SS Normandie

"Normandie" at sea c. 1935–1936
History
France
Name	Normandie
Namesake	Normandy
Owner	Compagnie Générale Transatlantique[1]
Port of registry	Port of Le Havre[1]
Route	Le Havre-Southampton-New York
Builder	Chantiers de Penhoet, Saint-Nazaire, France[1]
Laid down	26 January 1931
Launched	29 October 1932
Christened	29 October 1932
Completed	1933
Maiden voyage	29 May 1935[2]
In service	1935–1942
Out of service	1942
Identification	Call sign FNSK[1]
Fate	Caught fire, capsized February 1942. Scrapped October 1946.
General characteristics
Type	Ocean liner
Tonnage	79,280 GRT (1935–1936) 83,423 GRT (post-1936)
Displacement	68,350 tons (loaded)
Length	313.6 m (1,029 ft) o/a 293.2 m (962 ft) p/p[1]
Beam	35.9 m (117 ft 10 in);[1]
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).[3]
Propulsion	Four 3 bladed on launch – later 4 bladed
Speed	29.5 kn (54.6 km/h; 33.9 mph) designed 32.2 kn (59.6 km/h; 37.1 mph) recorded on trials
Capacity	1,972: 848 First Class (cabin), 670 Tourist Class, 454 Third Class
Crew	1,345

SS 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.^[4][5]

Normandie's novel design and lavish interiors led many to consider her the greatest of ocean liners.^[6][7] Despite this, she was not a commercial success and relied partly on government subsidy to operate.^[7] 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 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 Manhattan Cruise Terminal). Although salvaged at great expense, restoration was deemed too costly and she was scrapped in October 1946.