QUEEN ELIZABETH 1940
rms QUEEN ELIZABETH quittant Southampton (années 1960)
Le paquebot Queen Elizabeth de 1940 est le dernier superliner classique construit dans la période heureuse des grands paquebots transatlantiques avant la deuxième guerre mondiale qui bouleversera le transport transatlantique.
C'est la réponse britannique au paquebot s/s NORMANDIE.
Le déclenchemlent de la 2° guerre mondiale le surprend en travaux d'achèvement aux chantiers de La Clyde. Il rejoindra en 1940 le port de New York en couleur gris battle dress.
La photo des 3 super liners :
- s/s NORMANDIE,
- Rms QUEEN MARY,
- Rms QUEEN ELIZABETH amarrés côte à côte constitue le chant du cygne des grands paquebots transatlantiques classiques.
La silhouette de ce paquebot montre 2 cheminées alors que Queen Mary et Normandie ont 3 cheminées ; le design de l'ensemble est assez équilibré.
Le paquebot servira de transport de troupes jusqu'à la fin de la guerre et traversera les hostilités sans encombre.
rms QUEEN ELIZABETH transport de troupes
En 1946 il effectue sa première traversée transatlantique civile et continue à naviguer sur la ligne de New York jusqu'au milieu des années 60 et l'essor de l'aviation de ligne avec le Boeing 707.
La mise en service du s/s UNITED STATES constitue une sérieuse concurrence.
Il fait quelques croisières à côté de son service transatlantique.
Afin de s'ouvrir un peu plus au soleil, ses ponts arrière sont légèrement redessinés avec une piscine. L'absence de climatisation dans tout le navire le rend peu adapté à la croisière.
Souvent à partir du milieu des années 60 le paquebot traverse l'océan Atlantique avec très peu de passagers à son bord - particulièrement en basse saison.
Le destin du rms QUEEN MARY est identique.
L'entrée en service des nouveaux paquebots s/s FRANCE , MICHELANGELO et RAFFAELLO attire beaucoup de ses passagers.
La compagnie Cunard commande un nouveau paquebot plus adapté à l'évolution du transport de passagers, c'est le rms QUEEN ELIZABETH 2 dont la taille est plus modeste pour pouvoir passer par le canal de Panama ; la compagnie programme le retrait de flotte des deux grands Queens.
rms QUEEN ELIZABETH s'arrête pendant l'hiver 1968 et est vendu à la ville de Fort Lauderdale pour en faire un centre d'attraction : le succès n'est pas au rendez-vous.
rms QUEEN ELIZABETH arrivant à Fort Lauderdale
Le paquebot est revendu et devient le SEAWISE UNIVERSITY.
Le paquebot quitte les USA et passe par Capetown (Afrique du Sud) et rejoint Hong Kong où il sera transformé en université flottante.
Malheureusement alors que les travaux sont presque achevés un incendie se déclare à bord le 9 janvier 1972. Le navire est abandonné, il brûle totalement et l'incendie dure plusieurs jours et se couche dans la baie. L'épave sera démantelée sur place.
Seawise University 9 janvier 1972 Hong Kong
QUEEN ELIZABETH 1940
The liner Queen Elizabeth of 1940 is the last one of the classic superliner built for the happy period before the World War II which will upset the transatlantic transport.
It is the British answer to the liner s/s NORMANDIE.
The beginning of WW2 surprises her in works of completion in the shipyards of The Clyde. She will join in 1940 the port of New York painted in battle dress color.
The photo of the 3 great liners:
- s/s NORMANDIE,
- Rms QUEEN MARY,
- Rms QUEEN ELIZABETH moored side by side constitute the swan song of the classic transatlantic liners.
The silhouette of this liner shows 2 funnels while Queen Mary and Normandie have 3 fireplaces; the design of the ship is balanced enough.
The liner will serve as troop transport till the end of the war and will cross the hostilities without suffering any big problem.
In 1946 she makes her first civil transatlantic crossing and continues to navigate on the line of New York until the middle of the 60s and the development of the aviation of line with the Boeing 707.
The starting of the s/s UNITED STATES constitutes a serious competitor.
She makes some cruises beside her transatlantic crossing.
To open a little more to the sun, its back decks are slightly redrawn and a pool is added. The absence of air conditioning in all the ship makes her little adapted to the cruise (like many other transatlantic ships (s/s LIBERTE - rms QUEEN MARY).
Very often during the sixties the big ocean liner crosses the Atlantic Ocean with very few passengers onboard - particularly in the off season...
The fate of the rms QUEEN MARY is identical.
The beginning of the new liners of the sixties : s/s FRANCE, MICHELANGELO and RAFFAELLO attracts many of her passengers.
CUNARD Line order a new liner more adapted to the evolution of the passenger ships : it will be the most famous rms QUEEN ELIZABETH 2 the size of which is more modest and will allow to cruise by the Panama Canal.
The company schedules the withdrawal of the fleet for both big Queens.
It is the British answer to the liner s/s NORMANDIE.
The beginning of WW2 surprises her in works of completion in the shipyards of The Clyde. She will join in 1940 the port of New York painted in battle dress color.
The photo of the 3 great liners:
- s/s NORMANDIE,
- Rms QUEEN MARY,
- Rms QUEEN ELIZABETH moored side by side constitute the swan song of the classic transatlantic liners.
The silhouette of this liner shows 2 funnels while Queen Mary and Normandie have 3 fireplaces; the design of the ship is balanced enough.
The liner will serve as troop transport till the end of the war and will cross the hostilities without suffering any big problem.
In 1946 she makes her first civil transatlantic crossing and continues to navigate on the line of New York until the middle of the 60s and the development of the aviation of line with the Boeing 707.
The starting of the s/s UNITED STATES constitutes a serious competitor.
She makes some cruises beside her transatlantic crossing.
To open a little more to the sun, its back decks are slightly redrawn and a pool is added. The absence of air conditioning in all the ship makes her little adapted to the cruise (like many other transatlantic ships (s/s LIBERTE - rms QUEEN MARY).
Very often during the sixties the big ocean liner crosses the Atlantic Ocean with very few passengers onboard - particularly in the off season...
The fate of the rms QUEEN MARY is identical.
The beginning of the new liners of the sixties : s/s FRANCE, MICHELANGELO and RAFFAELLO attracts many of her passengers.
CUNARD Line order a new liner more adapted to the evolution of the passenger ships : it will be the most famous rms QUEEN ELIZABETH 2 the size of which is more modest and will allow to cruise by the Panama Canal.
The company schedules the withdrawal of the fleet for both big Queens.
Queen Elizabeth stops during the winter, 1968 and is sold to the city of Fort Lauderdale to convert her in a big resort (as Queen Mary in LongBeach California): the success is not there.
The liner is resold and becomes the SEAWISE UNIVERSITY). The liner leaves the USA and sails by Capetown ( South Africa) to join Hong-Kong where she will be transformed into floating university.
Unfortunately while the works are almost finished a fire declares itself on board on January 9th, 1972.
Unfortunately while the works are almost finished a fire declares itself on board on January 9th, 1972.
The ship is abandoned, she burns totally and the fire lasts several days and lies down in the bay of Hong Kong. The wreck will be dismantled on the spot.
.
Michelangelo Raffaello, RMS Queen Mary, Rms Queen Elizabeth, ss France, ssUS, SS UNITED STATES, Cunard, Seawise University, Southampton, New York, Fort Lauderdale, 1940, 1968, Hong Kong, 1972, paquebot transatlantique, ocean liner
