Was this just bad luck ?

bertieck476 · 04-18-10, 05:48 AM

Hi folks,
returning from a good patrol I happened upon a V&W that turned out to be the lead escort of a large convoy in Jan 41 and I was well placed as I was already ahead of it during darkness,I plotted an intercept ahead of the convoys course and flanked to this point arriving well ahead of time so I went to PD, set for silent all stopped and waited and listened eventually started getting long range contacts and things still looked good, so I sped things upto 128 tc to bring a bit closer with the occasional peek to see where the V&W was
The contact bearings were still looking good and the only visual I had was the V&W and it was doing a zig zag course, I thought I'd sit where I was all silent when it had passed if need be manouvre into a better position to attack the convoy.
Things start to get a bit nervy now as the V&W contacts start to get very small on my nav map but I reason that I better stay still and silent and let it pass, next thing I know were taking damage, there had been no depth charges, I think there was a bang and when I check the damage the flak gun is damaged along with the electric engines, both rudders and rear dive planes destroyed, I had a quick look above with the PS and there was searchlights looking for me so I dived and evaded eventually.
Now I was wondering did it know I was there or was I unlucky and it just happened to go straight over me and also I didn,t think they were that deep to be able to damage rudders and dive planes, what are your thoughts?
Bert.

04-18-10, 05:48 AM	#1
bertieck476 Chief Join Date: Mar 2010 Posts: 327 Downloads: 33 Uploads: 0	Was this just bad luck ? Hi folks, returning from a good patrol I happened upon a V&W that turned out to be the lead escort of a large convoy in Jan 41 and I was well placed as I was already ahead of it during darkness,I plotted an intercept ahead of the convoys course and flanked to this point arriving well ahead of time so I went to PD, set for silent all stopped and waited and listened eventually started getting long range contacts and things still looked good, so I sped things upto 128 tc to bring a bit closer with the occasional peek to see where the V&W was The contact bearings were still looking good and the only visual I had was the V&W and it was doing a zig zag course, I thought I'd sit where I was all silent when it had passed if need be manouvre into a better position to attack the convoy. Things start to get a bit nervy now as the V&W contacts start to get very small on my nav map but I reason that I better stay still and silent and let it pass, next thing I know were taking damage, there had been no depth charges, I think there was a bang and when I check the damage the flak gun is damaged along with the electric engines, both rudders and rear dive planes destroyed, I had a quick look above with the PS and there was searchlights looking for me so I dived and evaded eventually. Now I was wondering did it know I was there or was I unlucky and it just happened to go straight over me and also I didn,t think they were that deep to be able to damage rudders and dive planes, what are your thoughts? Bert.