U.S. Maritime Commission type C2-S-AJ5

The C2 cargo ship was one of the first standardized designs developed by the newly-created U.S. Maritime Commission.

A major technical improvement over World War I-era vessels, the C2 could travel at 15.5 knots and carry 500,000 cubic feet of cargo, a relatively large amount at the time. They were able to efficiently establish such high rates of speed because they were powered by steam turbine engines with finely-manufactured reduction gears. Difficulty in maintaining a steady supply of these gears was a constant constraint on the construction of these ships during World War II.

The vessels also had noticeably improved crew accommodations, with all passengers and crew now housed amidships and with hot-and-cold running water throughout. The standard C2 cargo ship was 460 feet long with a beam of 63 feet. Depending on engine type, the vessels carried between 8,700 and 9,800 deadweight tons.

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This model of the U.S. Lines ship American Scout represents the C2-S-AJ5 design type.  The 10 ships of this type built in 1945 and 1946 were very similar to the basic C2 design but had a higher, thinner funnel and extra machinery to provide refrigeration in some of their cargo holds.  Unlike some similar types, American Scout and its sister ships did not have passenger accommodations.