SS Quistconck

The launch of Quistconck, 5 August 1918
History
Name:	Red Jacket (1918) Quistconck (1918–41) Empire Falcon (1941–46) Barnby (1946–52) Mariandrea (1952–53)
Owner:	United States Shipping Board (1918–33) Lykes Brothers - Ripley Steamship Co Inc (1933–41) Ministry of War Transport (1941–45) Ministry of Transport (1945–46) Rowland & Marwoods Steamship Co Ltd (1946–52) Societa de Navigazione Maliveras SA (1952–53)
Operator:	United States Shipping Board (1918–33) Lykes Brothers - Ripley Steamship Co Inc (1933–37) Lykes Coastwise Lines Inc (1933–41) Headlam & Son Ltd (1941–46) Rowland & Marwoods Steamship Co Ltd (1946–52) Societa de Navigazione Maliveras SA (1952–53)
Port of registry:	Philadelphia, PA, USA (1918–33) New Orleans, LA, USA (1933–41) London, UK (1941–52) Panama City, Panama (1952–53)
Builder:	American International Shipbuilding Co
Yard number:	1
Way number:	1
Laid down:	18 February 1918
Launched:	5 August 1918
Christened:	5 August 1918
Completed:	November 1918
Out of service:	March 1953
Identification:	United States Official Number 217144 (1918–41) United Kingdom Official Number 168079 (1941–52) Code Letters LNMB (1918–34) Code Letters WREI (1934–41) Code Letters GNCN (1941–52)
Fate:	Scrapped
Notes:	First Hog Islander built
General characteristics
Class and type:	Design 1022 Hog Islander
Tonnage:	5,144 GRT 3,072 NRT 7,500 DWT
Length:	390 ft 0 in (118.87 m)
Beam:	54 ft 2 in (16.51 m)
Draught:	24 ft (7.31520 m)
Depth:	27 ft 2 in (8.28 m)
Installed power:	600 nhp
Propulsion:	Steam turbine, double reduction geared, single screw propeller
Speed:	11 knots (20 km/h)
Armament:	1 × 4-inch or 4.7 inch gun, 6 x machine guns, kites (1942) 1 × 4-inch or 4.7-inch gun, 1 x Bofors gun, 6 x machine guns (1944) 1 × 4-inch or 4.7-inch gun, 1 x Bofors gun, 4 x machine guns (1945)

Quistconck was a 5,144 GRT Design 1022 Hog Islander that was laid down as Red Jacket in 1918 by American International Shipbuilding Co Inc, Hog Island, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States for the United States Shipping Board (USSB). Launched as Quistconck, she was sold to Lykes Brothers - Ripley Steamship Co Inc in 1933. In 1941, she was passed to the Ministry of War Transport (MoWT) and renamed Empire Falcon. She was sold into merchant service in 1946 and renamed Barnby. A sale to a Panamanian company saw her renamed Mariandrea. She served until 1953, when she was scrapped.

The ship was built in 1918 by American International Shipbuilding Co Inc, Hog Island, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

The ship was 390 feet 0 inches (118.87 m) long, with a beam of 54 feet 2 inches (16.51 m). She had a depth of 27 feet 6 inches (8.38 m), and a draught of 24 feet 5 inches (7.44 m). She was assessed at 5,144 GRT, 3,072 NRT, 7,500 DWT.

The ship was propelled by a steam turbine, double reduction geared, driving a single screw propeller. The turbine was made by General Electric Co Inc, Schenectady, New York. It was rated at 600 nhp. The turbine could propel her at 11 knots (20 km/h).

Laid down as Red Jacket,Quistconck was the first Hog Islander built. Her keel was laid on 18 February 1918. She was built on way number 1 of the American International's shipyard. It took 1,160,000 man-hours to construct her, partly because the shipyard was still under construction at the same time Quistconck was (the next ship only needed 601,00 man-hours to complete and third required only 400,000 man-hours). She was christened on 5 August 1918 by Edith Bolling Galt Wilson, wife of American President Woodrow Wilson and launched that day in front of 60,000 spectators. Due to the hot weather at the time, there were no speeches. Immediately following the launch, the keel of the next ship was laid. She was built for the USSB. The United States Official Number 217144 and Code Letters LNMB were allocated.Quistconck was delivered on 3 December 1918.