SS Normandie
Normandie was a French ocean liner built in Saint-Nazaire, France, for the French Line Compagnie Générale Transatlantique (CGT). She entered service in 1935 as the largest and fastest passenger ship afloat, crossing the Atlantic in a record 4.14 days, and remains the most powerful steam turbo-electric-propelled passenger ship ever built.
Colorized photo of SS Normandie at sea, c. 1935-1936 | |
| History | |
|---|---|
| France | |
| Name | Normandie |
| Namesake | Normandy |
| Owner | Compagnie Générale Transatlantique |
| Port of registry | Port of Le Havre |
| Route | Le Havre-Southampton-New York |
| Builder | Chantiers de Penhoet, Saint-Nazaire, France |
| Laid down | 26 January 1931 |
| Launched | 29 October 1932 |
| Christened | 29 October 1932 |
| Completed | 1933 |
| Maiden voyage | 29 May 1935 |
| In service | 1935–1942 |
| Out of service | 1942 |
| Identification |
|
| Fate | Caught fire, capsized 1942. Scrapped October 1946 |
| General characteristics | |
| Type | Ocean liner |
| Tonnage | |
| Displacement | 68,350 tons (loaded) |
| Length | |
| Beam | 35.9 m (117 ft 10 in); |
| Height | 56.1 m (184 ft) |
| Draught | 11.2 m (36 ft 7 in) (loaded) |
| Depth | 28.0 m (92 ft) to promenade (strength) deck |
| Decks | 12 |
| Installed power | Four turbo-electric, total 160,000 hp (200,000 hp max). |
| Propulsion | Four 3 bladed on launch – later 4 bladed |
| Speed |
|
| Capacity | 1,972: 848 First Class (cabin), 670 Tourist Class, 454 Third Class |
| Crew | 1,345 |
Normandie's novel design and lavish interiors led many to consider her the greatest of ocean liners, and she would go on to heavily influence the French arm of the Streamline Moderne design movement (called the style paquebot, or "ocean liner style"). Despite this, she was not a commercial success and relied partly on government subsidy to operate. During service as the flagship of the CGT, she made 139 westbound transatlantic crossings from her home port of Le Havre to New York City. Normandie held the Blue Riband for the fastest transatlantic crossing at several points during her service career, during which the RMS Queen Mary was her main rival.
During the Second World War, Normandie was seized by U.S. authorities at New York and renamed USS Lafayette. In 1942, while being converted to a troopship, the liner caught fire and capsized onto her port side and came to rest, half submerged, on the bottom of the Hudson River at Pier 88 (the site of the current New York Passenger Ship Terminal). Although salvaged at great expense, restoration was deemed too costly and she was scrapped in October 1946.