Her slim form leaves virtually no wake even at speed of 25 knots, which the United States is doing here in this trial run off Cape Henry, Va, before delivery to U.S. Lines. The smoke is leaving the funnels sidewise due to a strong crosswind.
The $70 million S.S. United States, the world's newest liner, is the biggest ship ever built in the U.S. Above, in a painting done for LIFE (U.S.), she is shown in cross section against a background of lower Manhattan. At right her main areas are located. She is 990 feet long, grosses 53.000 tons, has 12 decks and carries 2.000 passengers, almost half of them in first class. She has theaters equipped for stage productions, a swimming pool for both first and cabin class passengers, children's playrooms in all three classes, special nonslip flooring on the play decks. The United States is, all in all, the most luxurious liner afloat. and, for many reasons, is a seagoing miracle.
She was built by the Newport News Shipbuilding Co. in less than 30 months, whereas it took more than four years to build the Queen Elisabeth. She carries virtually as many passengers as the Elizabeth, the world's largest ship, yet weighs an astonishing 20.000 tons less. She contains more aluminum than any other thing ever built anywhere any time and is the first big ship to completely air-conditioned and fireproof. In a matter of days she can be converted to a troop carrier accommodating 14.000 men.
But what will most firmly establish the United States as a nautical wonder is her speed. With her turbines running at only two thirds of capacity she has gone 34 knots. The Queen Mary got up to 33 knots when she established the transatlantic crossing record. The United States's speed is accounted for in part by high-pressure turbines, the most powerful in the world. Other speed factors are her slim hull, her lightness, her double set of twin propellers. At slower speeds only the forward pair are used. But at the signal for more speed the aft screws cut in, much like the overdrive on a modern car.
Just how fast she can go is not yet known (before her maiden voyage - my annotation) and, when it is, will become a military secret. A lot of shipwise people are sure that if she lets out, the United States will be the first oceanliner to pass 40 knots. And some suspect she will reach 45 (43 knots - my annotation).
Cabin class stateroom on main deck has twin washbasins (visible in the mirror), accommodates two to four passengers, two of them in Pullmanlike upper berths. Fare: $275 a person. Tourist class cabins are much the same as this but smaller.
First class stateroom contains aluminum furniture, fire resistant spreads and drapes. Fare for this room New york to Southampton (in season) is $455. Every cabin on ship has telephone from which passengers can make overseas calls.
Swimming pool is of Monel metal (first ever to be installed on a ship) since this material is far lighter than tile. The temperature of its salt water is controlled thermostatically. The decorative signal flags spell "Come on in" the water's fine."
Leaving 13.000 wildly waving visitors behind, the United States backed out of her pier July 3, 1952 for her maiden Atlantic voyage. Once at sea she settled down to the serious business of living up on her trial-run speed. The first day out she set a new record, averaging 34.11 knots, against the Queen Mary's 31.13. The second day, operating through fog, by radar, she covered the greatest distance any ship has ever made in only one day - 801 miles at 35.6 knots. On the third day, she stepped up speed until she was plowing the seas at 36.17 knots (41 miles an hour).
Early next morning at blast of the ship's horn announced the United States has crossed Bishop Rock, official transatlantic finish line. At an average speed of 35.59 knots she had made the trip in three days, 10 hours, 40 minutes, beating the record set by the Queen Mary in 1938 by 10 hours, two minutes. Then she turned round to challenge the westward record.
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