Chapter 1107 Missiles in the Atlantic Ocean 20

Submarine found! ?

Halsey, who had just breathed a sigh of relief, was almost shocked to death in the bridge of the Little Rock when he heard the bad news.

These submarines came at such a coincidence. He had just sent most of his destroyers to block the pursuers, and the German submarines came. Needless to say, they must be the new German submarines that are so fast that they can't be caught underwater.

The fires on the three Iowa-class battleships have not been extinguished yet, and it is easy to see the open flames on the dim sea.

The German submarines only need to aim at the open flames and fire torpedoes to sink the three battleships that have been severely damaged.

"Anti-submarine!" Halsey knew that the situation was dangerous, but he was unwilling to give up easily. "Iowa, Wisconsin, and Missouri immediately take the anti-submarine route, and the rest of the ships will conduct anti-submarine operations!"

Boom...

Less than 5 minutes after Halsey's order was issued, the originally calm sea water began to boil like boiling water, and several huge waves appeared on the sea in an instant.

This is the destroyer dropping depth charges!

However, there is no German Type 21 U-boat under the sea where the depth charges are dropped. This kind of submarine that can sail at 17.2 knots underwater is difficult to catch. Moreover, the number of American destroyers and light cruisers guarding the three Iowa-class ships is limited, and they dare not abandon the seriously injured big guys they protect to catch submarines.

So the depth charges dropped now are just for hearing the sound, to boost courage, and to scare the Nazi wolf pack in the sea.

"The Americans are scared of us. They are throwing depth charges randomly."

Lieutenant Colonel Erich Topp, the captain of the U-3010 submarine and commander of the 27th Submarine Squadron, heard a series of dull roars and saw the fireworks-like waves rising from the dark sea from time to time through the periscope, and he understood what was happening.

As an ace U-boat captain who had served as a captain on a destroyer for a period of time and was no stranger to anti-submarine warfare, he certainly knew how desperate the Type 21 U-boat was for destroyer captains.

It is difficult for existing sonars to detect submarines underwater when destroyers are sailing at speeds above 18 knots, and the speed of the Type 21 U-boat underwater is as high as 17.2 knots. To track the Type 21 U-boat, the destroyer must drive at more than 18 knots.

When the Type 21 U-boat is sailing at a low speed of about 5 knots, the submarine is quiet enough to avoid any existing sonar.

After successfully attacking destroyers (submarine attacking destroyers!), German U-boat captains mastered a very useful trick: first approach the enemy destroyer at high speed, deliberately make noise, and then reduce speed and drive quietly. The threatened American destroyer is likely to throw depth charges randomly, and the explosion of the depth charge will make the American sonar ineffective in a short time. In this way, the American destroyer will be completely unable to detect the underwater U-boat. The Type 21 U-boat can naturally accelerate and find opportunities to attack very freely.

At nightfall on September 5, 12 Type 21 U-boats led by Lieutenant Colonel Top used this tactic to scare the Americans and successfully tricked the American destroyer into dropping depth charges.

Because the depth charge explosion interferes with the sonar (it takes 15 minutes for the depth charge explosion to ignore its interference), the underwater world has now become the world of Type 21 U-boats. Even if they are driving at full speed, the American destroyers cannot find them.

"Keep depth, speed 5 knots."

"Prepare the torpedo room, use T1 torpedoes."

"Prepare for battle."

Lieutenant Colonel Top, who had seen three Iowa-class battleships still emitting flames through the periscope, suppressed his excitement and issued one order after another. Six powerful T1 torpedoes were pushed into the six torpedo tubes at the bow of the boat.

Unlike the electric-propelled T2 torpedoes, which have excellent stealth but are slightly slower (30 knots) and have less explosives (200 kilograms), the traditional steam-propelled T1 torpedoes have a greater speed and range. At a high speed of 44 knots, it can hit 6,000 meters away, and at a speed of 40 knots, it can hit 8,000 meters away. Moreover, the T1 torpedo has enough explosives. The warhead of the T1B torpedo used by Lieutenant Colonel Top's submarine is filled with 350 kilograms of high-performance explosives, which is theoretically enough to deal a heavy blow to the underwater protection of the Iowa-class battleships. The underwater protection of the Iowa-class can only withstand the attack of 300 kilograms of TNT explosives, and cannot stop the T1B torpedo with 350 kilograms of explosives.

As for the disadvantage of the T1B torpedo - the wake of the torpedo when sailing, it is not a problem for the Type 21 submarine that can maneuver underwater at a high speed of 17.2 knots. And now it is very dark, if you want to see the torpedo wake, you have to turn on the searchlight, which will expose the position of the destroyer... and the destroyer is also the prey of the Type 21 U-boat!

"6800 meters!"

"6500 meters!"

"6000 meters!"

"..."

Top's voice made the atmosphere in the U-3010 more and more tense, and drops of sweat kept dripping down everyone's foreheads and cheeks.

Everyone turned their eyes to Lieutenant Colonel Top. At a distance of 6000 meters, the T1B torpedo could reach a maximum speed of 44 knots. But the order to launch the torpedo was delayed.

It wasn't until Top reported the number "3,000 meters" that Lieutenant Colonel Top ordered in a deliberately lowered voice: "Prepare torpedoes No. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6, be sure." 5 meters deep. Start pressurizing!”

The current target is an Iowa-class battleship with a standard displacement of nearly 45,000 tons. Its underwater mine protection armor cannot be weak. Therefore, Lieutenant Colonel Top prepared to fire 6 T1B torpedoes in one go.

And in order to ensure a hit, he also took the risk of letting the submarine sail less than 3,000 meters away from the target.

"Supercharging completed!"

"The target is 3,000 meters, launch torpedoes No. 1, 3, and 5!"

"Torpedo No. 1, No. 3, and No. 5 have been launched!"

"Torpedo No. 2, No. 4, and No. 6 are launched!"

"Torpedo No. 2, No. 4, and No. 6 have been launched!"

There were six soft bangs, bangs, bangs, and the U-3010 submarine's body shook slightly, giving people a light feeling.

Six torpedoes sailed toward an Iowa-class battleship 3,000 meters away at a speed of 44 knots. They would hit or miss in about two minutes.

There was silence in the U-3010 boat, everyone was waiting anxiously in their hearts, and time seemed to have frozen at that moment. Lieutenant Colonel Top held the pocket watch and stared at the hands. When the hands circled more than two times, he became extremely nervous.

Boom boom boom...

Three dull sounds were heard, and Lieutenant Colonel Top immediately raised his periscope and saw that the huge warship being targeted had been engulfed in fire. In the light of the fire, he could still see falling water that was more than ten meters high. wall!

Lieutenant Colonel Top stretched out his right hand and handed over a Leica camera. Top placed the camera lens on the eyepiece of the periscope and took a photo. Then he immediately retracted the periscope and loudly issued the order to evacuate: "Left rudder 20, full speed Evacuate!”

When the U-3010 boat turned rapidly underwater and accelerated its evacuation, Admiral Halsey, who was riding on the light cruiser USS Little Rock, felt his heart suddenly rise to his throat.

Three torpedoes hit the mine protection armor below the waterline on the port side of the battleship Wisconsin. The huge destructive force caused by the underwater explosion of 350 kilograms of TNT explosives immediately tore apart the side main armor belt and main mine protection spliced ​​together. However, the Iowa class has multiple watertight compartments and a three-layer bottom. In theory, the hits of 2-3 torpedoes cannot affect its combat effectiveness at all.

However, the Wisconsin has been hit by 4 large missiles and was seriously injured long ago. The fire has been burning for several hours and has not been extinguished. Moreover, due to the violent explosion and fire, many equipment on the Wisconsin have malfunctioned. Can it be done? It's really hard to say how it could withstand the blows of three German torpedoes.

Moreover... there should be more than one German submarine underwater, and it is impossible for them to launch only three torpedoes.

Halsey's conjecture soon became a reality. Just a few minutes after the Wisconsin was hit by a torpedo, 12 torpedoes were launched by U-3011 and U-3012 boats, which also belonged to the 27th Submarine Detachment of the 1st Submarine Group. They rushed towards the Missouri and Iowa respectively, and 7 of them hit their targets. The Missouri was hit by 4 torpedoes, and the Iowa was hit by 3 torpedoes.

Less than 5 minutes later, the U-3013 and U-3014 boats of the 27th Submarine Detachment both launched an attack. 6 of the 12 T1B torpedoes hit the target. Among them, the Wisconsin was hit by a mine again and took 4 of them. Another two torpedoes hit a Fletcher-class destroyer that was dropping depth charges next to the Wisconsin and scanning the sea with a searchlight (searching for torpedo trails).

What followed were four Type 21 U-boats, U-3015, U-3016, U-3017 and U-3018. These four U-boats launched a total of 24 rounds at the three Iowa-class battleships that were already swaying on the sea. A T1B torpedo! 13 of them hit the target!

Less than 3 minutes later, three other submarines belonging to the 27th Submarine Detachment, U-3019, U-3020 and U-3021, fired another 18 torpedoes. This time, 10 torpedoes hit!

At this point, the first round of attacks by the 12 Type 21 U-boats participating in tonight's submarine night attack is over - yes, the first round! These 12 Type 21 U-boats all carry 24 T1B-type torpedoes that can attack large surface ships. If they are all launched, the number will be 288... Not only are the three Iowa-class boats that have been severely damaged unable to be saved, but even these three torpedoes The destroyers and light cruisers escorted by the Iowa-class battleships, including the USS Little Rock aboard Admiral Halsey himself, would be sent to the bottom of the sea by German torpedoes.