Spanish pirate galleon "Neptune" 1:100 (scratch build)

[RdK]

Hi everybody!

I want to present my new project here: Neptune from the movie Pirates by Roman Polanski.

Ever since I saw this beautiful galleon a year ago, I want to build it. It is full of beautiful ornaments and it is a really big ship as well! A three-decker spanish type warship with more than 70 cannons!!

However, my model will be slightly modified. The reason is that this is a fictive ship that never really existed but was build as a waterline galleon for the movie. It has a draft of only 2.2 meters (according to wikipedia) and I could not find any plans whatsoever for this ship! This will give me also a little bit of room for being creative...

I had to do some research on my own about the Spanish galleon. The ship must be the size of a three-decker HMS Prince or a San Felipe. I found some old (17/18 century) drawings by Antonio de Gazaneta (pic. 1&2) and based on his buttock line drawings and photos of the galleon in the old port of Genoa in Italy found on the internet I made my own plans (pic. 3&4).

Here is a link to some nice photographs of the Neptune:

The Neptune a Pirates Galeon

One should compare the stern of the Neptune with the drawings of Gazaneta in picture 2.

.....So I will make my own plans and research and add a story to this ship:

According to the head and the very high poop deck I will set the construction of the Neptune in the year anno 1670.
Built from the much lighter tropical timber of the Brazilian forest this ship was meant for outmaneuvering the heavy big 104 cannon bearing Le Soleil Royal of the abhorrent French. Just as the Spanish spies discovered the building of this vessel, the Spanish Queen Consort Mariana of Austria gave the order to build the Neptune to a constructor Radék de la Sol de la Santa Cruz de Brazíl.
She was finished just one year after the French vessel was launched in 1669. On her way back to the Kingdom in Europe she carried a considerable amount of Aztec gold. the galleon was led by the First Officer Don Alfonso de Salamanca de la Torre and vanished while yet in the Caribbean Sea. Rumor has it that a notorious Pirate by the name Captain Thomas Bartholomew Redd captured the vessel and sold the crew to slavery...

More information will follow soon!
Best regards,
Radek

[Michael Mash]

It will be a pleasure to follow your work here.
I think the idea is excellent. It gives you a chance for some creativity, and you won't need to worry about authentic replication as much.
Mike

[BobGurkin]

I'm really looking forward to this. I have been searching and searching for a first build in paper and I believe I am going to do like you have. Not a ship, but scratch built. Good luck with your build

[DORIS]

Hello Radek!
Great choice! I have to say, that I like this ship a lot. Thank you for plenty of useful information you share with us.
Keep up and wish you a lot of fun and enjoyment during the work!
Kind regards!

[Joe711]

Interesting project, looking forward to the sequel!

Regards, Joe

[RdK]

Thanks for the encouragement, friends!

Making plans for a ship just by watching 2-D images is not very easy. And I do not have any computer based 3-D modeling skills, so I have to go "back to the roots" (pen&paper):
- Copy my buttock lines on card (frozen pizza boxes, my favorite!) by using baking paper (because it is transparent enough)
- assemble a "3-D model" and check the lines with a card slid in from the side. So far I could notice two of the frames that need correction. However, in order to make this 3-D model more stable I will have to strengthen the lengthwise frame with more card and check again. On the horizontal card I will mark the lines in various heights (waterline, decks) to design the necessary parts.
- My model will be somehow shorter than the original in Genoa, which is reported to be about 63-65 meters. My one will be about 10 meters shorter, I think. But placing the gun ports and making my drawings, this length seams to be feasible as well.

On the pictures you can see the difference in size compared to the Mayflower. This was truly a huge ship!

This is really fun to make a ship without plans! I can just encourage everybody to try! That way one can learn a lot and has to do some "homework"...

Rgds,
RdK


"...Diciembre anno dei 1668...
...The Queen Consort was very happy to hear the progress on the build and approved the constructor's changes to the plans. The draft of His Majesty Charles II's vessel will be 10.44 Codo (5.90 meters) and 24 Braza (40 meters) in length of the keel. It will carry 74 guns. This amount is less than on board of the French vessel, but it is necessary in order to be still faster and more maneuverable. Radék de la Sol de la Cruz de Brazíl was allowed to continue his work after the approval of his plans..."

[silveroxide]

Very intriguing method for holding the frame true, with the use of the card board jig. Great start of the ship. Waiting to see more.

[JohnM]

Aaaar, she be a trim lookin' craft, matey, but wit' all dem guns and gilded carvin's, she'll ne'er draw alongside o' the Pearl.



Fair winds an' weather to ye.

Cap'n Jack.

[birder]

Cool start looking forward to your ship

[eatcrow2]

Great looking start, and these "step by step" photos and write-up will be a big help for anyone else thinking of doing the same. Though for some reason, I'm having a craving for pizza!!!