SS Normandie

"Just wanted to thank you and your team for doing such an outstanding job on the Normandie build! The details are phenomenal it is truly a work of art. As a collector of Normandie artifacts I have wanted a fine model, of the ship, to complement my collection for many years. I looked high and low for someone to fulfill my desire and after comparing price and quality chose ModelShipMaster. I am so glad I did as the model is everything that I wanted. Precise hull form and funnels to the real wood deck as well as portholes and all the deck house structures the ship is a true example of the model makers art. The lighting is also a cut above featuring the correct port and starboard running lights and even a light on the stern flagpole mast. After traveling over 3,000 miles the model arrived in a protective wood crate in absolutely perfect condition. It is now the centerpiece of my collection and the star attraction of my recreation room. Again I can't thank you guys enough for all your hard work. Sincerely, Anthony DiMattia"

The arrival in New York Harbor of the gigantic ocean liner SS Normandie in 1935 inaugurated a new era in transatlantic travel. The ocean liner SS Normandie was the first large ship to be built according to the 1929 Convention for Safety of Life at Sea. She was designed so the forward end of the promenade deck served as a breakwater, permitting her to maintain a high speed even in rough weather.

SS Normandie would eventually break new ground on many levels, she was to be the fastest, the sleekest, and the most artfully decorated. But her first distinction would be as the premier ship to exceed 1,000 feet in length.

When construction was completed, SS Normandie was the longest and largest ship afloat—measuring 1,028 feet in length with an initial tonnage of 79,280.

When the ship was launched on October 29, 1932, all of France, and indeed the world, was following the event. The largest object ever set in motion by man at the time, SS Normandie was the center of attention. The world's largest bottle of Champainge was used to christen the ship. With dignitaries and VIPs in attendance including Albert Lebrun, President of France.

Her designer Vladimir Yourkevitch had approached the Cunard Line Limited with proposed designs for their hull number 534, soon to be the renowned 'Queen Mary', but was rejected as the plans represented too radical a break from tradition for the British shipping company.

The French Line adopted Yourkevitch's designs and commissioned the new hull, designated "T6", to be built at France's premier shipyard, the Penhoët shipbuilders at St. Nazair. The new ship would draw talent from the finest designers, architects, and artisans of France. Yourkevitch's designs would allow the ship to match the great speed of Britain's 'Queen Mary' with one-fifth less horsepower and substantial fuel savings, and allow the SS Normandie to be the first French Liner ever to be in competition for the cherished 'Blue Ribbon'.

The ocean liner SS Normandie claimed the Blue Ribband from the Italian Liner Rex on her maiden crossing in May 1935. Keen on keeping the title “longest, largest, and fastest” ship in the world, it did not escape her owner’s attention that the British had announced the tonnage of their new super-liner Queen Mary that was nearing completion at 81,235. So during the winter refit in 1935, a deckhouse was added to her aft deck increasing her final tonnage to 83,423, allowing her to maintain title the world’s largest ship.

SS Normandie is a floating monument of Art Deco. She also boasted a large movie theater, a huge open dining hall, and a free and open deck space not cluttered with ventilation ducts. She was famous for her food as well. With flair his staff of waiters and chefs made dining aboard him a once in a lifetime experience. Meals were served around the clock. The ship was a floating temple of cafe society.

SS Normandie's life turned for the worse at the outbreak of World War II. She was in mid-ocean when her captain received words that the German liner Bremen was following behind. It was feared that the Bremen was armed and would open fire on the Normandie, or she was guiding U-Boats. SS Normandie's captain ordered her windows blacked out and she continued to New York in the zig-zag pattern to evade U-Boats. That was her last voyage.

The U.S. Navy seized the ocean liner SS Normandie on December 7, 1941. Stripped of her luxurious trappings and plush furnishings which had once been the sea-going refuge for the great and near-great, Normandie was renamed U.S.S. Lafayette. In the following two months, nearly all of SS Normandie's great artwork was removed and placed into storage.

On February 9, 1942, during the continuing conversion work, a fire broke out aboard the ship and the future of the magnificent SS Normandie would be smothered in suffocating cloud of smoke.

Charles T. Collins, an 18 year old USN ironworker gave an account of the incident: "I was working on a chain gang. We had chains around some pillars and eased them down when they were cut through. Two men were operating an acetylene torch. About 30 or 40 men were working in the room, and there were bales and bales of mattresses. A spark hit one of the bales, and the fire began..."

- Superior hollow hull

- Windows are cutouts (not black decals nor painted indentation). They are clean, uniform, and aligned

- Captivating artistic lighting, with green/red navigation light that will light up your special evenings. LED light powered by standard 9v battery for your convenience or by a compact adapter to wall outlet. Cheap model makers have neither the artistry sense nor the necessary engineering ability. Their light is ugly bright incandescent bright placed on the model's floor like mushrooms.

    35" long (1/350 scale) $3,570 Shipping and insurance in the contiguous USA included. Other places: $400 flat rate.

    49" long (1/250 scale) $5,915 Shipping and insurance in the contiguous USA included. Other places: $500 flat rate.

    62" long (1/200 scale) $8,640 Shipping and insurance in the contiguous USA included. Other places: $800 flat rate.

These models are built per commission only. We require only a small deposit to start the process $900 The remaining balance won't be due until the model is completed. Please click here for more details as well as the lead time.

"Hello Frank, The 62" Normandie did arrive yesterday in perfect condition. The model was packed so well I don’t think anything could have really happened to it. Thank You. The ship exceeds all expectations. You and your team are truly fine craftsmen. This is my favorite ship, and I’m so happy I chose Model Ship Masters. Not only is the ship a work of art, but with the lights and being RC, it’s like the Normandie is back alive. Thank you so much. Sincerely, George W."

We now accept commission to build a partial cutaway model of the SS Normandie at 1/100 scale (9 feet long.) The model will take about up to 3 years to build. If you are interested, send us an email.

"Hello...Just received the most wonderful gift ever...! The Normandie was, without question, the ultimate in maritime design in her day... and your model so expresses that... An extraordinary reproduction. Cordially, Dan W."

"My SS Normandie model arrived today [6/23/2014] and it is stunning! Exquisite detail. Truly beautiful. The shipping channels to and from New York begin about 50 miles offshore and to the south of where our house stands here on Nantucket Island. The old Lightship Nantucket was once stationed there to mark the point (an automatic beacon now performs that task ). So this great ship passed near here dozens of times before World War II brought her career to an end. It is wonderful to have this beautiful model in our home to celebrate that history. Thank you for your excellent work, and as I previously indicated, we will be back to you in the future as we continue to decorate our home. Bill K."

"The Normandie arrived last Friday after taking a few days to get through customs. I was so impressed by the way it was packed, it arrived in pristine condition. Please convey my sincere thanks to those involved in making it a masterpiece. The beauty of this ship reinforces my view and those of others that the Normandie is the most beautiful ocean liner ever built. Having been a designer myself this ship represents art, architecture and design so far advanced for the time it was built. Robin, New Zealand."

"My chin hit the keyboard when I discovered your web site. How did I not find it before now? The money I’ve wasted. Your models are the only thing I’ve ever really wanted and especially both the QE and the Normandie. As a kid (I’m now 60 and disabled) I could never find a kit for either. Tell the guys the quality of their work is without peer. I know. I looked at all 20,667 model ships. Sincerely, Dr. Sebastian S."