#Silent hunter 3 torpedo bounces off full

I look out at the horizon, unable to see the escort and I decide not to turn around or submerge and to press home the chase. As we continue to press on the radioman reports РІР‚СљRadar contact, sir! Bearing 25! Long rangeРІР‚Сњ. After forty-five minutes dusk starts to set in. I man the conning tower with my best lookouts.

#Silent hunter 3 torpedo bounces off full

The U-Boat surfaces and we proceed at full speed. The soundman shouts РІР‚СљSound contact, sir! Merchant Moving slow! Moving Away! Bearing 344 Long range!РІР‚Сњ After an exhaustive 3 hour chase we submerge for what will have to be our last sound check. The fuel situation is getting critical and we cannot continue to chase this phantom convoy indefinitely. Surfacing I again alter my course and proceed at full speed. A strong noise can now be heard, but again further ahead of where I expected to find the convoy. Half way to the next waypoint I submerge for another sound check. Surfacing I order ahead full and plot a course to arrive ahead of this bearing hoping that I am chasing the convoy and not a lone merchant. Having decided to engage the convoy I submerge to take a sound check nothing is heard from the reported relative bearing of 350Р’В°, however there is a faint noise at a bearing of 320Р’В°. He reports that at the current speed we have enough fuel for 1039 kilometres and we are still 1069 kilometres away from home. I ask the Navigating Officer how far to home and how much fuel we have. Brest is 2956 kilometres and my Navigating Officer tells me we have enough fuel at this speed to travel 3002 kilometres.Р”Р„pril 25, 1943:Р’В Convoy! The radioman reports a convoy in Grid AM79 travelling SE at 8 knots. The torpedo hits and the tugboat explodes in a mass of flames.Р”Р„pril 23, 1943:Р’В I plot a course home and order ahead standard. Cursing at having to use three torpedoes on a tugboat, I bring the U-Boat around to perform a rear shot. The tugboat come to a stop, but after 15 minutes has failed to sink. With seconds to impact, I raise the scope and watch as the torpedo hits the tugboat in the stern.

I decide to press home the attack I put in the new AOB and bearing and fire tube three and lower the scope. Was the course change because they detected us or was it just a regular course change?

I estimate the AOB to be 70Р’В° port, РІР‚СљFire one!РІР‚СњР’В The tugboat changes course and first torpedo misses. Raising the scope to make the attack I find the target 1200 metres and at 30Р’В° to port. From this I notice that he is constantly changing course, zigzagging, but staying on the same basic course. I would normally not waste a valuable torpedo on such a small craft with only a small chance of success, but as I am to return home this evening due to nearing the limits of my fuel, I feel that this may be the only ship to cross my path.Р”В®very three minutes I plot the tugboats range and bearing. I dive and proceed at flank speed on an intercept course.

Dam! Worse yet, the winds are too high to engage with the deck gun. Looking through the binoculars, I see what looks like a small craft. If this continues, we will have to head home with close to a full complement of torpedoes.Р”Р„pril 22, 1943:Р’В Finally, we encounter a ship, none to soon I say, the crew were starting to get restless. First patrol of my new career aboard U-358 (continued)Р”Р„pril 13 through to 21, 1943:Р’В It has been an uneventful nine days.