Caldercraft change to 0.5lb Swivel Guns - help!

[St Piran]

Hi all

I started making the Sherbourne about 4 years ago and wasn't particularly impressed by the swivel guns that came with the kit so ordered some Caldercraft brass ones which appeared to be about the right dimensions as those in the kit. In the last few months I've restarted the model (I'm sure like a lot of other modellers, real life sometimes takes over!) Anyway when I came to construct the swivel guns, I realised that I had only ordered 6 instead of 8. Fortunately I'd kept the original packaging and ordered an extra 2 from my normal supplier. Unfortunately when they arrived they were considerably smaller. When I queried this I was told that Caldercraft had changed the guns following further research to make them more accurate. Whilst striving for accuracy is always welcome, the brackets and handles which come with the kit I bought 4 years ago, whilst not entirely accurate anyway, are now way out of proportion to new sized guns. This leaves me with a dilemma but before I set about the task of making the kit swivel guns look consistent with the brass ones I'm wondering whether anyone has, or knows where I can source two of the original sized swivel guns.

 

The original guns are 17mm long:

Caldercraft

Part no: 85005A

0.5lb Swivel Guns

1:64 C1790

 

I've attached an image to illustrate my point.

 

Extremely grateful if anyone can help me.

 

 

[Chuck Seiler]

    I am no gun expert, but I play one on TV.... 

 

    For what it's worth, attached is a shot of a swivel gun on the San Diego Maritime Museum HMS SURPRISE.  It pencils out from muzzle to end of ball as 30 inches.  If my math is correct, that would be .46875 inches or 11.90625 MM (roughly half inch or 12 MM).

 

    Whatever you decide, check out Syren Ship Model Company for options.  I don't recall what sizes Chuck has an his 'store' is closed over the Holidays, so sizes are unavailable.  Check back after the New Year.

Edited December 28, 2018 by Chuck Seiler

[St Piran]

Thanks Chuck that's really helpful I'll check out Syren in the New Year and see what is available.

 

The Cutter Alert 1777 by Peter Goodwin, which is the most detailed reference I can find for Revenue Cutters of this approximate period has swivel guns of 36in which equates to 14mm (the size of the revised guns I purchased recently) - the ones I originally bought are 17mm i.e. 42in. I wish I'd discovered this reference source earlier.

 

The ones I have do not look out of proportion and if I'd stuck with the ones from the kit I wouldn't be any the wiser. As these craft seemed to have interchangeable armament depending on the purpose for which they were used, the Alert for example had between 6 and 10 half-pounder guns, I could just stick with the 6 I have and leave two of the for'd mountings 'empty'

 

Thanks again

 

Peter

[Chuck Seiler]

The smallest SYREN has is 18MM.  Four for $9.  If you can spot a MM difference on 2 objects not directly next to each other, you have better eyes than I. 

[St Piran]

Chuck you're a star - thanks for researching this for me, I'll be sure to order some 😊