Rms Olympic

Sitting around a dining-room table in 1907, the owners of the White Star Line discussed their competition to the newly-built Cunard liners, Lusitania and Mauretania. From that smoke-filled room came the first designs of three White Star superliners. Olympic and Titanic were to be built at Harland & Wolff's yard in Belfast, while the third ship was to follow after construction had been completed on the first pair of sisters. The only ship to make a return passenger voyage was Olympic and she was always overshadowed by her younger sisters. This is the definitive story of Titanic's sister RMS Olympic. First published in 2004 to critical acclaim, this new edition presents a revised expanded work from one the most successful maritime authors at work in Britain today.

On October 20, 1910, RMS Olympic was launched at Belfast. She was the first of a trio of steamships constructed for the White Star Line and, when built, was the largest ship in the world.

So what was the real story behind the sinking of RMS Titanic, one of two almost identical twin sister ships, in 1912?... "The Titanic didn't sink! The ship that went down in the North Atlantic in 1912 was the Olympic, the Titanic's sister ship... Both ships were owned by the White Star Line, which was part of J.P. Morgan's investment empire. The company had reason and opportunity to switch the identities of these luxury liners in order to commit massive insurance fraud. In this book, John Hamer theorizes that, instead of selling her for scrap and taking a huge loss, which might have bankrupted the Morgan venture, the decision was made to switch identities, destroy the Olympic (now posing as the Titanic), collect the insurance, and continue operating the Titanic profitably (now posing as the Olympic). You'll be amazed at how much compelling evidence there is to support this conclusion." G Edward Griffin, author and researcher.

The ShipCraft series explores the iconic pleasure vessels Titanic, Olympic, and Britannic in fully illustrated detail for building your own model ship. In the first of the ShipCraft series to cover non-naval vessels, this meticulously researched and illustrated volume looks at the legendary cruise ship RMS Titanic and her sisters, Olympic and Britannic. Written for the serious model ship builder, this book not only covers the many model kits available, but a concise history of the ship’s class, including every detail that contributed to the ship’s creation. Accompanied by hundreds of photographs of models in various scales, the text covers paint colors, line drawings, and scale plans, as well as the differences in the ships’ appearance over time. An invaluable resource on available models, their pros and cons, and ways to modify and customize each one, this ShipCraft title concludes with a reference section essential to any modeler.

At the beginning of the twentieth century, competition between the North Atlantic shipping lines was fierce. While Britain responded to the commercial threat posed by the growing German merchant marine, there was also rivalry between the great Cunard Line and its chief competitor, the White Star Line. Against this backdrop Olympic, Titanic and Britannic were conceived. Designed for passenger comfort, they were intended to provide luxurious surroundings and safe, reliable service rather than record-breaking speed. Ironically, fate decreed that only Olympic would ever complete a single commercial voyage and she went on to serve for a quarter of a century in peace and war. Titanic's name would become infamous after she sank on her maiden voyage. The third sister, Britannic, saw a brief and commendable career as a hospital ship during the First World War, sinking in the Aegean Sea in 1916.

The first vessel to be built in the Olympic class was Olympic herself in 1909. She was followed by Titanic and finally Britannic. Mark Chirnside explores these early ocean liners and their chequered history.

Launched in 1914, two years after the ill-fated voyage of her sister ship, RMS Titanic, the Britannic was intended to be superior to her tragic twin in every way. But war intervened and in 1915 she was requisitioned as a hospital ship. Just one year later, while on her way to collect troops wounded in the Balkans campaign, she fell victim to a mine laid by a German U-boat and tragically sank in the middle of the Aegean Sea. There her wreck lay, at a depth of 400 feet, until it was discovered 59 years later by legendary explorer Jacques Cousteau. In 1996 the wreck was bought by the author of this book, Simon Mills. Exploring the Britannic tells the complete story of this enigmatic ship: her construction, launch and life, her fateful last voyage, and the historical findings resulting from the exploration of the well-preserved wreck over a period of 40 years. With remarkable sonar scans and many never before seen photographs of the wreck, plus the original Harland & Wolff ship plans, not previously published in their entirety, Exploring the Britannic finally details how the mysteries surrounding the 100-year-old enigma were laid to rest, and what the future might also hold for her.