Technology and Operations
This forum is for discussing technological & operational matters pertaining to U-boats.
Re: U480 A stealth Uboat
Posted by:
ThomasHorton
()
Date: October 02, 2009 02:29PM
Alberich - which used a synethic rubber compound called Oppanol, Oppanol pannels were glued to the sides of the submarine as a way of both hindering active sonar by absorbing the active sonar pulses and reducing the sound signature of the submarine against passive hydrophones.
It was first used operationally (1940) on the U-67 Type IXC. The problem with Alberich was in the adhesive used. Gluing synethic rubber to steel alloys under water that can withstand the current effects as well as the temperature effects is difficult. Many experments showed that the tiles would strip away.
By 1944, improvements in adhesives were implemented on the U-480 Type VII successfully. Testing during the war and after showed that the Alberich tiles only reduced the active sonar signal (by absorbtion and redirection) by about 15%. Nice, but ultimately probably not worth the effort and expense.
I do not believe that Alberich was used on the Type XXI as the added bulk would have hindered the underwater performance of the Type XXI.
"Makes you wonder if they had done this to a type XXI the war could have been a different story."
Well the Type XXI had existing problems that would have made any "improvement" by the incorporation of Alberich moot. In Clay Blair's book on U-boats he references the post war US evaluation of the Type XXI. It is a very interesting and eye-opening read.
It was first used operationally (1940) on the U-67 Type IXC. The problem with Alberich was in the adhesive used. Gluing synethic rubber to steel alloys under water that can withstand the current effects as well as the temperature effects is difficult. Many experments showed that the tiles would strip away.
By 1944, improvements in adhesives were implemented on the U-480 Type VII successfully. Testing during the war and after showed that the Alberich tiles only reduced the active sonar signal (by absorbtion and redirection) by about 15%. Nice, but ultimately probably not worth the effort and expense.
I do not believe that Alberich was used on the Type XXI as the added bulk would have hindered the underwater performance of the Type XXI.
"Makes you wonder if they had done this to a type XXI the war could have been a different story."
Well the Type XXI had existing problems that would have made any "improvement" by the incorporation of Alberich moot. In Clay Blair's book on U-boats he references the post war US evaluation of the Type XXI. It is a very interesting and eye-opening read.
