The submarines of World War II were effectively surface vessels with submersible

capabilities. They nearly always operated on the surface - dipping under only to hide
or attack. They were designed for speed and stability on the surface. When
submerged, they operated at slow speeds for relatively short periods of time. Battery
life was the primary restriction in extended underwater operations. The NSF
recommendations called for a feasibility study of a submarine with a fully rounded
hull, a single propeller located along the axis, and a pressure hull constructed with a
new, stronger steel called HY-80.

USS Albacore (AGSS-569) was a unique research submarine that pioneered the

American version of the teardrop hull form. The revolutionary design was derived
from extensive hydrodynamic and wind tunnel testing, with an emphasis on
underwater speed and manoeuvrability.

The submarines of World War II were effectively surface vessels with submersible
capabilities. They nearly always operated on the surface - dipping under only to hide
or attack. They were designed for speed and stability on the surface. When
submerged, they operated at slow speeds for relatively short periods of time. Battery
life was the primary restriction in extended underwater operations. ASW advances
during the war had broken the back of Germany's U-boat service. After 1943, U-
boats were vulnerable to detection and attack whenever surfaced. To counter this, a
new boat - type XXI - was developed. This type became operational in 1945 but it
was too late for Germany. The type XXI boats were the first true submarines and
were, in large measure, the basis for the next generation of Allied submarines. After
the war the Undersea Warfare Committee of the National Science Foundation issued
a set of recommendations recognizing that submerged speed and endurance were
critical in war-making and survivability. The NSF recommendations called for a
feasibility study of a submarine with a fully rounded hull, a single propeller located
along the axis, and a pressure hull constructed with a new, stronger steel called HY-
80. The NSF report ignited debate within Navy circles over a variety of issues such
as the merits of twin propellers vs. singles, and the sacrifice of surface stability for
undersea speed. The result of the recommendations and ensuing debate was the
U.S.S. Albacore.

Phase I

Construction was approved in 1950 and in March 1952 her keel was laid at the
Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in Kittery, Maine. She was launched just over a year
later, on Aug. 1,1953. Her shape - smooth, rounded into a tear drop, with a small
stream-lined sail ,was vastly different from active duty boats in 1953. She was
shorter and broader abeam than conventional submarines. Her designers had made
every effort to streamline the hull – going as far as testing the shape in a wind tunnel.
To that end, her capstans, cleats and bullnoses, antenna and periscope were
housed in recesses when not in use. Since she was an experimental boat, no
weapons were ever fitted to the Albacore. In the first phase of testing, the after
control surfaces were suspended behind the single screw by large arms. She was
fitted with bow planes and a small dorsal rudder mounted on the rear portion of the
sail. The dorsal rudder was included to prevent the boat from excessive heeling
during high-speed maneuvering. During her initial trials, the boat met her speed
goals handily. Because no one was sure what might happen during high speed
maneuvering, the initial runs were performed at a constant depth and course.

As her handlers became more confident, the boat was subjected to increasingly tight
turns at high speed. This testing proved particularly valuable when Albacore
participated in ASW drills with Navy destroyers. The destroyers soon learned that the
little sub was a quiet adversary. Her smooth hull silently (to 1950's sound gear)
sliced through depths even at high speeds. When located and pursued, she routinely
turned inside the destroyer's turning radius and sped away. Speed was an entirely
new arena for submarines. Before Albacore, most submarines topped out at 10kts or
less underwater. While Albacore's top speed is still classified, she held the undersea
speed record even after the Skipjack class became operational - and they were
rated, unofficially, at 30+ kts submerged. Unofficial sources have indicated that
speeds approaching 50 knots might have been attained. The Albacore designers
borrowed freely from aircraft technologies where appropriate. The single "driver"
controls depth and course with an aircraft-style wheel. Down angle was increased by
pushing the wheel forward and vice versa. The driver's station contains a seat belt
for high-speed maneuvering.

Phase II

The results of Phase I testing had indicated that, at high speed, the stresses at the
base of the arms suspending the after control surfaces was unacceptably high. As a
result, in 1956 the Albacore was given a new set of after control surfaces. The
rudders and after diving planes were moved forward of the screw and arranged in a
cruciform or "+" configuration. In addition, the dorsal rudder was eliminated and
sound-deadening materials were added to many key areas. Even while the Albacore
continued her work, a new generation of attack submarines were under construction
using many of the advancements she had tested in phase I. In May 1956, the
construction of the U.S.S. Barbel, first of a three-boat class, began. Barbel and her
kin had the same tear-drop hull design as the Albacore and were constructed with
the same HY-80 steel. The Barbel's were 219 feet long and had a 29 foot beam - just
slightly greater than the Albacore. They were diesel/electric boats and were fully
armed. They were also the last non-nuclear combat subs built by the U.S. Navy. The
Skipjack program was run in parallel with the Barbel construction. These boats
combined the Albacore hull shape, single axis-mounted propeller and HY-80 steel
with a nuclear propulsion system. The S5W reactor performed so well and proved so
reliable that it was used for two decades in U.S. and some British sub designs. As for
the Albacore, much of her testing in this period was on Sonar advancements.
Further changes in Phase II included the deletion of the bow planes in 1958 and, the
following year, a larger, 14 foot propeller was installed and then deleted in the next
phase.

Phase III

The stern control surfaces were changed again in 1960. The rudders and diving
planes were rotated into an "X" shaped configuration. This arrangement proved very
popular with foreign submarine designers but has never reappeared on U.S.
submarines. The Dorsal rudder was reinstalled and enlarged and the boat was
outfitted with speed brakes. These brakes - another concept borrowed from aviation
- technology, consisted of 10 hinged panels ringing the nafter part of the ship. When
needed, they were hydraulically opened into the waterflow, bringing the boat to a
rapid stop. New Sonars were tested from the bow radar dome and a towed array
was fitted to the after part of the vessel. In 1962, project "Bailout" was initiated. Still
concerned about the high speeds Albacore was operating at, the Navy constantly
searched for new ways to increase the safety margin for the crew. The Navy
borrowed three B-47 drag chutes from Pease Air Force Base in New Hampshire.

Phase IV

The predominate change in this phase was the installation of counter-rotating

screws. The drive shaft for the forward screw consisted of a sleeve which housed the
drive shaft for the after screw. A new system of blowing water ballast was also
installed . The Albacore and other U.S. subs ran a maze of piping run from the air
banks, through the control room and then on to the ballast tanks . In the Control
Room, the blow valves were manually operated to expel ballast in each tank. The
new system brought the blow valves to the ballast tanks. These were operated by a
single switch in the control room. The new system was simpler to operate and
maintain. In case of emergency or loss of power, the ballast would be automatically
blown and the vessel would quickly rise to the surface. In addition, new silver-zinc
batteries replaced the conventional lead-acid type and the speed brakes were
removed. Further high-speed trials were conducted to evaluate the propulsion
system, and controls after which the Albacore received her last configuration
changes. The distance between her counter-rotating screws was later shortened,
from 10 feet to 5 feet

Further tests of communications equipment were completed before she was placed
on reduced status in 1969 and subsequently decommissioned in 1972. She had
fulfilled her designers promises with distinction. A little submarine with a long legacy: