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The Queen Mary, the grandest ocean liner ever
built, has played many roles in her illustrious career. During the 1930s, she
was hostess to the world's rich and famous; Greta Garbo, Clark Gable, David Niven, Mary Pickford, just to name a few. During her
heyday, many considered her the only civilized way to travel.
With the outbreak of World War II, the Queen Mary was
transformed into a troopship overnight. By the end of the war, "The Grey
Ghost," as she was fondly called, had carried more than 800,000 troops,
traveled more than 600,000 miles and played a significant role in virtually
every major Allied campaign. In February 1946 she began her "Bride and
Baby Voyages" and transported more than 22,000 war brides and their
children to the United
States and Canada. She even set a standing record
for the most passengers carried in one crossing - more than 16,000 troops and
crew!
After the war, the Queen
Mary resumed her elegant status.
However, as air travel became increasingly more safe and affordable, the days
of the transatlantic voyages were numbered. In 1967, the Queen Mary sailed from Southampton, England, to her new permanent home in Long Beach, California. It would be her last crossing - the end of an era.
Today, the Queen Mary is an internationally recognized
icon for the City of Long Beach, California. She is embraced as an historic
hotel and a floating museum and is listed on the National Register of
Historic Places. Her operation, maintenance and preservation are entrusted to
the RMS Foundation, Inc., a non-profit, 501(c)(3) corporation.
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1/32 SCALE
3 – SHEETS
L35-L37
PRICE: $ 75.00
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