Combat Ships - Season 1 - Eps 5: Torpedo Boats at War
In the late 1800s, the invention of the self-propelled torpedo incited a revolution in ship design. Navies needed new vessels to fire them and to defend against them. Enter torpedo boats--fast, lightweight ships that would play a big role in both World Wars. Examine some of these sophisticated speedsters, from the German S-boats, which turned one D-Day rehearsal into a very real battle, the MTB 102, the smallest vessel to ever serve as a Royal Navy flagship, and the PT 109, which made a hero of a young JFK.
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.
