5 Things You Don't Know About: The USS Constitution

The oldest commissioned warship. Old iron sides is reviewed in detail.

[@s51curtis]

Here's an interesting fact: With the decommissioning of the guided missile frigate USS Simpson, the USS Constitution is now the only ship in the US Navy that has sunk an enemy ship.

[@marcusmaddox2176]

That's AMAZING and great we are at peace. Love the Constitution and OLD IRON SIDES TOO

[@anthonyparadiso1a]

Shit, no...out of all the ships in US naval history?

[@keptinkrunchactual]

@@anthonyparadiso1a Active ships. The Constitution is still an active commissioned ship.

[@Mchampagne63]

Do drones count?

[@icgang]

Stood a watch at the brow of the USS Constitution in August of 1966. I was honored to volunteer from the USS WASP.

[@studinthemaking]

Thomas Mccoy That so cool.

[@pcinisrael3550]

As a kid I built models of the Wasp and Constitution. :)

[@leemichaels7628]

In 1964 or 1965 my Sea Scout ship visited USS Constitution. We were all in our uniforms and were received with honors by the crew. I don't recall whether all three sections of the masts were up then. There was a long stretch during the 60's where only the lower sections were up. But it was awesome. Nowadays the USS Constituion is my daily alarm clock, as they fire a signal canon everyday at 8:00 AM; and I live nearby.

[@marcusmaddox2176]

Thank you for your service!

[@kah10161]

@@leemichaels7628 Scouts salute 🫡!

[@ShadowACE1998]

Ya see this Brits? Get it together. Get the HMS Victory sailing again. I would love to see her with open sails on the high seas. Maybe a cross Atlantic trip with the USS Constitution to show solidarity between the US and the UK. Admiral Nelson would approve.

[@joshlower1]

Logan Cracraft then they will exchange broadsides and the victory will sink

[@12alocin]

I would crawl 5 miles on my hands and knees over broken glass to see that spectacle, however, I don't know about the Yanks but, the last man who knew anything about handling the Victory probably died at least 150 years ago. So to see that scene, there would have to be a training program of at least a year.

[@joshlower1]

12alocin let’s see those cannonballs bounce off old iron sides

[@tomgwynn2000]

@Josh lower, I love the Constitution as much as any patriotic American, but Victory is a first-rate ship of the line, mounting 104 guns, Constitution is a super-frigate mounting maybe 54 guns. I doubt Victory could catch Constitution on the open sea (she was designed to be faster than anything too big for her to fight) but if Victory did catch her, she would pound Constitution into scrap. It's the equivalent of a battleship vs. a light cruiser, today. Fighting spirit is crucial, but there's a limit to the mismatch it can overcome.

[@joshlower1]

Tom Gwynn not true despite victory’s advantage in guns she lacked the stout hull of the constitution and even though victory carried the more cannon most of them were the same rating as constitution. Victory’s cannon would do little damage to constitution

[@mikecacioppo5639]

Love her !!!! As a 11 y.o. in 1969' did a tour as a youngster, I'll never forget !!!

[@frederickstibbert7389]

Although the wood planking has been replaced (probably more than once) it's important to remember that her decks are hallowed ground, as much as the fields of Antietam or the American Cemetary in Normandy.

[@karaDee2363]

One thing that I still remember to this day from a school trip to the USS Constitution while in elementary school in 1970ish, when I asked the tour guy what the barrels of sand was for on the gun decks and he told us that the sand was spread across the decks during battle because blood becomes very slippery on wood. So as you can imagine that put a frightful thought in my head of what conditions were like in battle

[@mean45acp]

People you owe it to yourself, your country, and the USS CONSTITUTION to visit her. It is truly amazing and magnificent. Her history is legendary. You can tour her with guides or without. The Navy has trained the crew extremely well. I don't think there is a question about her history the crew can't answer. Get to Boston and tour her and BUY souvenirs. The proceeds go to the restoration fund. Congress WILL NOT allocate funding for a restoration or preservation. It will be a terrible shame on the citizens of this country to let this majestic beautiful piece of American history beat herself to splinters against her moorings. The absolute best time to visit the USS CONSTITUTION is over the 4th of July weekend. Every year the crew takes her out into the harbor in order to turn her around. This is done so the hull wears evenly. Truly a sight to behold with all the sails raised. GO SEE HER. Located in Charlestown, Ma. Very easy to get to basically under the Tobin Bridge. Long live the USS CONSTITUTION!!!

[@bobbrezniak6386]

+mean45acp I visited her several years ago and have my picture taken at her helm. Truly great vessel.

[@jeffschwartz7923]

+mean45acp I am from Atlanta - and I have been there - done that - and was truly amazed and the powerful ship!!!! Hard to leave her - and not salute this magnificent ship!!!!!

[@ShadowACE1998]

I would love to walk the decks of the Constitution. Hell, as an American citizen I would love to walk the decks of the HMS Victory. I love sailing warships. I love that era of Naval history.

[@saragorn5033]

Well now I have a new spot on my bucket list

[@notsure6187]

Another great ship you should see while in Mass is the USS Massachusetts at battleship cove in Fall River. I have been there several times as a child and that ship is huge! Just make sure you give yourself a few hours ☺. The marine museum just up the street is also a must! It has a 28ft model of the Titanic that was used in 20th century fox 'Titanic'(1953) and has working lights. Haven't seen old ironsides yet 😢. I hope these 2 ships are around for many more years.

[@77Cardinal]

My New England born grandfather sent the family egg money as a donation for the restoration of Constitution and somebody in my family has a 2x4x4 inch bit of the original oak wood of the ship with a small bronze plaque fixed on the side verifying authenticity. I played with it when I was a kid. Dozens of cannon balls bounced off those few square inches in my mind. Blessings on all who treasure the old ships and their crews.

[@MJIZZEL]

If you are interested in selling it, I will gladly give you back the donation family egg money your grandfather sent for her restoration. Jk. Thanks for sharing. I am a little jealous though! Edit: punctuation

[@redpancakes]

Fallout Games have made me realize how much of the USA is going unrealized.

[@redpancakes]

By the majority, I mean.

[@coveyjt1]

The master shipbuilder that built the USS Constitution was George Claghorn, he was my 6th great-granduncle.

[@MJIZZEL]

Wow. I would be proud as all hell. Your 6th great granduncle had hand directly in the defense of our country. Important historical figure imo. Ty for being proud and sharing!

[@QueenBee-gx4rp]

Wow! Amazing! You must be very proud of your ancestor.

[@kennethpinder7983]

As of this date, the United States Navy has only one vessel in the Naval Vessel Register that has sunk another vessel at sea. Collisions don't count. That means the USS Constitution is the only commissioned vessel in the US Navy that has sunk another vessel.

[@keltin.watkinsyfp8065]

Kenneth Pinder actually your wrong there, yeah uss constitution sunk one vessel, a British. But hms victory sunk 50 to 1 ratio of what constitution can handle. Victory took on ship of the lines at Trafalgar. Get your history man, victory is the oldest and constitution would be hammered to splinters by victory if they engaged. Trafalgar had 80 ships total, uss constitution, only one

[@stevenwilliams6691]

does that statistic include the uboats in the pacific with the sinking of the yamamoto

[@jeremygross8967]

Yea... HMS Victory isn't in the US navy. So, you should learn how to read before posting there pal. Also, it's you're. Good try though.

[@josephdwolfe]

Jeremy Gross Yea is spelled yeah.

[@christophergraham3160]

Collisions count if deliberate. Too bad there isn't a ship still in this world whose captain ordered "Ramming speed!" They've all been scrapped or sunk

[@terrancebigham6765]

Back in 1830, Old Ironsides was about to be scrapped. Oliver Wendell Holmes' poem "Old Ironsides" helped stir up support to save her.

[@votpavel]

wow

[@joevignolor4u949]

In one engagement Constitution was being pursued by several British ships in dead calm conditions. None of the ships were making much headway. The Americans mounted two guns on her stern and repeatedly fired them back at the British to hold them at a distance. They also noticed that when the guns were fired the ship surged forward and picked up a little momentum each time. Essentially this meant that the two guns were functioning as rocket engines based on the same action/reaction principle used in a modern rocket.

[@votpavel]

only thing i read was they pulled her with rowboats, and then the fog happened and they slipped away or something like that

[@joevignolor4u949]

@votpavel That is true, but they also fired cannon backward off the ship and noticed that the ship would accelerate forward after each shot.

[@votpavel]

@@joevignolor4u949 i gotta go see the ship sometime,my current bike is not a comfortable enough ride to get to massachussets

[@MilitaryDotCom]

Answer to Question: The HMS Victory is older.

[@michaelbauer5726]

I knew it the flagship of the British navy

[@skylers_a_bum]

+dimapez I thought victory was sunk and rebuilt?

[@youngzm]

+ButterBunny Victory was always Her Majesty's flagship. She has been sunk and rebuilt several times but her last Victory still remains afloat to this day - still the longest enduring.

[@ChristopherRoyJamesCook1768]

+John Collins Forget "commissioned," USS Constitution is the oldest warship afloat.

[@robertphillips5181]

+Christopher Roy it can float it just cant sail. it was afloat in ww2.

[@psansoucy]

HMS Victory, laid down in 1755 and commissioned in 1765, the flagship of Vice Admiral Nelson at the Battle of Trafalgar, 1805, is still in commission but she is aground at Portsmouth, UK. Victory is a 100 gun triple decker.

[@mikearakelian6368]

You mean ship of the line...

[@michaelwilkening8542]

@@mikearakelian6368 She is a first rate ship of the line. The 1700s version of an Iowa class battleship. The biggest and baddest thing afloat at the time.

[@taketimeout2share]

She is absolutely beautiful. I wish she was one of ours, that's how much I admire her. Well done America. Look after her.

[@johanngaiusisinwingazuluah2116]

I guess this ship is.....Paul Revered.

[@Weesel71]

Gooooood one! :-)

[@eldiablo4131]

My favorite subject; My favorite ship... Save you me..that I will set foot on the deck of that beauty someday... Thanks for this nice presentation !

[@johnchambers2996]

Of note was the recently discovered lateral pre-stressing of the hull design by Joshua Humphreys; this limited hogging, the bowing-up of the center of the keel which caused air entrapment friction and a loss of speed. Also, of neglected note was Oliver Wendell Holmes' poem "Old ironsides" which was a significant motivator with the fund raising that saved the ship from the breakers or the target range.

[@michaelwillette5738]

Perhaps so. But this was/is not the main method of preventing "hogging" as used by Joshua Humphreys. U.S.S.Constitution was longer and narrower than conventional designs of the day. As a candidate for a Military History degree & studying her construction I down loaded scans of Humphrey's original builder's notes. Humphreys had a secret. He used six diagonal riders (planks) down each side over the inner (inside) planking. The 6 toward the bow angled downward & the 6 toward the stern angled upward. Spaced several feet apart. The 4 inner lower ends spaced apart amidships. As U.S.S. Constitution was in the middle of her 1994-95 overhaul, more extensive than in over a hundred years, Constitution had "hogged" more than 12 inches. Specification was 1 inch. When drydocked she was placed on sand filled boxes following her keel. After jigging, the sand was released letting her settle with a straight keel. When I consulted with the historians at the History & Heritage Command that i had found out about the diagonal riders in Humphrey's notes they agreed and revealed that the restoration done in the 1920s removed the riders thinking they were an earlier incorrect "fix". A decision was made to place new ones. I don't know for sure how much my input helped but we agreed that the riders had to be restored. If anything I provided 3rd party confirmation of the existence of the riders, their originality, & purpose. She is now whole again... When refloated U.S.S. CONSTITUTION hogged only 1 inch which is Humphrey's original allowable design specification.

[@johnchambers2996]

@@michaelwillette5738 Thanks for the input. This rebuild error was reported in the Smithsonian article on the subject and is essentially what I said... the laterals are essentially pre-stressing members that limit hogging by keeping the keel straight by keeping it in tension.

[@ryann6067]

@@johnchambers2996 The 'laterals' you mention are called 'diagonal riders' which Michael further details above.

[@ryann6067]

@@michaelwillette5738were you hired to consult with the NHHC detachment Boston team on their restoration work during her extensive refit of the mid-90's in preparation for her sail?

[@davincis2]

Old Ironsides, the US Constitution, was NOT the first ship of the US Navy. That honor belongs to the US Constellation in 1797!

[@docclabo6350]

The USS Hannah is considered to be the first vessel in the US Navy. She was a former fishing schooner from Marblehead, Mass commissioned by George Washington in 1775 to attack British shipping to and from Boston. The US Navy was "rebooted" in the 1790s to fight the Tripolitan pirates, among others. USS Constellation was the second of the original six frigates to be launched (September 7, 1797), after USS United States (May 10, 1797) and before USS Constitution (October 21, 1797). I have not been able to find the commissioning date of the Constellation, but the United States was commissioned on July 11, 1797, before the Constellation was even launched.

[@popeye2sea]

@@docclabo6350 USS Hannah was commissioned into the Continental Navy. The US Navy did not exist until 1794.

[@lefantomer]

@@popeye2sea Hannah's namesake is a ferry that carries children back and forth from summer camp on an island just outside Marblehead's harbor. Afternoons it will come chugging back to its dock full of chattering and singing kids. I think the Glover family who owned the original would be pleased.

[@frankdawe5156]

HMS Victory is older that Constitution. She sits in dry dock in Portsmouth, England. She was Admiral Nelson's flagship at the famous Battle of Trafalgar.

[@michaelwilkening8542]

As a member of the Constitution's crew put it The HMS Victory is a fine ship but has been on land for over 100 years. In the american navy we call that a building. I was on board in July of 1986. As far as getting the Victory back in the water oak boring beetles have damaged her very badly and she would need almost all her exterior timbers replaced.

[@flipper-b8588]

I know I'm late but the oldest warship that still exists and is in dry dock is the HMS Victory.

[@strider04]

@Alexion being in dry dock does not mean it can never sail again

[@operator0]

@Andreas Reinhard It could sail again. The question is, do the Brits want to pay that much money to make it sail again? BTW, America paid a shitload to have the Constitution refurbished and make her seaworthy in the 90s I think.

[@karenbecker7702]

i wanted to say that but i figured that i was to late as well. the victory was lord nelsons flag ship in the battle of Trafalgar.

[@mellymom1121]

@@operator0 this was paid for with donations. By the PEOPLE of the UNITED STATES!

[@terrorfire8505]

@@operator0 I mean we almost paid 1.7 billion to some bastards in Brussels so yeah take that money and do that

[@joshnovack8244]

Wow, very intriguing. Thanks for uploading! :)

[@johnlogan330]

HMS Victory Launched: 7 May 1765 - Commissioned: 1778 USS Constitution Launched: 1797. Victory now in permanent dry dock and the flagship of the First Sea Lord since October 2012. USS Constitution remains the worlds oldest Afloat warship in commission. great video guys

[@alanhardman2447]

+flip inheck Yes. In dry dock undergoing another restoration, soon to be afloat again. HMS Victory is in permanent dry dock. Constitution was previously given a complete restoration for our National Bicentennial celebrations. She most recently sailed under her own power on the bicentennial of her original launch date. A true national treasure!

[@LordInquisitor701]

No they take to ship out to sail once in awhile

[@keltin.watkinsyfp8065]

John Logan victory is tearing down on herself. She wouldnt be able to sail, though it would be world breaking news and a great revenue for UK, but it's old and battle scarred from battle of Trafalgar. Uss constitution had no memorable battles in its service. Destincritivly constitution was a piece of shit built to evades britians superior naval power at that era

[@michaelwilkening8542]

@@LordInquisitor701 Actually it is more a tow around the harbor to equalize wear on the mast and rigging. That is according to a crew member when I asked about it.

[@oldtrkdrvr]

When I found out that H M S Victory is in permanent drydock, I realised the importance of the "still afloat " part of her description. Victory is older, but not still afloat.

[@billbutler2452]

We flew on the Red Eye to visit our son in Boston and allow me to indulge in a major History fix, especially a visit to the Constitution, I thoroughly enjoyed all the living history. I did my best talking with the crew, asking if the Navy might create an exhibit showing how Rope was made, the uses and importance to the then current culture, and with a rope-making exhibit or three using visiting kids, they could make a rope and each take home a 5 to 10' piece of something THEY made. Rope was a pretty serious industry and I see the effect it has when kids get to make a rope in the Civil War Reenactments here in California.

[@djgingecoldwell10]

The oldest ship still in commission but in dry dock , is Lord Nelsons flagship HMS Victory, which took part in the sea battle of Trafalgar against the French in 1805. She was launched on 17 May 1765. She is still regarded as Her Majesty's Ships by the Royal Navy. And something you may not know is any navy person allocated to work in a non-HMS location (such as the Ministry of Defence in London) is recorded as being a member of the crew of HMS Victory. A restoration worth £16 million is underway which will include work to the masts and rigging, replacement side planking, and the addition of fire control measures, is under-way, which is the most extensive refit since the ship returned from the Battle of Trafalgar. You can visit her at the Royal Naval Dock Yard in Portsmouth United Kingdom

[@outrageousgamer315]

The Flag ship of the Royal Navy 🇬🇧

[@brownie43212]

+Mr. Midshipman Wins in terms of what? Firepower, handling, speed????

[@JoeWolfDawson]

Wow...well obviously the USS Constitution being afloat and the HMS Victory being dry docked makes a difference however if both ships were refurbished and put to sea as they were when first built the Victory would win in an broadside attack however the tactics that were used the Victory would have had to catch the USS Constitution first and she was afast ship.

[@stephentaylor5874]

+Mr. Midshipman Victory was a first rate ship of the line in European terms.Constitution was second rate at best.not my terms but the original terms at the time.

[@hangemhigh2000]

+Ben Brown What are you talking about?

[@tarnishedknight730]

In August of '78, I had the privilege of reenlisting in the Navy aboard the Constellation. My C.O. stood right in front of the ship's wheel, while he preformed the ceremony.

[@stevenfrost8040]

I'm sorry, but I can't site my resource, but I read an article that stated to this day the US Navy has a forest of white oak trees. The USS Constitution was built out of white oak lumber which is highly coveted for shipbuilding because it is so dense. It stated that the sides of the ship were built out of 22" white oak lumber and that's why the British cannonballs bounced off.

[@bobpendlebury3733]

Fantastic and that's from a Brit from Portsmouth UK, home of HMS Victory! Bob

[@walterkreitmeier5079]

There is only one ship out of this period left, older than USS Constitution and still in commision ,..... the HMS Victory, Nelsons famos Ship from the Battle of Trafalgar 1805. I saw them both many times and I realy hope to see them again some more time. Since this visits I can understand the fascination this Ships produces . Was on tour with such Sailingship myself, so as Sedov in North and Eastsea. It sett you back in a time where this Typ of Ships where the superior Ships all over the world. and very often I wish I could move back in this Time to see more of them. Best regards from Germany Walter Kreitmeier

[@richardgreenleaf3259]

If you visit the Paul Revere House in Boston they have one of the original bolts on display. Or at least they did back in 2001. It was in a glass case in the yard, wanna say there was a cannon ball in the case too, have a photo somewhere around here of it. It had been removed during an earlier overhaul and eventually ended up at the house.

[@DrBLReid]

HMS Victory of the Royal Navy. It's C.O. is a Lt. Cdr. While USS Cnstitution has a Commander as C.O.

[@tbd-1]

While she was stuck on the stays during her launch attempts she developed an approximate 6 inch hog in her keel which wasn't fully corrected until her reconditioning in the 1990s when it had grown to about 14 inches (with the diagonal riders removed). Over time the hog returned to about 6 inches and has grown no worse. Since it's not getting worse the decision was made to leave it as is.

[@eason9115]

Awesome info

[@thomasmorrow108]

So I am the only one who heard with "With hashtag fuck" at the end?

[@lewisbayard1129]

This is part of our US History. Just one more thing i didn't know.

[@L3GHO5T]

Old Ironsides always puts a smile on my face! Hms victory 1760 I believe

[@thevictoryoverhimself7298]

A good thing to add to this list would be that on its final transatlantic crossing carrying trains to an exposition in paris, the Constitution ran aground and was damaged. It was towed to Portsmouth naval yard in the UK for repairs and for a brief period, the two current oldest commissioned warships in the world were docked in the same yard, within eyesight of each other. ("Victory" was in her worst possible condition during this period having sunk at her moorings 20 years before and people said at the time it was so rotten that you "could poke a walking stick through her timber and into the sea". Considering that wood floats its actually very very difficult to sink a sailing ship, so you know it was bad. It wasnt until 1922 when she started to sink again that she was restored to her condition today)

[@rich-bk7md]

She is on land now getting a few repairs but if you go check out the museum don't forget to stop by the visitors center, they have some really cool thing there to. Charlestown Navy Yard on 1st st

[@djteddybear131]

AWESOME HISTORY LESSON....

[@adammetzger4182]

I was planning to go to Boston to see the constitution this summer but I might not get to.

[@ltbubbas]

godspeed, captain ironsides

[@Blacksheep-Ba-Ba]

My husband was in the Navy years ago and a slot opened for a Senior Chief. I told him that this was SPECIAL!! He served aboard the USS Constitution from 1999- 2001. Then he went back to Subs. Did you know the 9/11 terrorists actually signed the guest book and boarded the USS Constitution a day before the towers were destroyed? Neither did I. You didn't hear it here.

[@rainangel159]

I'm not American, and although it's in the bucket list, I doubt I'll ever be able to visit and set foot aboard this magnificent vessel.

[@colestinson7379]

Do more!

[@charlieackerson4211]

Acctually the U.S.S Constitution moved 25 feet when initially launched

[@duanemiller5606]

Yep you’re right. And I knew that before although what I didn’t know was the part about Paul Revere however he was part of one of the worst military failure in America history the Penobscot expedition

[@billyboblillybob344]

@@duanemiller5606 There is also copper sheathing under the water line that Revere was responsible for providing as well...odd they didn't include that nugget...

[@rollingthunder915]

It's "Revere", not "Rever"!

[@unluckyprince4048]

Nobody cares about spelling except for some people

[@metube336]

1 Thing You Don't Know About: The USS Constitution - It is berthed in Charles-TOWN, Massachusetts, not "Charleston". Charleston is in South Carolina.

[@docclabo6350]

And Charleston, SC was originally called Charlestown too.

[@erniesalisbury3762]

As a Brit Royal Navy I would like to see the 2 ships competing

[@SmilingIbis]

Maybe they can bounce cannonballs off each other?

[@jakerazmataz852]

Sad only 10-15% of the original wood remains, but that is the life of an old wooden vessel.

[@johnsheak4469]

what about King Khufu boat found next to the Great Pyramid of Giza. we don't know if it was commissioned" or not. Do we?

[@ericwoytasek269]

Does anyone know if the Constitution and the Victory ever saw each other in battle? Is there a document somewhere to look up that kind of information?

[@theprof739]

+Eric Woytasek No, they never saw eachother in battle, Constitution would have beat a quick retreat if she was confronted by a Ship of the Line, like Victory. She's tough, but not that tough.

[@Hondo_O-C1anka]

HMS Victory is the only commissioned ship older than the constitution

[@leostrumski]

The copper mill where is it? I just saw it:)

[@lawrieflowers8314]

Oldest commissioned warship - HMS Victory.

[@jjsupah]

The radio chatter every time there is a new number is insufferable.

[@kevinmaiuri2195]

I'm no expert but I'd hazard a guess that all warships back during the time the USS Constitution was used in actual combat and probably today as well were and still are considered official soil of whichever countries they serve. Its just my guess though. I don't know if that's true or not.

[@JazzWithJakeInSF]

Because U.S. law governs U.S. warships, for all practical purposes they are mobile U.S. territories.

[@alexhayden2303]

For a good account of the battle: 'The Challenge'. Andrew Lambert. White Oak is being crowded out by Red Oak. Is becoming harder to build another ship to the same spec's!

[@galerae947]

Her skeleton was originally made of live oak, with planking, decks, and bulkheads of white oak.

[@SpudEater]

As to #4, he definitely knew

[@ferrusmanus184]

C'mon, Brits! Get HMS Victory sailing again!

[@americanfreedomlogistics9984]

paul revere was a coppersmith? hence the copper bottoms of revere ware cooking pans

[@SimCityEA1989]

older ship then her??? HMS Victory?

[@crimsonpride48]

HMS Victory is the oldest ship still commissioned

[@ericintohistory]

HMS Victory. Built in 1760's

[@fionawimber1028]

HMS Victory! Though she's not the oldest AFLOAT commissioned warship.

[@kevymoranski3887]

Is it the Good Ship Lollipop that is older?

[@traylorjbc]

The HMS VICTORY IS OVER 40 YEARS OLDER AND STILL IN SERVICE TODAY..

[@5678sothourn]

Can it float and sail hmm?

[@diegozarate4786]

I thought it sankt

[@traylorjbc]

It is still in service and is open to the public. It can sail and it has great history. HMS Victory is the oldest warship in service in the world. America is not Number One this time as proven many times when claiming to be. Americans are told way too much BS in schools and have no idea that England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and the surrounding Islands make up Great Britain. They have no idea what the English Flag looks like. It is the way they are schooled that makes Americans so ignorant. They can't help it. They will even argue with you and say stupid uneducated comments that they believe are right. You just can't teach an American the truth. They can't grasp true facts that show America to be "Number Three" at best. .. Bless um .. :)

[@EvatronX]

flip inheck lol wtf is a limey

[@fradaw6013]

Victory is a commissioned warship, but not a "floating" commissioned warship. She remains in dry dock in Portsmouth, England. Both are beautiful vessels and symbolic of their respective nation's valiant seamen.

[@jyy9624]

Boston's Freedom Trail

[@m.j.6339]

cool

[@DavidSmith-rf5je]

I was given a chance to serve on the Constitution out of boot camp, but I declined it, I figured it was too much ceremony. Probably a good choice, never could keep my boots shined. Sometimes I wished I would have taken the opportunity. Would have been unique

[@garyreed6237]

He asked which commissioned warship is older. That would be HMS Eagle by about 20 years.

[@lewismahn2537]

I want to see a battle between the U.S.S Constitution and HMS victory. HMS victory would win by far

[@delando9003]

+Petrolhead The Victory would win.. though they are 2 different class of ship considering the Victoy has twice the firepower of the Constitution.

[@delando9003]

That being true, though it all depends on the actual size on the cannons being fired as those ships did carry several different types on cannons. If it came down to it the Constitution would eventually give into the amount of firepower directed at it.

[@CAESAR70039]

+LORD OF SOULS No way!..Victory had more guns, but CONSTITUTION had better guns...I put my money on the CON...

[@rich-bk7md]

+Dylan Lee (ThatGamer) It did 'come down to it' she didn't get sunk!

[@RusskiBlusski]

+LORD OF SOULS if the USS Constitution got the weathergage over the HMS Victory the battle would be short with the USS Constitution at the top since its way more manoeuvrable.

[@charlesbarnett4240]

Hms victory Admiral lord Nelson's flag ship is the oldest commissioned navy ship in the world she is located at Portsmouth dockyards england.

[@stevenwilliams6691]

but SHE IS IN DRYDOCK permanantly placed on pads, and she she a sight to behold! She did not face the Constitution at sea either, that would have been a bad thing for the constitution, the constitution did not have the guns required to sink the Victory. Of which I am happy to say! Both the USA and Britian have their respective ship's of state still intact!

[@Weesel71]

And definitely worth a visit!

[@williameaton9058]

The Victory is a pile of wood on dry land...her namesake sank with a 1000 men on board in 1744.

[@Vault777Overseer]

​@@williameaton9058 Because you may not be aware, I can tell you that the Victory in drydock while named after another vessel did itself battle hard in many fights and has a place in history see The Battle of Trafalgar. A very important battle in history.

[@MilitaryDotCom]

Answer coming soon!

[@FatJoe98100]

It is a revolutionary war gun boat that said on the great lakes

[@seanpecenka5282]

And iron side became a Nick name because her wood was sunk under water and by the time it got out to sea the wood became hard as rock and the cannon balls wouldn't splinter the wood inside instead just leave a little dent then bounce off

[@NukeET2]

My complements to HMS Victory!

[@legenderygamer430]

i knew all but no 1

[@markus21218]

You guys spelled Paul Revere (Rever) wrong in the intro.

[@mikearakelian6368]

The older ship is HMS Victory

[@HOKSUMLIU]

oldest commissioned warship at dry dook is hms victory

[@gonnagetasuperbowloutofmeb5192]

USS constellation is in my home town of Baltimore

[@CAESAR70039]

HMS VICTORY, for sure!!

[@santi5728]

periodt!

[@docclabo6350]

ONLY 10-15% of her wood is original? It is amazing that there is that much!

[@sluggo9687]

That Live Oak is hardcore stuff. The Constitution's sister ship, USS United States was left to rot in the Gosport Naval yard until the Confederacy took her in 1861. When they scuttled her in 1862, even severely degraded, her timbers proved so strong that they ruined every single axe they had and couldn't breach her hull. They had to drill her out from inside in order to sink her.

[@torin1006]

Fact #6: I'm a direct descendant of the captain of the U.S.S. Constitution.(on my mother's father's corner of the family tree)

[@jacktattis143]

Torin: and I am a descendant of the ships cook

[@sluggo9687]

Which captain?

[@joannalamb3151]

The oldest is HMS victory in Portsmith UK

[@joshburroughs623]

HMS VICTORY is the oldest in dry dock

[@HighSpeedNoDrag]

I must ponder how many of the ships guns (when active) could be fired at ONCE?!??

[@collinlampkins]

You mean an on time volley fire? I believe all of them, but I don't know for sure.

[@supergeek1418]

Certainly with what was known as a "ripple fire" in which the firing proceeded from the stem to the stern (or vice versa) in rapid succession.

[@collinlampkins]

Super Geek I know what ripple fire is I've had to do it in a reenactment before.

[@user-fx9pi5hb9n]

i believe a full broadside from the hms victory would have pushed the ship over so they fire in in succession when the gun aimer got his target

[@Spartan536]

The USS Constitution could fire all guns at once with no issues. While cannons up to 12lb's could be mounted on the top deck, it was not uncommon for her to be outfitted with punishing 32lb Carronades (42lb carronades being the maximum limitation, 32lb carronades were the only ones ever deployed as far as I know). Those 32/42lb carronades and 24lb long guns on the bottom deck made it a terrifying "super frigate" to fight. A common tactic that was employed by officers aboard the USS Constitution was to fire a volley of mid range high accuracy shots into an enemy frigate and close the gap then unleash hell with within 100m or closer (as in the case with the HMS Guerriere) and beat the living hell out of the enemy with a volley similar to that of a ship of the line. One of the reasons why the Constitution was so well armored was the layering of wood that was used... the outer was a very dense Live Oak wood, behind that was White Oak sandwiched by longleaf pine. This allowed the harder denser live oak to absorb the kinetic energy of the shot better because of the softer more flexible white oak and longleaf pine behind it. This principle is also used in similarity to that of a traditional Japanese Katana where the harder steel on the outside sandwiches a softer metal on the inside allowing it to absorb shock better and not break in combat as easily due to it being too brittle. The British hated the idea of the USS Constitution being called a frigate as she did not match the conventionally accepted limitations of what would be a line ship or a frigate at the time. The USS Constitution sits in the 4th rate designation and is usually referred to as a "super frigate". In response to the common statement "The HMS Victory is better than the USS Constitution.. blah blah blah"... The USS Constitution could very well take on and beat the HMS Victory if the conditions are favorable for the USS Constitution, however even with favorable conditions the USS Constitution would suffer significant damage. In all likelihood a competent US Captain of the USS Constitution would not have engaged the HMS Victory in a 1v1 fight unless forced into it. While many would consider this "cowardly", it's about survival and engaging where you have the upper hand not the enemy, there is no reset button in RL, if you die that is it, game fucking over.

[@paulacornelison243]

Would that br the USS Constellation?

[@RANDALLBRIGGS]

Paul Revere's name is misspelled.

[@calebmitchell6870]

Big E next.

[@brandinepicgamer5085]

But can it fly through?

[@gfodale]

Re-title the video. I knew 3 of them. :)

[@maxwellharris507]

There's a Swedish warship called Vasa and it was launched in the 1600s but she was too top-heavy that a gust of wind caused her to sink

[@richtomlinson7090]

I was thinking about that ship just now but I forgot the name. Isn't it in a special room where they are preserving the wood.

[@eatshit2863]

Where are the others of the original six ?

[@sluggo9687]

USS United States (Launched 1797, 44 Guns rated - Defeated and captured HMS Macedonian (38 Guns) in 1812. Was captured at the Gosport Naval Yard by the Confederacy in 1861, and scuttled in 1862) USS President (Launched 1800, E44 Guns rated - Engaged and severely damaged the sloop HMS Little Belt (20 guns) in 1811. Was captured by HMS Endymion in 1815) USS Congress (Launched 1799, 38 Guns Rated - Scrapped in 1834) USS Constellation (Launched 1797, 38 Guns Rated - Defeated and captured the French Frigate L'Insurgente (40 Guns) in 17oo, Defeated via forced retreat the French Frigate La Vengeance (40 Guns) in 1800, scrapped in 1853; some of her timbers were used in the construction of a new sloop of war of the same name in 1854) USS Chesapeake (Launched 1799, 38 guns rated - Defeated and forced to strike her colors (surrender refused) by HMS Leopard (50 Guns) in 1807, Captured by HMS Shannon in 1813) Also, the Constitution's battle record of note: Evaded capture by a squadron consisting of: HMS Africa (64 Guns), HMS Guerriere (38 Guns), HMS Tenedos (38 Guns), HMS Belvedira (36 Guns), amd HMS Aeolus (32 Guns) Defeated and captured (later burned) HMS Guerriere (38 Guns) in 1812 Defeated and captured (later burned) HMS Java (38 Guns) in 1812 Defeated and captured the ships HMS Cyane (22 Guns) and HMS Levant (20 Guns) in a single engagement in 1815.

[@darthstarone3532]

Lord Nelson's ship HMS Victory 🎉

[@wintersburgoutback6485]

Keep our History!

[@Jakob_Herzog]

I am actually surprised that ANY of the ships wood is the original wood, after all the ship is 222 years old.

[@KingIjazMalik]

Black Pearl

[@stevenwilliams6691]

Black Pearl = Disney fiction