SS Vaterland 1940

[magicdragon]

I am intrigued about this ship

Wikipedia states “The second Vaterland built for the Hamburg-Amerika Line, this 824-feet, 41,000 ton liner's construction was postponed due to World War II. She was finally launched in 1940 but she was laid up because of World War II. She was destroyed by Allied bombers in 1943. Her wreckage was scrapped in 1948.”
I am curious:

1) What did she look like? She was twice the tonnage of the Robert Ley
2) How far did her construction progress?
3) Why was she simply not scrapped before 1943 and the material recovered used for something more useful?

Any information and views gratefully recieved

[shaba]

I HAVE SEEN PICTURES of her in books but not on the net she whould have looked like a reduced size europa .she was laid up pending the end of the war but was hit by two 4000lb blockbuster one landing on the foredeck the other aft of amidships prety much wrecking above the waterline but not sinking her.

[magicdragon]

shaba

Thanks for the reply.

It would be interesting to look at how much steel and manpower was wasted on this ship from 1938?

It was also interesting that you mentioned the Europa - the size of the ship suggests a transatlantic liner rather than a "Strength through Joy" Robert Ley type ship.

[magicdragon]

Found a picture of the Vaterland 2 - she was a bit of a “looker”.

http://www.thegreatoceanliners.com/Imag ... ants03.jpg

[reichmaster]

I have a picture taken by my grandfather in early 1946 of the Vaterland 2 in Hamburg docks suffering bomb damage.

[John Withill]

HI Guys ... I'm doing a bit of research in to the Hamburg America Liners during the 1930's and 40s. Although the Imperator Vaterland and Bismarck of the 1910- WW1 period are well documented , there is next to nothing on the 1940 Vaterland aside from she was bombed and then scrapped. Does any one have anything on her two intended sister ships ?

JOHN

[crolick]

Some more info:
https://earlofcruise.blogspot.com/2017/ ... h.html?m=1

Drawing:
http://www.shipbucket.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=6303

Hope that helps!
Andrzej

[daveshoup2MD]

shaba

Thanks for the reply.

It would be interesting to look at how much steel and manpower was wasted on this ship from 1938?

It was also interesting that you mentioned the Europa - the size of the ship suggests a transatlantic liner rather than a "Strength through Joy" Robert Ley type ship.

That is an interesting question.