White Star and Titanic, What Could have Been

[SsgtC]

So are you saying this is a good thing or a bad thing? Cause honestly you could go either way here. Lol

but if that happens we will never see that movie called Titanic

 

[Hood]

Possible, but IOTL Oceanic wasn't ordered until 1928. She wouldn't have entered service until 1933/1934. She would have been timed to replace Olympic or Titanic.

Olympic first, unless the Iceberg damage has taken its toll over the years.

 

[Deleted member 2186]

So are you saying this is a good thing or a bad thing? Cause honestly you could go either way here. Lol

No but maybe in this ore any other universe were the Titanic does not sink we might see a movie called Lusitania ore Britannic.

 

[Hood]

No but maybe in this ore any other universe were the Titanic does not sink we might see a movie called Lusitania ore Britannic.

There was a movie called Britannic.
And it was absolutely brutal in every sense of the manner.

 

[SsgtC]

ITTL, I'm still debating which ship to retire first when Majestic enters service. Olympic is the oldest, but both Titanic and Britannic suffered damage in their careers, an iceberg and torpedo hit respectively. Though to be fair, Olympic did as well when she hit the Hawke. So at this moment, it's a crap shoot.

Olympic first, unless the Iceberg damage has taken its toll over the years.

 

[SsgtC]

I remember that movie. To call it bad is an insult to bad movies everywhere

There was a movie called Britannic.
And it was absolutely brutal in every sense of the manner.

 

[Hood]

ITTL, I'm still debating which ship to retire first when Majestic enters service. Olympic is the oldest, but both Titanic and Britannic suffered damage in their careers, an iceberg and torpedo hit respectively. Though to be fair, Olympic did as well when she hit the Hawke. So at this moment, it's a crap shoot.

Well, considering that they had a large refit not too long ago, I would presume that the first ship to get that refit would be retired first. And when is Aquitania going for scrap? Is Mauritania already scrapped?

 

[Hood]

I remember that movie. To call it bad is an insult to bad movies everywhere

Dear God the only thing worse was Jaws 4

 

[SsgtC]

Mauritania will be laid up no later than February, 1935. Though in all likelihood she'll actually be removed from service in November, 1934 at the end of the season. Aquataina is still in service as Cunard's flagship on the Southampton to New York route. Cunard wants to replace her, but White Star isn't letting them yet as they're more concerned with getting the rest of the fleet for both companies updated.

Well, considering that they had a large refit not too long ago, I would presume that the first ship to get that refit would be retired first. And when is Aquitania going for scrap? Is Mauritania already scrapped?

 

[Resurgam]

ITTL, I'm still debating which ship to retire first when Majestic enters service. Olympic is the oldest, but both Titanic and Britannic suffered damage in their careers, an iceberg and torpedo hit respectively. Though to be fair, Olympic did as well when she hit the Hawke. So at this moment, it's a crap shoot.

Honestly, I'm just happy you've avoided this board's teleological obsession with sinking the Titanic in other ways at other times.

 

[SsgtC]

Thank you. I've noticed that as well. No, Titanic has had a long, successful career. Highlighted by the fact that White Star feel under no pressure to replace the Olympic-class ships until very recently when it became obvious ships like Normandie would thoroughly outclass them.

Honestly, I'm just happy you've avoided this board's teleological obsession with sinking the Titanic in other ways at other times.

 

[Resurgam]

Thank you. I've noticed that as well. No, Titanic has had a long, successful career. Highlighted by the fact that White Star feel under no pressure to replace the Olympic-class ships until very recently when it became obvious ships like Normandie would thoroughly outclass them.

I confess I've wanted to do a TL where the Titanic makes it to the present day (not as an active ship, of course), but the butterflies and realities make it a bit... tough.

 

[Hood]

I confess I've wanted to do a TL where the Titanic makes it to the present day (not as an active ship, of course), but the butterflies and realities make it a bit... tough.

She'd need a rebuild by the 50s anyway. Massive rebuild.

 

[Resurgam]

She'd need a rebuild by the 50s anyway. Massive rebuild.

And that's where I get a bit stuck. I think with some creativity you can get her past WWII (Aquitania made it), but after the 50s... she would have to attain something approaching HMS Victory or the like in the British public's consciousness.

 

[Hood]

And that's where I get a bit stuck. I think with some creativity you can get her past WWII (Aquitania made it), but after the 50s... she would have to attain something approaching HMS Victory or the like in the British public's consciousness.

If she did something insane in WW2, that saved thousands of people, or helped change the course of the war, I think she would have a good chance.
But that rebuild would be badly needed. By 1950 Aquitania was literally falling apart. A piano once went through a floor.

 

[Resurgam]

If she did something insane in WW2, that saved thousands of people, or helped change the course of the war, I think she would have a good chance.
But that rebuild would be badly needed. By 1950 Aquitania was literally falling apart. A piano once went through a floor.

Agreed on both. But how would an aging ocean liner alter the war...

 

[Hood]

Agreed on both. But how would an aging ocean liner alter the war...

Ram a u boat while she was carrying both Churchill and FDR, containing top secret documents that would surely change the course of the war?
That's all I got..

 

[SsgtC]

If she did something insane in WW2, that saved thousands of people, or helped change the course of the war, I think she would have a good chance.
But that rebuild would be badly needed. By 1950 Aquitania was literally falling apart. A piano once went through a floor.

Agreed, she would need both. One nitpick, the story of the piano going through the floor on Aquataina, is just that. A story. No one has ever found any records from Cunard confirming it. It's not even in her log book. Though I do agree, she was literally falling apart.

Agreed on both. But how would an aging ocean liner alter the war...

Not so much alter the war, but maybe she plays a huge roll in the evacuation of Dunkirk. Something like her Captain disobeying orders, taking her in and heroically saving thousands of men from the beaches. Particularly if you combine that with the Heer not stopping their advance and Titanic getting those men off at the last moment. And if she'd been fitted as a troop ship again, you could even have her evacuating the men while providing cover fire from her own guns

 

[Resurgam]

Not so much alter the war, but maybe she plays a huge roll in the evacuation of Dunkirk. Something like her Captain disobeying orders, taking her in and heroically saving thousands of men from the beaches. Particularly if you combine that with the Heer not stopping their advance and Titanic getting those men off at the last moment. And if she'd been fitted as a troop ship again, you could even have her evacuating the men while providing cover fire from her own guns

In complete candor, this is basically what I came up with at first, but feared it be laughed off the board as ASB.

 

[SsgtC]

ASB, no. Is it a huge wank? Kinda. Lol.

In complete candor, this is basically what I came up with at first, but feared it be laughed off the board as ASB.