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От
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realswat
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К
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Кларенс
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Дата
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27.02.2015 12:24:35
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Рубрики
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WWII;
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Из рапорта командира "Арк Роял" кэптена Маунда
Чтоб не было испорченного телефона - сначала выдержки.
Narrative and Composition:- The striking force comprising four Swordfish of 818 Squadron, four Swordfish of 810 Squadron and seven of 820 Squadron took offat 1910 and formed up in two squadrons of three sub-flights each, in line astern. Force took departure at 19.25 over RENOWN and sighted SHEFFIELD, who was shadowing BISMARCK at 19.55. The orders given the striking force were first to make contact with SHEFFIELD and then to proceed in to the attack The reason for this was to ensure contact with the enemy being made in bad visibility obtaining, and secondly to ensure that SHEFFIELD would not be the target. This meant the passage to SHEFFIELD being made below the cloud and a climb to attacking height after she had been sighted. Thus the flying off to making the attack was 1 hour 45 minutes . Having reached SHEFFIELD the force climbed to 6,000 feet Weather here was 7/10ths cloud from 2,000 to 5,000, conditions ideal for torpedo attack. During the climb contact was lost with SHEFFIELD due to cloud but contact was made again at 2035 and bearing and distance of enemy was obtained from her by V/S, i.e. 110°, 12 miles. Force took departure for target in sub-flights in line astern at 2040, track 110°, ground speed 110 knots. On nearing the enemy a thick bank of cloud with base about 700 feet and. top from 6,000 to 10,000 feet, was encountered and. force got split up in climbing through it.
At 2047 when it was calculated that enemy would be in suitable position for an attack down wind from astern, No. 1 sub-flight dived through the cloud but on reaching the base enemy was seen four miles down wind to the Eastward. Position for attack on port beam was gained by approaching• just in the clouds, and final dive and approach to attack was made at 2053. No 1 sub-flight was shortly followed by one aircraft of No. 3 sub-flight who also attacked from port beam. This aircraft observed a hit on enemy about two-thirds of Its length from forward. Aircraft made a getaway down wind. All four aircraft came under very intense and accurate AA fire from the first moment of sighting until out of range.
No. 2 sub-flight lost touch with No/ 1 sub-flight climbing through the cloud. Having climbed to 9,000 feet, where ice started to form, No. 2 flight, still in the cloud, dived down on a bearing obtained from A.S.V and attacked from the starboard beam with two aircraft under intense and accurate AA fire from the first moment of sighting until out of range. The third aircraft of the sub-flight, 2P, pilot Sub-Lieutenant (A) A. W Duncan Beale, having lost touch with his sub-flight in the cloud returned to SHEFFIELD to obtain a range and bearing of the enemy. This obtained, he made back to ahead of BISMARCK and alone carried out a determined attack from the port bow in face of very heavy fire; his crew saw the torpedo hit the target amidships port side.
No. 4 sub-flight followed No. 3 sub-flight into the cloud and got iced up at 6,600 feet After seven minutes the sub-flight dived and found a clear patch at 2,000 feet, where it was joined miraculously by the second aircraft of No. 3 sub-flight BISMARCK was sighted almost at once engaging No. 2 sub-flight to starboard. All four aircraft circled the stern of BISMARCK and dived through a low piece of cloud and attacked simultaneously from her port side. As with sub-flights, these aircraft were met with very fierce fire which continued until they were about seven miles away. Aircraft 4C was hit about a hundred times and both pilot and air-gunner were wounded, the observer being uninjured.
No. 5 sub-flight of two aircraft followed into cloud, lost contact and lost each other. After climbing to 7,000 feet, ice started to form and so they came down through the clouds. While in cloud at about 3,500 feet aircraft 4K was engaged by AA Fire. On coming out at 1,000 feet the enemy was sighted down wind and ahead. Aircraft 4K went back into cloud to work round into a favourable position, being fired at all the time. While working round a torpedo hit on BISMARCK was seen on her starboard side. When 4K had reached a position on the starboard bow it withdrew to about five miles and came in just above the sea and dropped just outside 1,000 yards. The other aircraft of No. 5 sub-flight, 4L, lost his leader in cloud at about 6,500 feet altered to starboard to keep clear and then resumed the original course. At 7,000 feet the cloud was cleared. Seeing no other aircraft about he dived through the cloud and came out on the starboard quarter of the enemy, who immediately opened fire. 4L dived away out of range. He then made two attempts to close but was so heavily engaged that he jettisoned his torpedo and returned to ARK ROYAL.
No. 6 sub-flight followed into cloud and when at 6,300 feet turned 40° to port, climbed clear of the cloud at 7,450 feet, waited for about 1/4 hour and then returned to SHEFFIELD for another range and bearing for BISMARCK The sub-flight then searched for BISMARCK at sea level and attacked on the starboard beam. Intense fire prevented the aircraft from closing, 4G dropped at about 2,000 yards, and 4F jettisoned on returning to ARK ROYAL
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7. Particulars of enemy gunfire:- Heavy and well directed. 'Barrage' fire was not used but impression is that fire control was split up into several groups of both large and small calibre guns, one group or more concentrating on individual aircraft.
8. Damage.
5B. Splinters in spinner, Townend ring, and port lower mainplane
4C. Severe damage by splinters (175 holes counted) including longerons, - write off.
2A. Splinters through fuselage ahead of fuel tank and port lower aileron.
2B. Splinters through tailplane and port lower mainplane.
Casualties:
820 Squadron.
S/Lt(A) FA Swanton - slightly wounded in shoulder
by splinter.
A/Lg. Air. JR Seager - wounded in thigh by splinter.
818 and 810 Squadrons - nil.
Дополнение по повреждённым самолётам:
5В – первое звено
4С – четвёртое звено
2А, 2В – второе звено.