Olympic-class ocean liner of 29 coal-fired steam boilers in six compartments. However, "Olympic"s boilers were adapted for firing by oil at the end of the First World War, which reduced the number of engine crew required from 350 to 60. The "Olympic"-class ships were long, displacing normally (their draft at this displacement being ), and their tonnage was around 45-46,000 GRT. "Olympic" became the largest ship in the world when it was completed in May, 1911 before losing the title to its sister "Titanic" when she was completed in April, 1912. After the loss of "Titanic" the third sister ship "Britannic" claimed the
RMS Olympic September 1911, when she collided with the British cruiser . The collision took place as "Olympic" and "Hawke" were running parallel to each other through the Solent. As "Olympic" turned to starboard, the wide radius of her turn took the commander of "Hawke" by surprise, and he was unable to take sufficient avoiding action. "Hawke"s bow, which had been designed to sink ships by ramming them, collided with "Olympic"s starboard side near the stern, tearing two large holes in "Olympic"s hull, above and below the waterline, resulting in the flooding of two of her watertight compartments and a twisted propeller