How would USS New Ironsides have matched up against the French ironclad Gloire?
Short answerNew Ironsides could plausibly win through better sailing and rigging, though the fight would be close.
NotesThe viewer links New Ironsides to the British and French armored batteries built for the Crimean War, then proposes Gloire as a closer opponent than Warrior. Gloire, like New Ironsides, had a wooden hull beneath her armor. New Ironsides is judged to have better sailing and rigging qualities. That advantage makes an American victory plausible, though the fight is described as difficult.