Model of the ship "Constitution of 1797" made of precious wood.
The American sailing frigate "Constitution" construction began in 1794 and was finished in 1797. Today it is the oldest warship afloat. The frigate is 62 meters long, 67 meters high, and has a sail area of 3,968 square meters. The frigate is armed with 52 canons. After entering service, the frigate took part in the undeclared war between the USA and France (1798 - 1800) off the coast of America, the Tripolitanian War (1801 - 1805) off the coast of Libya, the Anglo-American War (1812) - 1814) off the coast of Canada and Brazil. In the last war, he received the nickname "Ironside", for the cannonballs of English bounced off the sides of the frigate, sheathed with a half-meter layer of Virginia oak. Until the late 1840s, the Constitution was the flagship of the US Mediterranean Fleet.