1 upvotes, 2 direct replies (showing 2)
View submission: The Olympic class if better technology where available
She'd be considerably faster, but hopefully she'd retain her grace and styling.
Comment by tdf199 at 29/01/2025 at 20:31 UTC
1 upvotes, 0 direct replies
That's how i imagine it. Keeping the speed to 21 knots would come with massive operating cost reduction.
Keeping the same 46,000 HP could reach over 24.15 knots +15% using the bulbous bow. Bulbs can either reduce fuel consumption or
Add the wight reduction of the welded hull SS France had a similar displacement to Olympic despite having a larger hull thanks to France being welded could get Olympic to 25 knots or higher. The decision might be made to up the horse power allowing the new tech Olympic to reach 27 knots. Making Olympic and titanic a 2 ship service . Britannic might become something with weaker engines similar to Queen mary, Queen Elizabeth and Mauritania 2. With all 3 running the Atlantic 2 super express and an economy liner. Passenger numbers at the time would allow for that.
Olympic and Titanic forming a duo and Britannic being slightly smaller and much slower at say 23 knots.
Comment by tdf199 at 30/01/2025 at 20:03 UTC
1 upvotes, 1 direct replies
Now that i think of it the stock Olympic class the coal burning, 46,000 HP combination liners only needed one thing
A bulbus bow. They can go both ways same speed for less power thus less fuel consumption or more speed for the same power.
If 10 to 12.5% efficacy bulbs existed then.
At 10% Olympic could go from 650 tones of coal a day to 585 tones of coal a day, or the more likely option increase the speed from 21 to 23.1%. Same as Aquitania's service speed .
At 12.5% , down to 568.75 tones of coal a day or boos speed to 23.625 knots for the same power, option c for 12.5% could be a mix, down rate the boilers and engines to bring the speed back to 23 knots for both higher speed and less fuel.
Regardless if it's the 10% or 12.5% bulbs Olympic and titanic get faster improving their economy, and in the long run use less coal regardless due to less time at sea, also Titanic at 23 knots would sail thru the ice field in broad day light. Which is enough to save her from that.
Britannic how ever might be her own class based off of the Olympic class general arrangement. The full quad screw direct shaft turbine system was growing more viable rapidly so Britannic could being enlarged to a similar length and beam as Aquitania, modified to have a cruiser stern like Aquitania and being finished with quad screw turbine engines like Aquitania. The QSTS Britannic could be design for a base speed of 24 knots higher up front cost but could grow into equilibrium with Olympic and Titanic unless... a they use 12.5% bulbus bow to increase QSTS Britannic to 27 knots would offset the extra cost.
The larger hull if used with the same general superstructure design as IRL Britannic then that could push her past 48,000 GRT maybe up to 50,000 or slightly higher. If that Britannic survives the war and is converted to burn oil she would be a force to be reckoned with, although Aquitania might also end up like that to engine power for 24 knots + 12.5% from a bow bulb to reach 27 knots.
After oil conversion the UK would have a 2 ship service with 27 knot QSTS Britannic and Aquitania.
Now that would be a time line.