Red Rackham's Pirate Ship

[Old Wombat]

This is very ambitious, looking forward to see how this one comes out.

Mind you there is going to be a shed load of rigging !

Mog
>^-.-^<

TWO shed loads!

[zenrat]

Now I just need to figure out what the first step is...

You're going to need to lose a mast and redistribute the other two aren't you?  I'd start there.

[loupgarou]

This is very ambitious, looking forward to see how this one comes out.

Mind you there is going to be a shed load of rigging !

Mog
>^-.-^<

If the pirates managed to dismast the galleon, it will save a lot of rigging...

[strobez]

Now I just need to figure out what the first step is...

You're going to need to lose a mast and redistribute the other two aren't you?  I'd start there.

That was my conclusion as well. The question of whether or not to try to scratchbuild larger (or just thicker) masts, more in line with a 1/72 scale has popped into my head too.

I'm also wondering what would be appropriate sized deck cannons for this baby.

[scooter]

Now I just need to figure out what the first step is...

You're going to need to lose a mast and redistribute the other two aren't you?  I'd start there.

That was my conclusion as well. The question of whether or not to try to scratchbuild larger (or just thicker) masts, more in line with a 1/72 scale has popped into my head too.

I'm also wondering what would be appropriate sized deck cannons for this baby.

Probably 3 and 6 pounders

[Old Wombat]

Red Rackham's ship doesn't appear to have any deck cannons in the image you posted, just 8 guns on the covered gun-deck (3 each side & 2 stern chasers).

[jcf]

Rackham's little bark has a ketch rig, and it's of the Mediterranean variety with a lateen sail on
the mizzen mast as found on French and Spanish ships. The English and other Northern versions
were generally square-rigged on both masts.

The masts of the kit are large enough to be reused, the main will need to be restepped further
forward but that's the only major change you'd need to make. You can reuse parts of the
foremast to create the big yard for the mizzen lateen sail.

This is a model of a Spanish bomb ketch, bomb ketches mounted mortars and were used by all
of the major powers for shore-bombardment. In the case of Rackham's ship you'll want to
step the main mast forward of where shown on this example because you won't need to make
room for the mortar well - or will you?

The most "realistic" new position for the main mast would be, roughly, in the middle of the
amidships moulded on grating of the kit. Just forward of it would be an easier modification
and still be a believable position.

[strobez]

Now that was an extremely helpful post! Took me a while to translate it, but I'm glad to see that I came to the same conclusion as to the placement of the main mast. I've got some wooden planking styrene sheet that I'm going to use for the deck to make it seem a bit more to scale, so no problem on putting the mast wherever necessary - and I'm going to re-use the grates as well.

As noted, the cannons are actually below deck, so I will make some hatches for them as well.

I'm hoping joncarrfarrelly will be keeping a close eye on me. I have a feeling I'm going to have plenty of questions along the way!

[buzzbomb]

Go for it !

The mind picture I get looks terrific.

[strobez]

Ok... here we go!

[jcf]

You're very welcome. Glad to be of assistance. 

Cheers