by David Smith
1/500 Bon Homme Richard (Pyro)
The Ship of Captain John Paul Jones. Described as authentic and quick and easy to build. The above name may be incorrect but it is how it appeared on the Pyro model kit . This was first produced in 1966.
The Bon Homme Richard was sailed by John Paul Jones and was involved in a battle off Flamborough Head with HMS Serapis, on the 23rd September 1779. Jones lost his ship and captured the Serapis. The box for this kit comments that he never lost a battle or a ship (?).
The ship was formerly the Duc de Duras and became a frigate in the Continental navy. She was built in France in 1765 as an East India man.
She was given to JPJ by King Louis XVI as a loan to US. She was named honour of Benjamin Franklin – well his almanac anyway.
No scale is given. The kit gives no idea of actual size and so on.
Research reveals the following:
Tons 998
Length 152 feet
Beam 40 feet
Draught 19 feet
Compliment 375 Officers and crew
Armament 28 twelve pounders, 6 eighteen pounders, 8 nine pounders. All smooth bore.
So the kit is 33/4 inches long and 13/4 in beam approx, so I make the scale to be about 1:300. The SMER model wich appears identical quotes a scale of 1:500.
The rear of the model is incomplete and has no rear gallery. I think the original would have had one.
