This is a new section of the Rivet Counter Titanic Scale Model Tutorial that will be incorporated into the updated tutorial when it is completed.

MODIFICATIONS AND ADDITIONS

The flags are listed from bow to stern but not in chronological order.

Making Realistic Flags

Most models have a tendency to make the flags look like they've been starched flat. Even though decals are fragile there is an easy solution to make the flags look more lifelike using tin foil. The tin foil allows the animation of the flag while preventing the decals from cracking and gives the model a more lifelike appearance.

Step 1
Cut out a small section of domestic tin foil.

Step 2
Once the decal has been soaked place one side of the decal on the tinfoil so its fold line runs along the straight edge of the tinfoil sheet.

Step 3
Fold the other half of the decal around to the opposite of the tinfoil making sure that both side line up opposite each other.

Step 4
After the decal has dried carefully cut out the flag ensuring that there is no tinfoil flashing around the edges.

Step 5
Use CA glue to mount the flag to a cable or mast.

Step 4
Once the glue has set you can give the impression of movement by creating small furls in the flags using the tip of a paint brush handle, small straw or any small cylindrical object.

Step 5
The tin foil will show through at the very edge of the flag so you need to touch this up using the same colour as the flag.

Making New Flags

See MODELING TECHNIQUES section for information on making decals.

Olympic-Class Complement of Flags

The following are 1914 flag specifications for the Olympic-class ships.  Titanic would have most likely carried a complement of flags in similar number and sizes.

No.	Flag	Measurements
		Ratio	Feet & Inches	mm	1:350 scale in mm
6	House flags (3 x medium, 3 x storm)	1:2	9' x 4'6"	2743 x 1372	7.8 x 3.9
2	Red Ensigns	1:2	9' x 4'6"	2743 x 1372	7.8 x 3.9
1	Blue Ensign*	1:2	21' x 10'6"	6401 x 3201	18.3 x 9.1
4	Blue Ensigns	1:2	15' x 7'6"	4572 x 2032	13.0 x 5.8
1	Blue Ensign	1:2	9' x 4'6"	2743 x 1372	7.8 x 3.9
1	Blue Ensign	1:2	6' x 3'	1828 x 914	5.2 x 2.6
2	U.S. ensigns (Stars & Stripes)	10:19	9' x 4'8"	2743 x 1422	7.8 x 4.0
2	U.S. ensigns (Stars & Stripes)	10:19	6' x 3'2"	1828 x 965	5.2 x 1.9
2	French ensigns (Tricolours)**	2:3	7' x 4'8"	2133 x 1422	6.0 x 4.0
2	French ensigns**	2:3	4' x 2'8"	1219 x 812	3.5 x 2.3
1+	US Mail flags**	NA	8' x 4'9"	2438 x 1447	7.0 x 4.1
1+	Royal Mail pennant**	NA	8' x 3'6"	2438 x 1066	7.0 x 3.0
2	Pilot Jacks***	5:8	7'6" x 4'8"	2286 x 1372	6.5 x 3.8
2	Blue Peters	2:3	7' x 4'8"	2133 x 1422	6.1 x 4.0
1	Blue Peter	2:3	4' x 2'8"	1219 x 812	3.5 x 2.3
2	Sets international code flags
	Rectangular flags (excluding flags C - G)	2:3	8' x 5'6"	2438 x 1676	7.0 x 4.8
	Signal pennants (C - G & Answering pennant)	1:3	4' x 12'	1219 x 1657	3.5 x 4.7
4	Ships distinguishing signal (HVMP)	2:3	8' x 5'6"	2438 x 1676	7.0 x 4.8
1+	Pilot flags**	2:3	8' x 5'6"	2438 x 1676	7.0 x 4.8
2+	Docking bridge flags**	1:1	12" x 12"	305 x 305	0.87 x 0.87
1	Set of flag lines with flags for dressing ship

*Not believed to have been carried in 1912
** Flags not listed in the specifications but carried onboard. Sizes calculated from measurements of flags in available photographs.
*** Variation from the specified flag size.

Thanks to Bruce Beveridge for this information.

Flags used on titanic

Flags listed fore to aft. Click on the thumbnail to see 1:25 image of the flag.

Pilot Jack

Also known as the Merchant Jack. This was the Union Jack with a white border.

It appears that the Pilot Jack was only flown when the Titanic was dressed on April 4th. See page 59 of Titanic Triumph and Tragedy. For information on Dressing the Ship see below.

You will need to add the jackstaff. See MASTS section for information on this.

U.S. ensign (Stars and stripes)

This was the the 46 star version of the Stars and Stripes.

The U.S. ensign was flown as a courtesy ensign at Southampton and while departing Southampton, and was replaced by the French ensign by the time the ship reached the English Channel.

The next morning (after departing Cherbourg), Titanic would have flown this flag continuously until out of sight of the Irish coast. This includes the time entering Queenstown, at anchor there, and departing.

French ensign (Tricolour)

The French ensign contained blue, white and red vertical stripes, this flag would have been flown from the foremast by the time the ship reached the English Channel (en route to Cherbourg).

Since 1853, the French ensign has had vertical strips with the proportions 30:33:37 to give a better appearance when seen at a distance.

Blue Peter

Sailing Flag (Signal Code Letter "P"). Traditionally the Blue Peter was hoisted up one of her signal halyards as soon as the ship was about to sail.

There is no photographic evidence that the Titanic flew the Blue Peter but theoretically she would have.

Signal Flags

The Titanic carried two sets of international signal flags plus four sets of signal flags for the display of the ship's distinguishing signal. The signal flags were flown from the signal halyards on the bridge wings.

Seen here are the the signal flags as they would have appeared in 1912. Many of the flag meanings in use today were not in use in 1912 and the C to G were a pennant style rather than rectangular.

Click on the thumbnail for a 1:25 scale drawing of each flag.

A	B The Powder Flag	C Affirmative - "YES"
D Negative - "NO"		E
F		G
H	I	J	K
L Cholera, Yellow Fever or Plague Flag	M	N	O
P The Blue Peter "Am about to sail"	Q Quarantine Flag Foreign "Am liable to quarantine"	R	S Pilot signal "Want a pilot"
T	U	V	W
X	Y	Z
Code and Answering pennant (Code flag).

Titanic's distinguishing signal

Titanic's signal letter flags, HVMP, assigned by the Registrar General of the General Register& Record office of Shipping and Seamen.

H

V

M

P

These would have been flown to identify the ship when exchanging signals at sea.

White Star House flag

The White Star house flag was flown from the top of the mainmast (at the masthead). This was a red, tapering swallow-tailed pennant, bearing a single, white five-pointed star.

This flag was flown by all ships owned by the White Star Line and was also found on many of the ship's stationery, crockery, crew badges etc. The house flag was always flown from the mainmast from 8 am to sunset.

Royal Mail pennant

This is the pennant that gave the Titanic her "RMS". It was a white triangular flag containing the King's Crown and postal horn and was flown by commercial ships who carried the British royal mail. This flag reflected her status as a carrier of the Royal Mails under contract to the British government.

The pennant was flown from the second halyard on the mainmast (aft), about a third of the way down from the top of the mast. For Southampton see photo on page 89 of Titanic Triumph and Tragedy and page ? of ? for Queenstown.

Blue Ensign

Titanic, like other ships, flew her national ensign from the stern to denote her nationality, and from the foremast when the ship was dressed with flag lines in port. The Titanic carried both the Blue Ensign (a blue flag with the Union Jack in the top left hand corner) and the Red Ensign (a red flag with the Union Jack in the top left hand corner).

While the Titanic carried both the Blue and Red ensigns she only wore the Blue Ensign because Captain Smith and at least ten of her crew were members of the Royal Naval Reserve (RNR). If this requirement was not met the Red Ensign would be used.

The location and size of the Blue Ensign will depend on where you want your model to be sailing or docked. Refer to Flag Location Summary below.

Dressing the Ship

On the first day that Titanic was docked at Southampton , following tradition the ship was dressed with flag lines. Photos of this can be seen on pages 58 to 60 of Titanic Triumph and Tragedy.

The complement of ship’s signal flags was flown evenly spaced on 3 sections of steel wire running from the forepeak to the foremast, foremast to mainmast, and mainmast to the base of the ensign staff.  The flags were arranged so that the triangular pennants were spaced evenly with the square flags.

The order of the flags was left up to the responsible officer and no ensigns of any kind were used on the flaglines.

You can make out some of the specific flags from the photo evidence but if you decide to add these flags then you are hereby designated the responsible officer and can arrange them as you want using the guidelines above.

Number of flags.

Line	No.	Length of line (approx.)			Spacing
		Feet & Inches	Metres	1:350 scale in mm	1:350 scale in mm
Fore-down line (foremast to bow)	21	192'	58.5	167mm	7.95mm
Fore-to-main line (foremast to mainmast)	??	600'	182.9	553mm	mm
main-down line (mainmast to stern)	??	210'	64	183mm	mm

Flag Location Summary

You will have to arrange the flags on your model depending on where you want your model to be. The arrangement of flags was different depending on where the Titanic was heading, whether she was in port , at sea within sight of land or beyond 50 nautical miles from land.

Here is a summary of the different flags and their location in relation to her short history.

Ship Location	Mast	Flag
Leaving Belfast (April 2nd)	Jackstaff	NA
	Foremast	NA
	Mainmast	NA
	Docking Bridge	2 x white flags
	Ensign staff	Blue Ensign (15')
First day berthed at Southampton (April 4th)	Jackstaff	Pilot Jack
	Foremast	Blue Ensign (3')
	Mainmast	White Star house flag
	Docking Bridge	NA
	Ensign staff	Blue Ensign (15')
	Other	The Titanic was dressed in celebration of her maiden arrival at Southampton .” See notes on "Dressing the ship" below.
Good Friday (April 5th)	Jackstaff	None
	Foremast	None
	Mainmast	White Star house flag
	Docking Bridge	NA
	Ensign staff	None
Wed April 10th (Prior to departure)	Jackstaff	NA
	Foremast	U.S. ensign
	Signal halyards	Blue Peter (speculative)
	Mainmast	White Star House flag
	Docking Bridge	NA
	Ensign staff	Blue Ensign (15')
April 10th (Departure)	Jackstaff	NA
	Foremast	U.S. ensign
	Mainmast	White Star House flag/Royal Mail Pennant (lower down on second halyard.
	Docking Bridge	Two white flags while Titanic was being moved by tugs.
	Ensign staff	Blue Ensign (15')
April 10th (English Channel)	Jackstaff	NA
	Foremast	French ensign
	Mainmast	White Star House flag/Royal Mail Pennant (lower down on second halyard.
	Docking Bridge	NA
	Ensign staff	Blue Ensign (15')
April 10th (Cherbourg 6.30pm)	Jackstaff	NA
Photographic evidence indicates Titanic arrived before dark.	Foremast	French ensign
	Mainmast	White Star House flag/Royal Mail Pennant lower down on second halyard.
	Docking Bridge	NA
	Ensign staff	Blue Ensign (15')
April 10th (Cherbourg at anchor)	All flags stowed at sunset.
April 10th/11th (Cherbourg/Queenstown)	Jackstaff	NA
	Foremast	U.S. ensign (hoisted only when land sighted)
	Mainmast	White Star House flag/Royal Mail Pennant (lower down on second halyard (both hoisted only when land sighted)
	Docking Bridge	NA
	Ensign staff	Blue Ensign (15')
April 11th (Arrive Queenstown 11.30am)	Jackstaff	NA
	Foremast	U.S. ensign
	Mainmast	White Star House flag/Royal Mail Pennant (lower down on second halyard.
	Docking Bridge	NA
	Ensign staff	Blue Ensign (15')
April 11th (Depart Queenstown 1.30pm)	Jackstaff	NA
	Foremast	U.S. ensign
	Mainmast	White Star House flag/Royal Mail Pennant (lower down on second halyard.
	Docking Bridge	NA
	Ensign staff	Blue Ensign (15')
April 11th to April 14th (At sea)	Jackstaff	NA
	Foremast	NA
	Mainmast	NA
	Docking Bridge	NA
	Ensign staff	Blue Ensign (15')
The U.S. Ensign would have been stowed when the Titanic lost sight of land. The ensign at the stern would have been kept flying continuously during daylight hours at sea to identify the ship’s nationality to passing ships.”
April 17th (Arrive New York)	Jackstaff	NA
If the Titanic had reached New York these are the flags she would have flown.	Foremast	U.S. ensign
	Mainmast	White Star House flag/Royal Mail Pennant (lower down on second halyard.
	Docking Bridge	NA
	Ensign staff	Blue Ensign (15')
	Other	Once Titanic had docked she would have dressed with flag lines and flown the Pilot Jack at the bow. See notes on "Dressing the ship" below.

other flags

Red Ensign

The Red Ensign was part of the ship's complement of flags but would not have been flown because of the RNR status of some of her crew.

British Pilot flag

On the Olympic-class ships, the pilot flag was flown from the signal halyard.  Regulations dictated that this flag be flown in British waters when a pilot was aboard. It was divided horizontally with a white top and red bottom and signifies the presence of a pilot on board. This flag was never flown on the Titanic but was part of her flag complement.

This flag was supposed to be flown by Titanic leaving Southampton but photographic evidence confirms that it was not.

US Mail flag

This flag was never flown on the Titanic but was part of her flag complement. Under normal circumstances this would have been flown after leaving New York and arriving at Plymouth, Cherbourg and Southampton

The colour of the lettering is unknown but could have been black or dark blue to match the colour of the U.S. ensign.

White Star Commodore's Flag (clearing up a common misconception)

There was a variant of the White Star House flag known as the Commodore's flag.This was a version of the White Star flag above but with a white border around the edges. It has been suggested that this flag may have been flown on the Titanic because Captain Smith was the Commodore of the line, however, Smith was not a Commodore.  The White Star Line discontinued this title in 1882 and did not reinstate it until 1920.

For additional information on these flags, see the Flag Reference on the Titanic Research and Modeling Association's website at www.titanic-model.com.