SS UNITED STATES' Twin Funnels

[D.J.J. Ring, Jr.]

Each of the SS United States’ twin funnels was an engineering feat in its own right. Standing about 65 feet high—roughly the height of a six-story building—and 60 feet wide, the two teardrop-shaped stacks were built mainly of aluminium to keep the liner’s top weight low. Both were fully functional, venting exhaust from her eight boilers and massive turbines below. Their sleek, finned design was tested in wind tunnels to ensure soot and smoke blew cleanly aft, keeping the open decks free from fumes even at full speed.

In 2025, the ship’s two iconic red, white, and blue funnels were carefully removed for preservation. Heavy cranes lifted each one from the deck after decades exposed to weather at her Philadelphia berth.

Restoration work is now underway, with plans to feature major sections in a future SS United States museum. Smaller parts will be displayed as historical artifacts—fitting tributes to the towering symbols that once crowned America’s fastest ship.