Innovative Design: The Famous Funnels of the SS United States

The SS United States' magnificent red, white and blue "sampan" funnels remain the tallest ever to be installed on a ship — at 65 feet they are themselves as tall as a 6-story building. Today, learn more about their innovative design.

Can you spot the differences between the iconic red, white and blue funnels of the SS United States (top) and SS America? Photograph courtesy of Jane Schuling.

Preventing fumes on deck from ships' funnels has always been a headache for the designers of ocean liners. Although it was proven that William Francis Gibbs' streamlined funnel design — used previously on the SS Santa Rosa, her three sister ships and the SS America — was also suitable for the great SS United States, some minor changes were made in order to improve the final result. This new design involved modifying the angle of the funnels' fins, making them parallel to the ship’s keel and not raked aft, as in all of Gibbs’ previous designs.

Wind tunnel tests prior to the vessel's construction further proved that the fins' rotation would direct the smoke fumes upward and aft, thanks to the strong wind currents created by at the trailing edge of the now horizontal fin design. The result was that decks remained virtually smoke-free, as never before achieved on a liner. The man responsible for this successful idea was not Mr. Gibbs himself, but a Newport News Shipyard apprentice named Howard E. Lee Jr., who, as a result of his experience with building and flying model airplanes, decided to apply the concept of ‘lift’ associated with airfoils to shipbuilding.

Top: images from the construction of the Big U's impressive funnels. Bottom: Howard E. Lee Jr. (on left) observes the smoke trail of the SS United States' funnels during a wind tunnel test.

Not only did the design of the SS United States' funnels serve to deflect engine exhaust away from passengers on deck, their angle lends the impression of motion and suggests a determination to race. The funnels are also asymmetrical, with the aft-most funnel marginally smaller than the fore-most. The proportions of the iconic painted stripes similarly differ: forward, the funnel is 75% red, 10% white and 15% blue; the aft-most funnel is 70.8% red, 11.7% white, and 17.5% blue. 

Can't get enough of the SS United States? CLICK HERE to learn more about the vessel's innovative design. 

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While they remain in fantastic structural condition, the funnels of the SS United States have a weather-worn appearance at the vessel's current Philadelphia berth. Why doesn't the Conservancy repaint the funnels? CLICK HERE to find out. 

Meet Chota Peg, Top Dog of the SS United States

Among the thousands of passengers who traveled aboard the SS United States, there was one very special “crew member” who delighted everyone fortunate enough to meet him — a cocker spaniel by the name of Chota Peg.

Chota Peg (a Hindi expression meaning “small drink”) was the steadfast and loyal companion of Commodore John Anderson, who proudly served as captain of America’s Flagship from 1953 until 1964. Purchased from a Manhattan pet shop as a 4-month-old puppy, the spirited canine spent nearly his entirely life with Commodore Anderson at sea.

Chota Peg sits in on a meeting between Commodore John Anderson and the Big U’s designer, WIlliam Francis Gibbs. Photo courtesy of Charles Anderson.

In 1943, Chota Peg’s “life at sea” began, when he accompanied Anderson on a voyage aboard the troop transport vessel, the John Ericsson. After that first trip, the young pup began to develop his sea legs, discreetly keeping his master company as Anderson rose through the ranks as a maritime officer. In 1949, he covertly traveled on the Big U’s sister ship, the SS America, before finally boarding the SS United States for the first time in 1952.

Though never technically a member of the crew, Chota Peg was Anderson’s unofficial “first mate,” helping to entertain celebrities and dignitaries who found their way onto America’s Flagship.

Chota Peg poses in front of one of the SS United States’ signature red, white, and blue funnels. Photo courtesy of Charles Anderson.

While stormy seas did make him nervous, Chota Peg still became a regular “salty dog,” who reveled in making new friends while spending time with his master. He was often fed delicious scraps from the ship's First Class Dining Room. All told, he logged more than 2,000,000 nautical miles over the course of his maritime career.

In 1958, Chota Peg passed away peacefully on board the SS United States. He was buried at sea with full honors, and his obituary appeared in the New York Times. To this day, he remains a much loved part of the Big U’s legacy.

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Sources:

SS United States: The Story of America’s Greatest Ocean Liner by William H. Miller, 1991.

The Big Ship: The Story of the SS United States by Frank O. Braynard, 2011.

 The Naples Record, Naples, NY. 1956.

A big "thank you" to Charles Anderson, son of Commodore John Anderson, for his contributions to this story. We'll leave off with a humorous anecdote he shared about the Big U's "top dog."

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 "As a young boy visiting the ship on arrival in New York, I noticed small, square hinged cut-outs on the bottom of the doors to the officers’ quarters, which I thought were designed to allow Chota Peg access to the staterooms. In fact I was later told they were to allow fire hoses to be passed into the rooms without opening the doors in case of fire." - Charles Anderson, January 2019

The SS United States has created unforgettable memories for countless former passengers and crew. We can save this magnificent vessel for future generations, but we need your help.

Flagship FAQs: Why doesn't the Conservancy repaint the SS United States?

Today, we're back to answer another important question posed by our generous supporters: Why doesn't the Conservancy repaint the SS United States?

America's Flagship has a weather-worn appearance at her current pier in Philadelphia. While the vessel remains structurally sound, the ship was withdrawn from service in 1969 and has not been re-coated in almost 50 years.

Some of our supporters have urged us to paint the ship's exterior, starting with the ship's two iconic red, white and blue funnels — the Conservancy has explored this prospect in depth. We have examined repainting the funnels, as well as "wrapping" them in a Tyvek-style product. Unfortunately, neither of these options are feasible at the vessel's current location. Exterior and interior restoration work must be completed in tandem with the ship’s full redevelopment at a shipyard facility because of the high cost, the complexity of the project, and restrictions on performing large-scale work on the vessel in her current location. To repaint the ship’s iconic funnels alone would total almost $500,000.