The unsinkable freighter

[Platapus]

For the first time I abandoned a mission.. just gave up.

Sh4 + RFB

January 1942 Patrolling off coast of Hokaido. Slim pickins decide to travel south.

Spot lone merchant -- ID as Small old Split Superstructure freighter 2,400 tons.

No escorts, no aircraft easy pickings. Night is falling but for now she is meat on the plate*

Decide not to waste torpedoes on a 2,500 ton merchant so man the deck guns. Fired about 150 shells (the max load) at this ship from range of less than 1,000 yards. Sometimes I manned the deck gun, the other times I used my crew.

My impression is that about 30% of the shells missed the merchant, 30% impacted above the waterline, and the last 30% were beautiful waterline and below shots. I could clearly see holes at the water line in the hull. But now I am out of deck gun ammo.

Not only did this ship not sink but it did not seem to be changing course much during the barrage. It was changing a little so I know the ship was "active".

I decided that I needed to use torpedoes. Set up a shot at under 1,000 yards and launch two Mk 14 POS torpedoes. Both impact, both duds.

Now I have the merchant's attention. Speed increases up to 9-10 knots and she starts zig-zagging wildly. The ol girl seems pretty lively with 30-40 holes in her.

The zig-zagging makes targeting harder. over the next two hours of real time, I launch 10 (yes 10) torpedoes at her from between 800 and 1,200 yards. Five miss and five duds.

For those keeping score at home, this makes 12 torpedoes I have launched at this 2,500 ton ship with 7 duds. I only have two torpedoes in my stern tubes. There is no way I will be able to get a better solution while this small merchant with 30 holes and 7 dents is still zig zagging at 10 knots.

I give up. It was already one hour past my bedtime. I hit the escape key and go to bed.

Anyone else experience the unsinkable merchant?

*"Meat on the plate" Extra points if you can identify the movie and actor.