Alternate History Olympic

[313_Iron]

I have discussed this topic with my friends for some time and I wanted to get other people’s opinions on this topic.
If the RMS Olympic sank in any point during her life, when would the ship sunk, what would have caused it, and what would the wreck look like?
I theorize that the Olympic would have sunk sometime during WW1, probably due to a torpedo strike. I researched a bit into Olympic’s history and found that at one point during WW1 she was torpedoed, but the torpedo was a dud and didn’t explode. I’d imagine that if the ship had sunk, it would have been due to that same torpedo in the case that it did explode. I’d imagine that the ship wouldn’t have sunk at first, and would have tried to limp its way to the nearest allied or neutral port, but she would have been torpedoed again, possibly two or three times total before finally sinking. I’d imagine that the wreck would be in rather bad condition due to the damage inflicted. The Olympic’s theoretical wreck would possibly be in about the same condition as the RMS Lusitania’s wreck if this is how she had sunk.

 

[Fernando MG]

Hello!
The most factible scenario I can imagine is the one you are proposing: Olympic being mined or torpedoed during WW1. And yes, she was torpedoed once, but nobody noticed this until Olympic went to drydock in February 1919.
Another possibility (although more sad and melancholic) is that, because of her state after have been laid up in 1935 (therefore we had to suppose she was in a very bad shape after the laid up, which is, of course, false), she sank during her last voyage to the breakers, kind of a way she said "no" to her self scrapping, her own "good bye".

 

[Cam Houseman]

Speaking of Alternate History, I bet, had Titanic been as popular in culture as she is today, Olympic would have been saved.

 

[Roger Southern]

Possibly not Cam. The interest in preserving our 'heritage' is a relatively recent thing. The Victorians for instance thought nothing of ripping down Tudor or Georgian buildings to put up their modern replacements. Veteran cars from the Titanic period were still regarded as old bangers thirty years ago- an interesting curiosity but not worth anything really. \it's a question of perception of their value.

 

[Cam Houseman]

You have a great point. Too bad it was so.