[DerKaleun]

U-2510 left St. Nazaire secretly at night four days before the allied invasion in the Normandy. It was Kptlt. Benning´s second sortie on a Type XXI.

Heading for AM74 at 12 knots, diving away from harassing Sunderlands and Liberators, U-2510 received a position report of a Convoy heading east north east at 6 knots - about 90 miles south of the sub´s current position.

The II WO plotted an intercept heading, and U-2510 rushed with yelling diesels all ahead flank at snorkel depth towards the convoy to set up an ambush. The tubes were loaded with 6 FAT steam torpedoes.

During dawn the sonar man detected the convoy´s propeller sounds. It´s heading was about 070 and U-2510 waited submerged with the bow to 160...

The Kaleun set all the FAT´s to run 1600 meter patterns to the left at 30 knots, depth of all set to 4,5 meters, magnetic fuse.

The sea was calm, like a mirror, the Type XXI boat laid stable and calm in the water, lurking and ready to release it´s lethal load on the incoming, unsuspecting prey.

It was a large convoy at least 20 ships escorted by four destroyers.

Benning plottet the distance and bearing of a C2 every 3 minutes an 15 seconds...

"Peilung dreiundsechzig, Enfernung viertausendzweihundert" said Benning, looking through the attac scope while his I WO was plotting that on the attack map.

"Macht sechs knoten Fahrt, Herr Kaleun" the I WO replied as he figuered out the targets speed.

"Sechs knoten eingestellt" the II WO reported, managing the Torpedo Data Computer.

"Rohr eins bis sechs bewässern - Mündungsklappen öffnen"

The torpedo doors opened and the Boat was ready to fire.

"Sind wir genau neunzig grad zu deren Kurs?" the skipper asked.

"Jawoll Herr Kaleun" I WO replied.

Laying 90° offset to the enemy´s heading it was now very easy to determine the targets AOB, just substracting the bearing to targed from 90, because the enemy was approaching from the starboard side.

"Sehr schön, dann arbeiten wir uns doch mal von hinten nach vorne durch".

Benning targeted the leading ship of the middle row, a T2 Tanker.

"Entfernung dreiachthuntert, Lage links 77" he said.

"Eingestellt!" reported the II WO.

"Rohr eins... los...!" Benning said with a calm voice. The sound of compressed air and bubbles pouring out into the water from the tube and the screaming of the torpedos screw while leaving the boat halled through the whole boat.

Next one was a C2, "Rohr zwei... los..."

Followed by a small Tanker "Rohr drei...los"

Then a C3 cargo ship was targeted "Rohr vier...los..."

a small merchant was the next "Rohr fünf...los..."

and finally a Liberty has been the target for the last shot "Rohr sechs...los"

"Auf 50 meter gehen, kleine Fahrt voraus"

U-2510 glided silently down to 50 meters running slowly towards the convoy.

Suddenly an explosion!! Torpedotreffer! Followed by very loud and strong explosion. The T2 blew up. Then, the next explosion. Next torpedotreffer. Five ships were ripped by the torpedo detonations within not even a minute...

"Seerohrtiefe" Benning wanted to use the confusion up there to take a look at the situation. When the scope popped through the water, he could just see the stern of the T2 disappearing from the surface, the C2 was blown into 2 pieces, sinking rapidly, the small merchant was almost gone, the C3 listing to the aft, and the liberty steamed normally... suddenly the small tanker blew up in a large explosion.

The torpedo must have missed him in the first pass, but the cought him as it returned, following its FAT pattern.

Suddenly... PING...PING... "Schraubengeräuche aus 200 grad schnell näherkommend!!!"

Benning turned the Scope and saw a River Escort Destroyer on collosion course.

"Tauchen, tauchen, auf zweihundertfünfzig Meter gehen, beide Maschinen AK voraus, alle man voraus!!!" The boat ran into the deep at flank speed seeking cover in the depth of the atlantic.

PING..........PING.........PING.........PING.......PING......PING......PING.....PING....PING...PING..PING.PING!PING!PING!!!

"Wirft Wasserbomen!!!"

"Einhundertfünzig Meter, Herr Kaleun" LI reported the depth passing.

"Ruder hart steuerbord!!"

Explosions all around the sub, but far to shallow. The Tommy had no idea of the performance a Type XXI was capable of, he must have thought he chases a Type VII or IX.

"Alle Maschinen stop, ruhe im Boot"

PING..........PING........PING....


"Zweiter Zerstörer Herr Kaleun, läuft an aus zwo neun null!!"

"Schleichfahrt, beide Maschinen kleine Fahrt, Täuschkörper absetzen, auf Kurs 070 gehen!"

U-2510 crept away turning to the convoys heading, and deploying a decoy bold the confuse the enemy.

Cans were dropped far behind the boat, which was already at 200 meters, reloading the torpedo tubes for the next attack.

... to finish it shortly. I´ve sunk the crippled Liberty and C3, blowed a T3, and several C2´s and small merchants as well as another Liberty. Over 80.000 tons of tonnage taken home... and this in the middle of 1944 ...Type XXI rules!!!

[spork542]

Nice... I'm only in 1939, starting a new career. Hopefully I'll get more than 80k in total before U-123 is at the bottom. And good luck to you in your patrols. I've never used the XXI before, but from what I've heard between you and many others is that it rocks. Can't wait until 1943 when I can get one. But that is about 4 years anyways.

[DerKaleun]

Yes it´s great boat. If you handle it carefully, with well planned tactics and do no neckbreaking stupid maneuvers, they almost have no chance catching you. The biggest advantage of the Type XXI is it´s abilty to rush at 16 knots to very big depths in a very short time. They really need a lucky drop to damage you.

at 250m depth they have NO CHANCE of getting you, if you maneuver wisely.

Good, that we haven´t had this boat from 1939 availabe... we would have stopped allied shipping to the UK instantly.

[SilentOtto]

Nice reading Kaleun!
Now I'm sorry but just cant let this one pass... you should be more careful than riding at flank speed with your schnorkel... you would surely tear it apart from the boat if running at more than 5-8 knots with it deployed!

[DerKaleun]

Hmm. are you sure ? The structure looks pretty tough. The scope also has to cope with 17knots flank speed under water and it looks much more fragile...? :huh:

[Cdre Gibs]

So I suppose running at Snorkel depth with it deployed at 63Knts is a No No then.... DAMN !!!

[DerKaleun]

*Smiles* What kind of uber uber uber uber mega uber boot did you create by editing ? :huh:

[BigBadVuk]

[bookworm_020]

I have an XXI and I love it. The only thing I don't like about it is it's depth keeping ability. It will take an age to settle to the depth requested and will often breach the surface from periscope depth. A pain but I'm not handing it back.
The tommies know what I can do, 95,000 tons sunk it the last patrol and in heavy rain and fog to boot!
Got to go, my crew are tearing the pub apart!