Combat Ships - Season 1 - Eps 4: The First Metal Warships
In the 1850s, warships moved from metal engines to metal armor. It was the beginning of a groundbreaking era that changed ship design forever. Join us as we examine the rapid evolution of the ironclad ship, from the most fearsome naval weapon ever built, Britain's HMS Warrior, to the Civil War showdown between the Monitor and the Virginia to the rise of the dreadnought. Through archival photos, in-depth interviews, and visits to the surviving ships, journey to the experimental years that transformed naval combat and defined a new world order.
About Combat Ships

Title: Combat Ships
First Air Date: 2017-06-20
Last Air Date: 2023-05-14
Status: Returning Series
Rating: 8.3/10 (from 3 votes)
Language: EN
Seasons: 4
Total Episodes: 34
Network: Smithsonian Channel
Genres: Documentary
Production Companies: Woodcut Media
Synopsis
The very first submarine, which legend claims lurked beneath New York Harbor during the American Revolutionary War. The small ships that rescued thousands from Dunkirk. The destroyer that forced the easing of the Cuban Missile Crisis. Over the centuries, conflicts have prompted advances to ship designs, making vessels stronger, faster, smarter, and capable of changing the course of wars. Join us as we examine the world's greatest Combat Ships, and reveal how they shaped world history and inspired men and women to acts of incredible courage.