German submarine U-480

History
Nazi Germany
Name	U-480
Ordered	10 April 1941
Builder	Deutsche Werke, Kiel
Yard number	311
Laid down	8 December 1942
Launched	14 August 1943
Commissioned	6 October 1943
Fate	Sunk between 29 January and 20 February 1945 in minefield "Brazier D2" in the English Channel, with the loss of the entire crew of 48.
General characteristics
Class and type	Type VIIC submarine
Displacement	769 tonnes (757 long tons) surfaced; 871 t (857 long tons) submerged;
Length	67.23 m (220 ft 7 in) o/a; 50.50 m (165 ft 8 in) pressure hull;
Beam	6.20 m (20 ft 4 in) o/a; 4.70 m (15 ft 5 in) pressure hull;
Height	9.60 m (31 ft 6 in)
Draught	4.74 m (15 ft 7 in)
Installed power	2,800–3,200 PS (2,100–2,400 kW; 2,800–3,200 bhp) (diesels); 750 PS (550 kW; 740 shp) (electric);
Propulsion	2 shafts; 2 × diesel engines; 2 × electric motors;
Speed	17.7 kn (32.8 km/h; 20.4 mph) surfaced; 7.6 knots (14.1 km/h; 8.7 mph) submerged;
Range	8,500 nmi (15,700 km; 9,800 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph) surfaced; 80 nmi (150 km; 92 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged;
Test depth	230 m (750 ft); Crush depth: 250–295 m (820–968 ft);
Complement	4 officers, 40–56 enlisted
Armament	5 × 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedo tubes (four bow, one stern); 14 × torpedoes or 26 TMA mines; 1 × 8.8 cm (3.46 in) deck gun (220 rounds); 1 × 3.7 cm (1.5 in) Flak M42 AA gun; 2 × twin 2 cm (0.79 in) C/30 anti-aircraft guns;
Service record
Part of:	5th U-boat Flotilla; 6 October 1943 – 31 May 1944; 9th U-boat Flotilla; 1 June – 14 October 1944; 11th U-boat Flotilla; 15 October 1944 – 29 January 1945;
Identification codes:	M 53 621
Commanders:	Oblt.z.S. Hans-Joachim Förster; 6 October 1943 – 29 January 1945;
Operations:	3 patrols:; 1st patrol:; 7 June – 7 July 1944; 2nd patrol:; 3 August – 4 October 1944; 3rd patrol:; 6 – 29 January 1945;
Victories:	2 merchant ships sunk ; (12,846 GRT); 2 warships sunk ; (1,775 tons);

German submarine U-480 was an experimental Kriegsmarine Type VIIC U-boat of World War II.

Considered by many to be the first stealth submarine, it was equipped with a special rubber skin of anechoic tiles (codenamed Alberich, after the German mythological character who had the ability to become invisible), that made it difficult to detect with the Allies' ASDIC (sonar). She was one of about six Type VIIs so equipped.

The U-boat was laid down in the Deutsche Werke in Kiel as yard number 311 on 8 December 1942, launched on 14 August 1943 and commissioned on 6 October 1943 under Oberleutnant zur See Hans-Joachim Förster. U-480 carried out three war patrols, all under Förster's command. Because of its coating, the boat was sent to the heavily defended English Channel.

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