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22 Episodes 0 - 2005
Episode 2
Wed, Apr 24, 1996
Episode 3
Thu, Jun 13, 1996
They were small, fast, inexpensive to build, punched well above their weight, and highly valued for their maneuverability and speed. Inch for inch, pound for pound, the Patrol Torpedo boats of World War II were among the most powerful warships of all time. Like David against Goliath, these small wooden boats were designed to take on and destroy the steel-hulled giants that dominated the oceans. Journey back to the early days of WWII to see how these remarkable boats came into being, and hear from the men who fought aboard them. Take a thrilling ride on a restored PT Boat, and get an up-close look at the features that made it so dangerous both for the ships it was designed to cripple and its own crew. In the brilliance of their design, in the daring of their missions, and in the pure can-do ingenuity of their crews, these swift, powerful vessels have left one of the most enduring legacies in maritime history.
Episode 5
Fri, Jun 14, 1996
Episode 7
Tue, Dec 17, 1996
Episode 8
Episode 12
Thu, Oct 31, 1996
The frigate was the most versatile and arguably the most vital warship in the age of sail. Through the late 18th and early 19th centuries, they prowled the seas, acting as the "eyes of the fleet" for the navies they served. THE GREAT SHIPS presents the story of these famed vessels. Discover how they were the heart of the first American Navy - not from choice, but because the Colonies could afford these small swift ships that could be built in only two months. Traditionally used for dispatches and scouting, the American ships were armed with enough guns to devastate the renowned Royal British Navy. FRIGATES brings the great engagements of the Revolution to life through period art and accounts and expert commentary. And go aboard the most famous frigate of all - the U.S.S. Constitution. The Yankee Frigate not only took a place in history, but helped to shape it.
Episode 13
50 mins
Discover the history and evolution of aircraft carriers, from their invention in World War I to today's modern 'super carriers'. See the epic carrier battles that America fought in World War II, and that made the aircraft carrier the massive force projector that it has made it such a strategic part of our Navy's arsenal. The video includes footage from some of those engagements, and interviews from some of the men who were in some of the greatest battles in military history.
Episode 14
Tue, Mar 10, 1998
They were the heirs to the majestic clippers, the last and most glorious of all commercial sailing ships. With their acres of canvas, towering masts and vast holds, they were true giants of the ocean. But all the size and grace in the world could not prevent the coming of steam, and these massive ships had a short commercial life. THE WINDJAMMERS is a comprehensive history of the most magnificent sailing vessels ever built. Learn what separates them from their predecessors, the clippers, and get a remarkable tour of some surviving windjammers. Talk to the men who preserve these vital pieces of maritime history, and marvel at the splendid sight of the giant, graceful ships under sail. And thrill to dramatic stories of their legendary races, where windjammers would compete with each other to bring their vital cargoes of grain and other goods to market before each other. From trading vessels to "Tall Ships," this is the story of the last great sailing ships, the windjammers. A windjammer is a collective name for many classes of large sailing ships, built to carry cargo for long distances in the nineteenth and early twentieth century. Windjammers were the grandest of merchant sailing ships, with between three and five large masts and square sails, giving them a characteristic profile. They usually carried bulk cargo, such as lumber, guano, grain or ore from one continent to another, usually following the prevailing winds and circumnavigating the globe during their voyages. Several of these ships are still in existence, variously operating as school ships, museum ships, restaurant ships, and cruise ships.
Episode 17
Episode 18
Sat, Apr 24, 1999
With their menacing dark silhouettes belching fire and smoke, the Ironclad warships of the mid 19th century burst onto the naval scene like hulking metal monsters. Combining iron plating, steam propulsion and the biggest and most powerful guns afloat, the Ironclads represented a radical advance over all previous warships. Although pioneered by the French and British with ships like HMS Warrior, today they are best remembered for the part they played in the American Civil War. Discover how the Confederate Merrimac devastated Union shipping until its epic duel with the Monitor, relive the epic sea battles of Charleston and Mobile Bay and follow the Ironclad duels for control of the mighty Mississippi river.
Episode 19
Thu, Apr 24, 1997
An examination of freighter ships: from the Liberty ships of World War II to today's modern RORO (roll on roll off) and container ships.
Episode 20
Thu, Apr 24, 1997
Knifing through the waves, destroyers are amongst the fastest and most deadly warships ever built. Mounting a powerful arsenal of offensive and defensive weapons, they can serve equally well as escorts for other vessels or as formidable attack ships in their own right. From their humble beginnings as stripped-down vessels designed exclusively to destroy torpedo boats, through the WWII models battling the U-boat 'wolf packs' in the North Atlantic to the most modern versions each now more powerful than a whole squadron of WWI dreadnought, BROADSIDE shows how the destroyer has continued to live up to its name. Rare and exclusive footage captures destroyers in action during both World Wars - in pitched battle at Cape Esperance and the Solomons, supporting the D-Day landings, fending off swarms of kamikazes at Okinawa and much more.
Episode 21
Tue, Feb 10, 1998
Episode 22
Thu, Apr 24, 1997
This program describes the evolution of United AStates coast Guard water craft against the backdrops of the Coast Guard's history, changing missions, environments and technological advancements.
Episode 24
Sun, Nov 1, 1998
Episode 25
Sun, Jun 15, 1997
Episode 27
Tue, Apr 7, 1998
Schooners were among the first ships developed in America, and with their graceful lines and relative ease of handling, they remain popular among recreational sailors to this day. But while now it is devoted hobbyists who preserve wooden schooners like Maine's famous "windjammers," for hundreds of years they were the backbone of America's commercial shipping fleet. And in both the Revolution and the War of 1812, these ships played a vital role in winning and preserving the freedom of the nation. THE SCHOONERS takes a long look at the most American of all sailing ships. Go aboard exquisitely preserved ships for an up-close look at them in action, and meet the men and women who preserve the shipwright's art by keeping these aging beauties afloat. Learn of the vital role they played as America's first naval vessels, battling the British and patrolling the coasts. And see why the schooner was adapted to countless uses, from the mainstay of the fishing fleet to privateering. It's an action-splashed voyage through the history of one of the most important and influential sailing ships ever built.
Episode 29
Fri, Apr 24, 1998
Powerful racing boats go against the challenge of the seas in 'Great Ships: The Power Racers', as technological advances enable designers to create faster and sleeker machines. Some slam across the dangerous swells of the ocean on an ever- changing racecourse where a shift in wind or wave can be deadly. Others skim across the placid waters of rivers and lakes at speeds well over 100 miles an hour. THE POWER RACERS are some of the most advanced boats ever made, designed with only one thing in mind - speed. THE GREAT SHIPS takes to the water with these record-setting machines and the men who design and race them. Hear from Dave Villcock, driver of Miss Budweiser, one of the most famous and successful of the flat- water Ultimate Hydroplane boats, and Lee Austin, owner and driver of the offshore racer, Key West Lager. See incredible footage of great races and get an up-close look at these amazing machines, guided by the men who design and build them. And thrill to the view from the cockpit.
Episode 30
Tue, Jan 13, 1998
Episode 31
Episode 33
Fri, Apr 24, 1998
Episode 34