French Luxury Liner Gets Coat of Gray -- Dull gray hides portions of the white superstructure as the 43,500-ton French luxury liner Ile de France is painted at her berth on Staten Island, at the entrance to New York harbor, where the big ship was tied up shortly after the war started. Forward and rear smokestacks have already been painted black. Other foreign liners were painted gray before going into service as troop transports by the allies. Greatest secrecy shrouds activities aboard the Ile de France, but one report circulated on waterfront is that bulkheads are being cut out of the ship, prior to fitting it us as a hospital vessel. April 24, 1940. (Photo by Acme).