U-53 Dead in the water

[Jonathan]

You could always whip out the oars and have a old college try at it.

[Uncle Goose]

I believe there was a boat who suffered the same fate, no diesels, almost no batteries left, a busted radio and uncapable to dive. After quite some time (they were already presumed lost) they sailed into the harbor. The crew had constucted a large sail and managed with pure luck to keep themself undetected by the enemy.

[GoldenRivet]

Originally Posted by Uncle Goose

I believe there was a boat who suffered the same fate, no diesels, almost no batteries left, a busted radio and uncapable to dive. After quite some time (they were already presumed lost) they sailed into the harbor. The crew had constucted a large sail and managed with pure luck to keep themself undetected by the enemy.

Of that i would be highly skeptical, but truth is often stranger than fiction.

[Lzs von swe]

:hmm: Would repairing ruptured diesel tanks and then refueling them be possible at this stage of the war?

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Oh,oh... my wife is calling.... have to go... RL stuff calls me away, will be back..

[GoldenRivet]

Originally Posted by Lzs von swe

:hmm: Would repairing ruptured diesel tanks and then refueling them be possible at this stage of the war?

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Oh,oh... my wife is calling.... have to go... RL stuff calls me away, will be back..

i would think that perhaps some sort of temporary fuel tank would be fashioned maybe?

perhaps even drain the drinking water tank, fill it with diesel and rig the engines to draw their fuel from there.

with the right tools, enough enginuity and elbow grease i suppose anything is possible.

[Bosje]

so reading all the above, you can take it that salvage is possible and take the magic carpet home without considering it to be cheating, correct?

(i did the same, travelling to New York and making it back to a resupply sub on the last drops of fuel with my VIIc, then I took the carpet ride without feeling bad about it, lol)

[GoldenRivet]

i would say the 'magic carpet' ride is ok

the way i look at it here are the possible outcomes.

1. An enemy unit finds you and blows you out of the water
2. An enemy unit finds you and causes you to scuttle/ surrender the boat and you're captured
3. BdU orders you to scuttle the boat as a complete loss when a surface ship arrives to take on your crew
4. BdU orders you to scuttle the boat as a complete loss when another U-boat arrives to take on your crew
5. BdU orders you to await assistance/ repair/ towing (this assumes your not 20 miles of the coast of New York of course)

and finally, assuming your radio or radio antenna is destroyed...

6. you scuttle the boat and take to life rafts to either:
a. never be seen or heard from agian
b. become rescued by the enemy and captured
c. become rescued by a friendly unit and returned home
d. become captured by a neutral unit and become interned
e. become captured by a neutral unit only to use your superior numbers to 'hijack' their ship and drive it back to your home port

either way, by a roll of the dice, assuming your situation is as listed in the first post (and you at least have a radio) the possible outcomes as i have speculated on above favor you getting back to dry land (which may or may not be occupied by Germany)

hows that for a detailed analysis? :rotfl:

[Brag]

Originally Posted by Uncle Goose

I believe there was a boat who suffered the same fate, no diesels, almost no batteries left, a busted radio and uncapable to dive. After quite some time (they were already presumed lost) they sailed into the harbor. The crew had constucted a large sail and managed with pure luck to keep themself undetected by the enemy.

I've read about this episode a long time ago.