From the history of the liner "Normandie"

Ships - like people. Each has its own destiny. They are born, live long, or not, life in a blaze of glory or a modest worker, and die, sometimes die tragically. Nowadays, more rarely ships used as a passenger vehicle - if you need to cross the ocean, it's easier and faster to do on the plane. And a huge ocean liners began to cruise, carry tourists on the seas, oceans, even to circumnavigate the globe. And until the second half of the twentieth century passenger ships were the cheapest mode of transport, if it was necessary to get from one continent to another.

Maritime powers sought to outdo each other by building huge ships and competing in the speed of delivery of passengers and cargo. Particularly acute struggle for the speed was between the Atlantic basin countries: Britain, France, Germany, USA. It was created for the Atlantic high-speed, comfortable and expensive trial, and it was here conceived and developed a tough fight for the challenge prize "Blue Riband", awarded to the liner, which is the shortest time overcame the way from the coast of England to the United States. Prize "Blue Riband" first purely symbolic, then as a silver goblet, lasted more than a hundred years, from 1840 to 1952, when the last time he was awarded the American liner "United jersey states».

It is in the fight for this prize captain, or rather infamous owner of "Titanic", ignored warning about the danger of a collision with an iceberg and did not change the course that led to the tragedy. In the history of the "Blue Riband" a lot of sad pages. This article - one of the largest and most expensive ships of the first half of the twentieth century - "Normandy", whose fate was such that he died not in the ocean, in the struggle against the elements, and in the harbor, at the quay wall.

Transatlantic liner "Normandie" was launched in October 1932 at the French shipyard "Pennoet" in Saint-Nazaire. Moreover, during the descent, when the giant ship the stocks included in the water, on the shore of a huge wave rushed and took more than a hundred workers and visitors, standing close to the stern. Fortunately, they were all saved. Although many saw the incident negative omen. In those thirties, the capitalist world was gripped by economic crisis, unemployment and the number of people wishing to cross the Atlantic has declined sharply, despite the fact that shipping companies to reduce the cost of tickets. Therefore, the shipowner, the company "French Line", postponed the first flight of a new vessel until 1935, partly explaining this completion and additional equipment.

"Normandy" had enormous size. The length of its body is 313, 75 meters, width - 35, 9 meters, depth - 28, while the average sediment to the waterline - 11, 2 meters. Gross tonnage - 83,400 registered tons (RT), the engine power - 160 000 hp For comparison, the legendary "Titanic" had a length of 269 meters, gross tonnage 46,300 RT, engine power 46 thousand hp. and significantly lower than all other parameters. If the "Normandy" stand upright next to the Eiffel Tower, the tower would have been lower in height to 15 meters! In his eleven decks could accommodate 1,972 passengers and 1,285 team.



"Normandy" for several years had been the largest vessel in the world. Although soon, in 1936, the UK has launched its gigantic ship - "Queen Mary» (Queen Mary), inferior "Normandy" in length by only 3 meters and displacement for a couple of tons, has the same engine power. But in terms of maneuverability and luxury interior decoration "Normandy" was the first! These two liner until the Second World War fought with varying success for the possession of the prize "Blue Riband". As one traveler put it: "Queen Mary" - an English lady in a tracksuit and "Normandy" - a young Frenchwoman in a ball gown ».

Despite the huge size, "Normandy" are easy and graceful yachts, easily gliding through the water at speeds of over 30 knots (knot - a nautical mile per hour), leaving little behind the waves. This was due to the ideal in terms of hydro- and aerodynamics hull form developed by the chief designer of the liner, Russian naval engineer VI Yurkevich (it needs a separate article). In designing the "Normandy" Yurkevich helped two Russian emigre engineer. Engines on the liner installed on the system engineer and inventor in the field of diesel engine V.P.Arshaulova, propellers - the system for a talented engineer, AN Kharkevich. A salons were painted the same Russian emigre artist Alexander E. Yakovlev.

One of the specific features of Korablin was turboelektricheskaya power plant. Ships with similar units if there were no more. In the first flight "Normandy" has surpassed all the best indicators liners of the time: the duration of the transition, average speed, daily run. In the last minutes of flight at the match hoisted a blue pennant, indicating that the "Normandy" has set a new record for the Atlantic, developing an average speed of about 30 knots and breaking way from Le Havre to New York for 4 nights for 3 hours and 5 minutes! All passengers received a medal with the image of "Blue Riband" and the words "Made in France". In honor of the first flight "Normandy" was released a special postage stamp. On board the liner passengers could send a letter in an envelope with a picture of a silhouette of the vessel, quenching brands produced a special postmark.



In addition to excellent seaworthiness, "Normandy" hit the wealth and luxury finishes, excelling in the "Titanic." Here were the promenade deck, several restaurants, lounges for smoking lounges for card games, sports facilities, tennis courts, swimming pools, greenhouse and conservatory with birds, trade area with a huge department store, several prayer rooms for different faiths, theater, library and a nightclub, and even special cabins for dogs. There was a huge telephone exchange for 1,100 subscribers and its own fire team of 27 people. Dining Salon had dimensions 90h13 m, which is 16 meters longer than the mirror room at the famous Palace of Versailles! He shone from the abundance of crystal and gold. The floors are littered oriental carpets, carpet in the main cabin weighed 30 tons!

It millionaires were several apartments with four bedrooms (with bathrooms in each), a living room, dining room and a promenade deck. Of course, all the luxury reserved only for first class passengers, whose premises occupied by nine-tenths of Korablin. Passengers third and tourist classes are not even allowed to take place at the premises of the former. Our famous writers Ilya Ilf and Yevgeny Petrov were among the travelers on the "Normandy" and very clearly described the liner in his book "one-storey America" ​​who have read - remember. In July 1937, this ship returned home after the legendary flight from Moscow to America via the North Pole our pilots VP Chkalov, GF Bajdukov and AV Belyakov. At various times on the famous ship sailed singer Shalyapin, filmmakers F.Ermler and I. Roizman.



But that's such a magnificent ship has fallen very short sea life incident during the descent proved to be prophetic ...

Until August 1939 "Normandy" has successfully worked on a transatlantic line, made during this time 139 flights and carried 133,170 passengers, not only paid for itself, but also brought considerable profit to shipowners. 23 August liner once again came out of Le Havre and the 28th arrived in New York.

As you know, on September 1 1939, Hitler invaded Poland and started World War II. "Normandy" was on August 31, a day before the start of the war, to go to the next trip to Europe, but by order of President Roosevelt's it, and with it several major European airliners, was detained at the port to check if there are any weapons on them . I think Americans have the information about the impending war. "Normandy" never left New York.



The Roosevelt administration for a long time could not decide what to do with "Normandy". Liner predicted a brilliant military career. Journalists speculated - whether it be reconstructed in a carrier or to a conventional military transport. After Hitler's accession to France, the puppet Vichy government demanded the return of "Normandy" at home, which meant, in effect, to pass ordinances Vessel Fuhrer. US could not let that happen. Meanwhile, the crew of "Normandy" numbering 1,300 people fell to 115 - to maintain the vessel in good condition. The rest were put ashore. Finally, after much hesitation, December 12, 1941 "Normandy" was officially confiscated by the state government, and above it was raised an American flag.

The ship was renamed the "Lafayette" and began to convert to a military transport. It was necessary to create the conditions on the ship for placement and supply 10 000 people, set the anti-aircraft guns, ammunition depots create. All the work, it was decided to carry out not at the shipyard and in the port, mooring №88. Ruthlessly was cleaning all the luxury of "inner stuffing", were cut bulkheads, etc. In February 1942, work on the conversion of the ship entered the final stage. February 15 the ship was out to sea. Feb. 9 on board took ship supply. In 14 hours and 30 minutes in the cabin, where they were dumped in 1100 bales with rescue Kapkova belts, fire broke out. After a few minutes already burned the entire interior: furniture, rolled-up carpets and walls. A quarter of an hour, 14 hours, 49 minutes, the Fire Department of New York is calling. And after fifteen minutes of the first fire engines arrived at the pier.



On the ship, shrouded in clouds of smoke poured powerful streams of water from fire hoses, but the flames, fanned by strong north-westerly winds, and did not let up to half of the fourth swept promenade deck. After a few minutes the fire broke through on the boat and sun deck, and a little later took up the bridge. A huge amount of water constantly flooded ship - the fire was extinguished and the water area with fire boats and pier. Later, experts estimate that during quenching in building "Normandy" was poured 100 thousand tons of water. Firefighters little versed in matters of stability of the vessel and set in motion the powerful pumps, poured water anywhere.

At the beginning of the fire, former captain of the ship R. Pune and Chief Designer V. Jurkiewicz, the former on the docks, begging the Admiral Andrews, a compound which was supposed to enter "Lafayette", skip to the ship hold drivers so that they open the desired Kingston, and sinking ship, rescued from burning. But the admiral replied haughtily: "Our lifeguards and firefighters know their business better than the French." In helpless despair captain and founder of the liner VI Jurkiewicz watched death Korablin. Many marine areas were partially flooded. An hour later, the ship began to list to port. By 21 hours 30 minutes roll reached 17 degrees to 23 hours 30 minutes - 40 degrees, and on February 10 at 2:00 39 minutes streams of dirty water and liquid sludge from the bottom of the Hudson River poured into the luxurious interior of the most expensive ship in the world, and after five minutes liner lay on the ground with a roll of 80 degrees. Liner, among the top three largest high-speed vessels and the world, in the midst of war was incapacitated. The vessel is capable of accommodating nearly a Infantry Division, were killed by fire just when the US military command has experienced a huge need for troop transport.



By the time the fire on board were 2200 people. 200 people were cut off rapidly spreading fire, huddled on his nose and had to be removed with the help of fire escapes. According to reporters later, Admiral Andrews, one person died and 206 were burned, including 96 - heavy. Rescue work was complicated by the fact that at the beginning of a power outage, out of order telephone, alarm system was not working.

On the causes of the tragedy, there are several different versions. Naval US State Department suggested that a diversion of fascist agents. One journalist later wrote that, wanting to test the vigilance of the liner protection, it a few weeks before the tragedy disguised as a porter freely penetrated the ship. He walked all the premises could be closed, where he wanted, examining weapons, smoke, no one stopped him and asked - who is he and what was doing.

According to another version, appropriating the liner "Normandie", the United States got into quite a quandary: they continued to flirt with the puppet government of France, and at the same time assuring the world of his loyalty in the fight against Hitler. And the "Normandy" prevented Washington in subtle diplomatic game. Many believe that criminal negligence on the liner was well thought out and organized in order to eliminate the "Normandy" as the apple of discord.
Naval Office developed a plan lifting vessel, the realization of which took 22 months of work and $ 5 million. The restoration of the ship, even for military or transportation purposes (not luxury) would require $ 20 million. And the US military refused it.



In 1946, the US government sold the "Normandy", the most expensive ship of that time, the company "Linsett Inc." at the price of scrap iron, just 162 thousand dollars. By mid-1947, 150 cutter and crane operators for 8 months turned into a heap of scrap "Normandy" on the construction of which 14,000 French workers toiled almost 3, 5 years. US compensated for the loss of France, passing it the 20 ships of the "Liberty", which during the war were put Americans on the stream and walked at a price of one million dollars per vessel.

"Normandy" remains in the memory of many people, as an example of genius in the field of shipbuilding, created by Russian shipbuilder VI Yurkevich.