[ 01-09-2012: Message edited by: joe at travelpage ]

Thanks for the link. I'm thinking about getting it, but the low price makes me wonder.....?

Check out the thumbnail pics at the bottom of the page. The second small pic shows the ill fated Stockholm. I notice that she was launched with both her superstucture and funnels in place. I have not seen this done to many times. Especially with a ship of this size! It's not like she sits low in the water like a tanker or frieghter, which I have seem launched with thier upper works in place. But with a liner it just seems like it would be a little risky to me. Especially with all the additional wieght on her keel during that critical time when the ship slides over the end of the slipways.
I'm curious as to why some ships are built and launched this way. Was it just the way certain ship builders or countries prefered to do it? Or was there some sort of benifit to this method?
Anyone know or have any ideas?

Tha

[ 02-05-2004: Message edited by: Michael534 ]

This is what I know about it. If someone can tell me more about it, please tell.

1. A five funnel, 25 knots liner for the Norddeutscherlloyd, planned in 1902

2. In the late 1907 Albert Ballin cancelled the idea to order a 44.000 tons fourstacker at the Harland & Wolff yard. The ship was’nd luxieus and big enough against the plans of the White Star Line and Cunurd. Later he ordered 3 ships of over 50.000 grt, well knowed as the Imperator trio.

3. In 1914 the keel was layed for an 33.000 gross tons liner at the Harland & Wolff yard in Belfast for the White Star Line. The name would be Germanic. In that same year the stopped to make place for the battleship HMS Glorious.

4. The White Star line had a design of a fourstacker, made i 1927 by Harland & Wolff, like the Olympic class, but more than 100 ft long. After all the keel was laid at june 28 1928 for the 60.000 tons Oceanic. The order was cancelled at the end of the same year. She made place for two smaller ships, the well known Britannic and Georgic.

5. The United States Lines (P.W.Chapman) had plans to replace their Leviathan in 1929 by two ships of 45.000 grt. The plan was cancelled.

6. Some ships were during the 2nd world war build as passenger liners, but delivered otherwise. The Swedish Stockholm, Izumo Maru and Kashiwara Maru and the 41.000 tons Vaterland. The same happened during the first world war with the Statendam and Britannic.

7. In 1938 the French Line had plans for a 100.000 tonner with a length of 349,9 meter and a service speed of 34 knots. Vladimir Yourkevitch designed her.

8. In the USA were plans in that same year for one or two ships of 100.000 ton, 400 meter and 7000 passengers.

9. In 1940 the Holland America Line planned a modern version of her Nieuw Amsterdam with 3 funnels to replace their Rotterdam.

10. Walter Ballard (the man behind the Liberties) had a plan for two 150.000 grt liners for 10.000 passengers each. They would cost about $400 million dollar together.

11. During the fifties the United States Lines planned a 105.000 tons liner with a length of 380 meter, to be delivered in 1957.

12. In 1957 the USL had plans to order a second United States. The costs should be $120 million. The USL would pay $ 50 million of it.

13. In 1957 the Cunard Line planned 1 or 2 ships of 40 million pound each.

14. In 1957 the French Line planned a 53.000 tonner for 25 million pound. The French government advised a 35.000 tonner, eventually later followed by a second one. The plans are finally realized by building the 66.000 tons France.

15. The US-Dept. of Comm. Had plans for 1 or 2 ships of 90.000 grt in 1959. They should carry 6000 passengers and 1350 crew. With a length of 351 meter and a servicespeed of 34 knots.

16. In 1959 Hiram B.Cantor from New York had plans to realize the Sea Coach Transatlantic Lines. He would order two 90.000 tonners at the Deutsche Werft. The design of the ships came from Vladimir Yourkevitch, who designed the Normandie. With a length between 350 and 400 meter and a beam of 40 meter they should carry 6000 passengers and 1350 crew. The names should be Peace and Goodwill.

17. In 1959 L.Edgar Detwiler would order four 120.000 grt liners at the Verolme Yard in Holland. Each ship would carry 8000 passengers and 2000 crew. Length x beam: 388,6 x 39 meter. The ships had to sail under the Dutch flag between Amsterdam and New York (2 ships) and between Lisbon and New York (the other two). The first should be delivered in 1964. The names were already reserved; New Yorker, Hollander, Lisbon and United Nations.

18. In 1960 Cunard had plans to replace their Britannic by a 20.000 tonner and to order 2 ships of 75.000 grt to replace their both Queens.

19. In 1961 there were plans to order 3 very big ships for the new Atlantic Express Lines of America.

20. Even the USSR had plans to order a big ship in 1961

21. The Verolme Yard (in the Netherlands) should build a 20.000 tonner in the early sixties with the name “Wij Komen”, for carrying 850 passengers.

American President Lines wanted a Pacific superliner and she generally looked like the United States with slightly taller funnels and the APL markings. Her designated name was President Washington. The US Government approved the plan but the money was simply not there for the ship.

American Export wanted a third sister ship or an improved sister to the Independence and Constitution but never put the money up.

Gibbs drew up plans for Moore McCormack to replace the original Good Neighbors in the 1950s. They looked very much like the Santa Rosa/Santa Paula but never got built because MM Lines was busy negotiating with the US Govt. In the end the two new passenger ships were part of a much bigger fleet renewal MM did with MarAd. They redesigned the pax ships to the 1957 sisters that were built.

Nice looking ship.

[ 02-01-2012: Message edited by: Thad ]