Just got my new Type II D - awesome!

bigboywooly · 03-27-12, 03:32 PM

Not quite so high up towards the Shetlands

But yeah basically

http://www.warsailors.com/convoys/hnondates2.html

http://www.warsailors.com/convoys/hnondates.html

flag4 · 03-28-12, 11:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bigboywooly

Not quite so high up towards the Shetlands

But yeah basically

http://www.warsailors.com/convoys/hnondates2.html

http://www.warsailors.com/convoys/hnondates.html

also wondered if you recognised the picture...

bigboywooly · 03-28-12, 01:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by flag4

also wondered if you recognised the picture...

Ummmm no - should I

flag4 · 03-28-12, 02:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bigboywooly

Ummmm no - should I

i believe it was you that sent me this back in 2008, there was a discussion about north sea convoy routes and i didnt have a clue where to look - i asked if anyone had a map and i *believe* it was you that sent me that picture!

if it was - thanks again!

Luno · 03-29-12, 01:28 AM

Lol guys

Unfortunately, I haven't been sent up there to patrol yet. I keep getting orders to patrol within spitting distance of Hartlepool and Dover! I can only thank my lucky stars that the weather has been poor enough to prevent the flyboys from getting to me!

zygoma · 03-31-12, 12:14 PM

VonApist,
Inspired by your post, I started a new career in a IIA out of Wilmshaven, and so far (7 patrols) keep getting sent to patrol sectors just NE of Dover, or including (or just east of) Scapa Flow.
Closest I've seen so far to a convoy has been a pair of cargo ships, typically a C2 and either a Coastal Merchant or Small Merchant in trail. Typically the C2s and C3s take me 3 shots to sink, even with sending the torps about 1.5 to 2 meters beneath the keel, but it's always rough water, too. On just one occasion I broke the spine of a C3 with a single eel --- yay!
It could be either just my nervousness from knowing I've essentially got no spares, but even with having "Duds" disabled in the Options, and in *very* rough water, I assume the ones that swim on the correct azimuth are either having depth-keeping faults, or the targets are porpoising too high out of the water as the torps reach them.
I'm also realizing that, even with a full complement of crew, by the time I reach anything legal to shoot at, nearly everyone is too fatigued to take a duty post long enough for an attack, unless I essentially tell them they're likely to die if they don't work sleepy for awhile.
Turns out that, at least for me, the 20mm single AA gun isn't enough to do anything exciting except explode cargo on the decks or the intake funnels on and around the superstructure of the cargo ships. But it apparently doesn't penetrate the hull, so it hasn't been enough to provide the coup d' grace on anything. Well, I *did* sink a trawler and a tug with just the machinegun on one of the all-too-rare good weather days. And the one time a lone Hawker Hurricane appeared within sight, he disappeared as soon as I manned the gun. Of course, I'd sent Bernard aloft, and the airplane's pilot may have surmised that the unaccountably naked gunner was just nuts enough to be a good shot, else why would I have assigned him to the sole antiaircraft weapon....
Seems like the only chance I get to let most of the crew rest is to dive for awhile, shut down the propulsion, and let everyone just chill awhile. Usually I outrun the oxygen depletion with having the crew rest up, then get back to propulsion driving around aimlessly on the surface.
Six patrols so far, upgraded from the IIA to the IID at the fourth patrol, and haven't detected any real difference.
It's nice to actually have to be careful to line up torpedo shots, as I don't have a "bootload" of eels sitting around to be wasted.
I *am* looking forward to seeing if this boat will last through the development of radar; I spend lotsa time submerged now using the hydrophones to have at least a chance of finding something to shoot at.
Thanks for the suggestion (and accompanying thread) about using this boat -- it makes a great change from the IXD I usually drive around in.
Zygoma
__________________________________________________ _____
May your number of surface activities exceed your dives by exactly one at the end of your career.

u35_captain · 04-01-12, 12:59 AM

I move on to the Type VII and IX pretty quickly - but I'll always have a warm place in my heart for the Type II as a harbour raider. It felt like there was nowhere that little boat couldn't slink into, sink some ships, and slip out of.

I've raided Scapa in all three typesm but the Type II it was actually somewhat simple. Granted, it was December of '39, but still. It just puttered in, put down a light cruiser, and puttered out. The Royal Navy spinning about trying without any luck to find it.

Plus, though I haven't gotten that far with it in the war, I imagine that aircraft have a harder time hitting a smaller target.

03-27-12, 03:32 PM	#1
bigboywooly Rear Admiral Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Swindon, England Posts: 10,151 Downloads: 35 Uploads: 0	Not quite so high up towards the Shetlands But yeah basically http://www.warsailors.com/convoys/hnondates2.html http://www.warsailors.com/convoys/hnondates.html __________________ My mediafire page http://www.mediafire.com/?11eoq19bq9r41

03-29-12, 01:28 AM	#5
Luno Ensign Join Date: Mar 2011 Posts: 234 Downloads: 123 Uploads: 0	Lol guys Unfortunately, I haven't been sent up there to patrol yet. I keep getting orders to patrol within spitting distance of Hartlepool and Dover! I can only thank my lucky stars that the weather has been poor enough to prevent the flyboys from getting to me! __________________ Career: Feb. 13, 1942 "Cpt. Johny Goodwood" Porpoise class: USS Shark, SS-174 Patrols: 2 Victories: 1 Merchants (4519 GRT), 0 Warships (0 GRT), 0 Aircraft Sunk with all hands lost.

03-31-12, 12:14 PM	#6
zygoma Loader Join Date: Sep 2006 Posts: 84 Downloads: 66 Uploads: 0	VonApist, Inspired by your post, I started a new career in a IIA out of Wilmshaven, and so far (7 patrols) keep getting sent to patrol sectors just NE of Dover, or including (or just east of) Scapa Flow. Closest I've seen so far to a convoy has been a pair of cargo ships, typically a C2 and either a Coastal Merchant or Small Merchant in trail. Typically the C2s and C3s take me 3 shots to sink, even with sending the torps about 1.5 to 2 meters beneath the keel, but it's always rough water, too. On just one occasion I broke the spine of a C3 with a single eel --- yay! It could be either just my nervousness from knowing I've essentially got no spares, but even with having "Duds" disabled in the Options, and in very rough water, I assume the ones that swim on the correct azimuth are either having depth-keeping faults, or the targets are porpoising too high out of the water as the torps reach them. I'm also realizing that, even with a full complement of crew, by the time I reach anything legal to shoot at, nearly everyone is too fatigued to take a duty post long enough for an attack, unless I essentially tell them they're likely to die if they don't work sleepy for awhile. Turns out that, at least for me, the 20mm single AA gun isn't enough to do anything exciting except explode cargo on the decks or the intake funnels on and around the superstructure of the cargo ships. But it apparently doesn't penetrate the hull, so it hasn't been enough to provide the coup d' grace on anything. Well, I did sink a trawler and a tug with just the machinegun on one of the all-too-rare good weather days. And the one time a lone Hawker Hurricane appeared within sight, he disappeared as soon as I manned the gun. Of course, I'd sent Bernard aloft, and the airplane's pilot may have surmised that the unaccountably naked gunner was just nuts enough to be a good shot, else why would I have assigned him to the sole antiaircraft weapon.... Seems like the only chance I get to let most of the crew rest is to dive for awhile, shut down the propulsion, and let everyone just chill awhile. Usually I outrun the oxygen depletion with having the crew rest up, then get back to propulsion driving around aimlessly on the surface. Six patrols so far, upgraded from the IIA to the IID at the fourth patrol, and haven't detected any real difference. It's nice to actually have to be careful to line up torpedo shots, as I don't have a "bootload" of eels sitting around to be wasted. I am looking forward to seeing if this boat will last through the development of radar; I spend lotsa time submerged now using the hydrophones to have at least a chance of finding something to shoot at. Thanks for the suggestion (and accompanying thread) about using this boat -- it makes a great change from the IXD I usually drive around in. Zygoma __________________________________________________ _____ May your number of surface activities exceed your dives by exactly one at the end of your career.

04-01-12, 12:59 AM	#7
u35_captain Mate Join Date: Dec 2011 Posts: 54 Downloads: 4 Uploads: 0	I move on to the Type VII and IX pretty quickly - but I'll always have a warm place in my heart for the Type II as a harbour raider. It felt like there was nowhere that little boat couldn't slink into, sink some ships, and slip out of. I've raided Scapa in all three typesm but the Type II it was actually somewhat simple. Granted, it was December of '39, but still. It just puttered in, put down a light cruiser, and puttered out. The Royal Navy spinning about trying without any luck to find it. Plus, though I haven't gotten that far with it in the war, I imagine that aircraft have a harder time hitting a smaller target.