Stanton Daywalt's Lovingly Detailed Model of America's Flagship

The SS United States Conservancy is continually moved by the passion, dedication, and generosity of our incredible supporters.

Stanton Daywalt is a lifelong fan of America’s Flagship, as well as a longtime supporter and friend of the Conservancy. In addition to helping us procure various photos and artifacts for our growing permanent collections, Stanton has twice secured a $1,000 grant for the Conservancy through Navy Federal Credit Union’s “Dollars for Doers” program.

Today, we’re excited to share with you Stanton’s beautiful and incredibly detailed model of the SS United States. We think you’ll be amazed by how much thought he put into this incredible facsimile of the Big U. Below, read about Stanton’s process (in his own words) and enjoy photos of his work.

“I had the good fortune to acquire the 1995 Glencoe model kit of the SS United States from a mutual admirer of the ship.  The box was still wrapped in the original plastic and in mint condition.  I didn’t waste any time on working on it. 

Photo courtesy of Stanton Daywalt

I soon discovered the model was lacking in some historically correct detail.  For one, all the propellers on the parts tree were 4-bladed, instead of the aft two being 5-bladed, as they were on the real ship.  The biggest glaring design flaw was the bridge. Instead of being flush with the superstructure, it was set back.  For me, the bridge is the face of the ship and gives the ship identity.  I resolved this issue and several others by ordering some Testors clear and white water-slide decal paper.  Using Microsoft Paint and Word, I was able to create additional decals to give more detail to the model. 

After much trial and error, I was able to create shuffleboard, deck tennis, draft numbers, portholes, vents, and aft hull signage decals.  In addition, I used some leftover railing from my Titanic model to add physical details.  

Photo courtesy of Stanton Daywalt

Full disclosure: there are some mistakes I made during my early enthusiasm to complete the model.  For example, the Neotex green decking wasn’t applied on the bridge/office quarters roof or the roof where the aft kingpost booms are stored.  If I ever get another SS United States model kit, I fully intend to fix those errors and improve the model even further!

Photo courtesy of Stanton Daywalt

With regards to the signal flag decals on the guy wires, I got creative with a nod toward both the present and the past.  The port side flags between the mast and 1st funnel has my initials.  The starboard side flags says USC (United States Conservancy).  

Photo courtesy of Stanton Daywalt

The flags between the funnels have WFG (William Francis Gibbs) on the port side and, on the starboard side, the flags have the first name of the caretaker of the ship in the 80s and early 90s. He passed away several years ago, but his widow and I are friends. And she’s been instrumental in filling in details about the ship’s time at Norfolk International Terminal and Newport News CSX Coal Pier 15.  It's a small homage to his dedication and love of the ship.”

Photo courtesy of Stanton Daywalt

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The SS United States Conservancy is committed to creating a world-class museum and visitor center aboard the redeveloped Big U. Learn more about our plans here.

Paul Klee's Incredible Photos of the Big U

Paul Klee had had a lifelong appreciation for classic ocean liners, which began in 1952, when he and his family traveled to Europe aboard French Line’s SS Liberté. The Klees spent a year abroad, before returning to America the following year aboard the SS United States. Young Paul was only eight years old at the time, but memories of that voyage have stuck with him through the years. He writes:

My family had been living in Europe for the past year (we had sailed eastbound on the French Line's Liberté) and I think they felt it might be nice to take the then quite new SS United States home.  This was in June 1953, and I still have the log abstract from that voyage [see below], Number 22, Westbound, departing Le Havre on June 12th.  We kids (me and my sister) ate at the first seating, my parents in the second.  It seems incredible now that we didn't all eat together, but I'm quite certain about this.  I also distinctly recall the Meyer Davis Orchestra playing in the dining room (this was in First Class, by the way).  My sister and I were not allowed on the outside decks without a parent, which also seems old-fashioned now.  And for some reason, a movie I saw aboard, The Juggler  with Kirk Douglas, remains a strong memory as well.  Despite being a late spring crossing, we hit a June gale on our last day out, June 15.  I remember it well, and thoroughly enjoyed it.  Luckily I didn't then, and do not now, suffer from heavy weather at sea.  The log states:  "Winds SSE-Force 7, Rough sea.  Heavy SSW'ly swell."  A boy about my age whom I had befriended fell out of his upper bunk and broke his arm!“ 

Log abstract from the Big U’s westbound journey, courtesy of Paul Klee.

As fate would have it, that single journey would not be Paul Klee’s only encounter with America’s Flagship. Exactly 11 years to the day that he returned from Europe aboard the SS United States, Klee photographed the vessel as she pulled in to Pier 86 in New York Harbor. Last year, Klee donated these stunning Kodachrome photos to the Conservancy’s permanent collection.

Photo courtesy of Paul Klee.

A lifelong advocate for classic liners, Klee says he’s proud to support the Conservancy in our mission to preserve the legacy of the Big U.

“I have been a member of the New York branch of the World Ship Society for many, many years, and as well the Steamship Historical Society of America,” he said. “I am pleased that more recently I have joined the SS United States Conservancy family, and that my 1964 photos will have a proper home.”

Below, you’ll find more of Paul Klee’s stunning photos of the Big U from that unforgettable day in 1964. Simply click on the right side of each photo to view the next one in the collection … or click the left side to view the previous photo.

The SS United States Conservancy is committed to creating a world-class museum and visitor center aboard the redeveloped Big U. Learn more about our plans here.