Albatros 1/1250 AL62A Voltaire, Lamport & Holt Line, 1932-39
Voltaire was built in 1923 but laid up in 1929 and then converted to a cruise ship in 1932 at which time the hull was painted white as modelled here. The ship was converted again, this time to an armed merchant cruiser in 1939 as britain scrambled to boost the number of ships available for shipping defence.
Voltaire was built to replace the three "V" class passenger liners in World War I. Both she and her sister ship, Vandyck, came from the Belfast yard of Workman Clarke & Co. Ltd, Comprising five holds for refrigerated and general cargo, and accommodation for 300 First, 150 Second and 230 Third Class passengers. She entered the New York - South America trade, bringing the passenger fleet up to five ships, on a fortnightly service on the route. Voltaire was laid up during the Depression before being re-fitted for cruising in 1932. In 1939, she became HMS Voltaire, an Armed Merchant Cruiser and was sunk by the German raider, Thor.