The NORMANDIE achieved practically the same speed as the QUEEN MARY on two-thirds of the fuel consumption, due to the highly-efficient bulbous bow. The QUEEN MARY was faster due to having an additional 40,000 shaft-horsepower to overcome the resistance of her traditional clipper-style cutwater. If you look at aerial photo's of both ships at speed, notice all the froth and turbulence surrounding the QUEEN, while the NORMANDIE moves through the water in a "clean" fashion with little or no froth around her graceful hull-no turbulence. The s/s US certainly had a NORMANDIE-style cutwater. This was a closely-guarded secret for many years, which is why the Revell s/s US kit is a waterline model and the Ideal/Glencoe kit has a clipper-bow. Pete
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