Asturias
1934
(Albatros AL-245)
- Type: Passenger
- Displacement: 22,071 tons
- Dimensions: 656 x 78 x 31 ft.
- Machinery: Geared steam turbines, twin screw, 20,000 SHP = 18 knots
- Passengers: 1,318 (330 first class, 220 second class, 768 third class)
- Builder: Harland & Wolff Ltd, Belfast, Northern Ireland, 1926
- Service: Built for Royal Mail Lines (British flag), Southampton-east coast of South America service. Maiden voyage 12 Jan 1926 Southampton-La Plata. Originally fitted with diesel engines, she was the largest motor ship in the world when launched. However, they caused severe vibration problems. Refitted and reengined to steam in 1934 with taller funnels as shown here. The forward funnel was actually a dummy, and was removed when she became an armed merchant cruiser in 1939. Torpedoed by the Italian submarine Ammiraglio Cagni, July 25, 1943 in the South Atlantic. Towed to Freetown by tug Zwarte Zee and beached there. Declared a total loss and abandoned by Royal Mail. In 1945 she was taken over by the British government and towed to Gibraltar again by the Zwarte Zee for temporary repairs and then towed to Belfast to be rebuilt as troopship, and then as an emigrant ship to Australia. In 1953 she also brought British troops home from Korea. Played role of Titanic in film A Night to Remember as she was being scrapped at Faslane, Scotland, 1957.
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