http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x9y870_le-premier-sousmarin-furtif-13_techAlberich's purpose wasn't to make sub more silent, but to nearly eliminate the return of the ASDIC signal - this technic is still applied in nowadays U-Boote built by the Germans.
It was said "Supposedly it will reduce chance of detection by 10%", but this is not true. It is "DOWN TO 10%"
Making absolutely no noise the U-Boot with the Alberich was totally invisible for the ASDIC. The first stealth U-Boot.
I think this is not implemented correctly in the SH3-engine.
This is easily implemented; disable the sensors for sonar, but leave alone those for visual and radar, which accounted for most of the U-Boot kills later in the war, anyhow.
I did some extensive testing on Alberich sometime back and found that it is indeed helpful and made evasion a bit easier.
Evasion must then not always and only be "go deep, silent running, 1knt and 10 degrees port then starboard"
Historically, all 11 coated U-Boote were sunk - but none (that is NOT ONE!) with the help of ASDIC! So history of some boats must be rewritten. For instance U-869:
http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/U_869After the sinking of the ships in the canal by U-480, tons of depth charges were thrown but these droppings were not targeted in any way.
This tactic was well known and should lead the commander to panic induced reactions, so to reveal his true position.
They knew that there had to be a boat but they did not know where it was.
In the documentation, which is worth seeing, the wrecked boat can be seen.
The damaga pattern looks more like direct detonation of a big mine close to the hull. To hit a boat with depth charges in that way must be a lucky punch. Whereas hedgehogs or similar weapons would never had destroyed the structure of a boat so severely.
Any more insights?
Videos?
