Pillenwerfer

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A post war US diagram of a Pillenwerfer.
A post war US diagram of a Pillenwerfer.

Pillenwerfer or BOLD was a German SONAR decoy, used by U-boats during the Second World War from 1942 onwards. It consisted of a metal tube about 10 cm (3.9 inches) in diameter filled with calcium hydride. When mixed with seawater the calcium hydride produced large quantities of hydrogen which bubbled out of the container, creating a false SONAR target. A valve opened and closed, holding the device at a depth of about 30 m (100 feet). The device lasted for 20 to 25 minutes.

The Royal Navy called it SBT (Submarine Bubble Target).

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