Some ship design failures can stem from simple mathematical errors but others are broader and more complex. British battlecruisers like HMS Invincible and rollonrolloff (Roro) ferries like MV Estonia don't have very much in common, but the whole success of their function hinges on critical design Achilles' heels. In the case of the battlecruiser a lessened armour scheme and, for the ferries, a whopping great hole through which to load cars. When the designs worked, they worked well; but when small failures were introduced or the ships were pushed beyond their capabilities then things could get fatal. Featuring stories of the battleship HMS Dreadnought, battlecruisers HMS Invincible, HMS Indefatigable, HMS Queen Mary and SMS Seydlitz and the ferries MV Princess Victoria, MV Estonia and MV Herald of Free Enterprise.

Oceanliner Designs explores the design, construction, engineering and operation of history’s greatest vessels– from Titanic to Queen Mary and from the Empress of Ireland to the Lusitania. Join maritime researcher and illustrator Michael Brady as he tells the stories behind some of history's most famous ocean liners and machines!

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