tornado", I made rather extensive use of the technique; what you'd do, is approach your target from the opposite side of a big hill, pull up so you're going up the hill, and the avionics tells you when to release the bomb, so its ballistic arc will get it over the hill and to the target, you drop the bomb, which continues up, over, and down onto the target; you veer off, and so never expose yourself to the target, and (hopefully) its defenses. First time I'd heard of it being done with WWII era technology, but I have defnitely heard of it being done. Now that I lookfor it, there's a google video of someone doing it in a flight sim, using... a Hurricane? How apropo! http://video.google.com/videoplay?do...9333&q=bombing

05-31-06, 10:33 PM	#15
Manock Bosun Join Date: Jul 2002 Posts: 68 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Who Let You Loose Cerebus? Whose guarding the entrance? Sounds like somebody snitched on you, & the nearest airstrip specifically sent out a squadron to take you out. You get the same action when you make a radio report. The island will triangulate your broadcast, & send a bunch of combat guys to check the area out. Soon in later 42, High Frequency Directional Finder ('Huff Duff') will soon be sending single destroyers your way. Down Boy! Dont eat the nice ferry people. Nice new forum software.