[Jan Hendrik]

Built by Vulcan Yard in Stettin, GRT 14,350 , 625 ft in length and 2 steam engines in total 32,000 hp gave her an impressive speed of 22.8 knots.
She was the first superliner with 4 funnels.
At the turn of the century the fastest ships crossing the Atlantic carried a German flag.
At the beginning of WW1 this vessel was converted to a cruiser for the German Navy and sank two English freighters in the Atlantic.
Her luck ran out on Aug 16th 1914 on the West African Coast.
She was spotted by a British "highflyer" which ordered the German's out of the port.
In disgust the captain then ordered to sink his own ship so it did not fall in foreign hands.
She held the Blue Riband until 1907.

oil painting by John Gardner
copyright: Hempel A/S, Copenhagen 01/90

 

[Jan Hendrik]

photo is somewhat "light", I shall take it again and re-post it in the same thread.
I held the camera at 1 metre distance from the calendar in bright sunlight, so have to fiddle around with it.
Same happened to the previous photos.

 

[Jan Hendrik]

Thanks for the story Fred.
I had similar information but shortened the text a bit.
What I do not understand is that the ship is listed as having a GRT of only 14,350.
The picture suggests she would be much bigger.
She was later converted to an auxiliary cruiser for the German Navy and indeed you now mention the displacement tonnage which bears no correlation with the GRT.

 

[Jan Hendrik]

16th August, 1914, was mentioned in my initial story.
Fred may have more info??

 

[Jan Hendrik]

Fred,
Thanks a lot for the interesting story, especially related to the sizes of the vessels, however, you mentioned NORMANDIE being GRT 79,280 and indeed this was the case when she was built.
They found out that the Queen Mary, one year later, was going to be 1000 Tons bigger, so they quickly managed another part deck on top which then increased her GRT to 83,423.
I will post an oil painting under The Great Ocean Liners.
Further the folllowing website is interesting:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SS_Normandie#Construction_.26_Launch

 

[Jan Hendrik]

Always good to make the story as complete a possible.
A great era of passenger liners it was indeed and this will never come back.
Mister Qantas and Mister Air France are happy about that of course.....
Thanks Fred for your contribution here.