Titanic: What's the Deal With Those Red Signs?

Editorial Summary

The creator examines the historical accuracy of the warning signs depicted in the movie Titanic. These timber boards featured white lettering stating that the vessel had triple screws and advising others to keep clear of the blades. While the signs were ostensibly intended to warn smaller vessels about the danger of the propellers, the creator suggests they may have served primarily as a measure for insurance purposes. The discussion also addresses the color of these signs, which are frequently portrayed as red in popular media. The creator notes that research by Robert Reid suggests these boards were likely painted black, based on color photographs of similar ships from later decades. A complication in verifying this through historical records is that early monochromatic photography often renders red tones as black, making it difficult to distinguish between the two colors in original images. However, the creator concludes that because numerous color photographs from subsequent decades show these signs in black with white lettering, it is probable that the Titanic utilized the same color scheme.

Written by TripBacon from this video's transcript.