Majestic‘s Propellers
Bismarck/Majestic‘s construction was completed in Germany after the First World War. She was a quadruple screw steamship and so her four propellers were an essential component of her propulsion system, but her builders Blohm & Voss were faced with many logistical challenges. One of them was shortages of various materials. In July 1920, Edward Wilding had reported that the ship’s propellers were ‘being made of cast steel, in view of the shortage of bronze’. This was only a temporary measure rather than a long term solution. Majestic entered service for the White Star Line in May 1922 and her original propellers were replaced by a new set in November 1922. She went through a number of different propellers during her career:
A period postcard showing two of the ship’s propellers c. 1928. The reverse reads: ‘Casting Weight 30 tons each; Finished weight 15. tons each; Diameter 16 feet; Revolving at 200rpm [revolutions per minute]; Each transmitting approx. 20,000shp [shaft horsepower], made of STONE’s Turbiston Bronze.’ (Author’s collection)
