HMS “Victory” served in the American Revolution, the French Revolutionary Wars and the Napoleonic Wars. It’s the world’s oldest warship still in commission—but it’s in desperate need of repairs

The HMS Victory at Portsmouth Historic Dockyard in England Andrew Holt via Getty Images

After months of planning, workers arrived at the dockyard ready to carry out their mission: removing the foremast from HMS Victory , the world’s oldest warship still in commission. They needed to ensure that the mast—which weighs more than 30,000 pounds—wouldn’t damage the 261-year-old vessel.

First, shipwrights below the deck detached the mast from the Victory , which is stationed at the Portsmouth Historic Dockyard in England.…