Albacore
Albacore at sea (picture from Lagress and Mandelblatt (1999))

 
Class Albacore
Build 1952
Length 62.2 m
Width 8.4 m
Speed (surfaced/submerged)  25/33
Maximum depth >300 m
Displacement (surfaced/submerged) 1500/1850 ton
Crew Size 52

 
Prior to the Albacore, submarine hulls were designed like surface ships, i.e. they had a V-shaped lower hull with a flat deck. The Albacore was the first boat with a streamlined hull specifically designed for underwater running. It is interesting to note that the hull shape of the Albacore was derived from that of Zeppelins. This kind of shape called the 'Lyon shape' and is named after Hilda Lyon who used wind tunnel tests to design British airships. 

 
Graph from a US Navy report showing the horsepower requirements (y-axis) as a function of speed (x-axis) for four different hull shapes: fleet submarine, GUPPY hull, the Tang, and the Lyon shape. This graph clearly shows that by using a streamlined hull the same horsepower leads to greater underwater speed. Picture taken from Lagress and Mandelblatt (1999). 

 

The author and the Albacore, July 2002.

 
The Albacore was built to demonstrate the capabilities of the streamlined hull and was regarded an experimental boat. As a result, she was not equipped with torpedoes. The Albacore was powered by a diesel electric system while trials with the other revolution in submarine design: nuclear power were conducted on the Nautilus.
Being an experimental boat, the Albacore was used to test several other submarine innovations: sail rudder, dive breaks, X-tail aft rudders, counter rotating screws and drag reduction by injecting drag reduction polymers from the nose of the sub. As it is normal in research, not all of the innovations were proven to be a success. 

 
The Albacore at its last resting place in Portsmouth, NH.

 

Sail of the Albacore showing the innovative sail rudder that was intended to compensate the roll of the boat during sharp turns. 

 

The aft section of the Albacore showing two innovations: (1) the X-tail rudder configuration and (2) dual counter rotating screws.

 

Control room of the Albacore with the periscope in the center of the photo. 

 

Innovation again! This picture shows the helm of the Albacore. Unlike WWII subs, the Albacore is steered with only one control yoke just like an airplane. 

 

Sonar room of the Albacore. Apart from hydrodynamic innovations, the Albacore also served as a test platform for new sonar 
techniques. 

 

The Albacore was equipped with for and aft escape trunks, this picture shows the aft one.

 

Escape Trunk operating procedure.

 

The Albacore at the Albacore Park.

 

Internal layout of the Albacore, large picture (125 kB here). 

 

Visit the Albacore in Portsmouth, New Hampshire! Not only is the sub a great boat to visit (nothing is hidden behind plexiglas like in normal museum boats) but Portsmouth is a very nice town (great seafood restaurants). 
Albacore Park, 600 Market Street, Portsmouth, NH 03801. Phone: 603-436 3680.

 
Literature

Robert P. Largess and James L. Mandelblatt, 1999, "U.S.S. Albacore - forerunner of the future-", The Portsmouth Marine Society,  ISBN 0-915819-25-2.