[FlakBait]

CptMatt wrote:

Jeez, y’all are talkin’ about some of my favorite childhood/teen memories, Gerry Anderson shows. I was into them all, Supercar, Fireball XL-5, Stingray, Thunderbirds and SPACE:1999. When A&E released them all on DVD, I made sure I had money saved up to get them.

I never really got into UFO, Terrahawks or Cpt. Scarlet though.

Bit of useless trivia: Fireball XL-5 was the only G.A. production to make onto U.S. network TV. It was broadcast on Saturday mornings on NBC.

Also, the second season SPACE:1999 was excellent. The redesigned sets looked more logical for a moonbase. Plus, Maya was hot. 🙂

I’m not sayin Maya wasn’t hot :p but I didn’t like the way it unfolded. Tony Veredeschi was no Alan Carter and the scripts just seemed to be lacking something compared to the first season.

Here’s a pretty good Space:1999 site http://www.space1999.net/~catacombs/

Space:1999 was actually created from some of the ideas that were supposed to be in season 2 of UFO, mostly the expanded moon base.

Captain Scarlett was a darker series then the others, but it was nothing compared to UFO. The good guys didn’t always win, people got hurt and killed and some scary things were revealed about the aliens during it’s brief run. That’s why I liked them more.

[AlexG]

FlakBait wrote:

Here’s a pretty good Space:1999 site http://www.space1999.net/~catacombs/

Space:1999 was actually created from some of the ideas that were supposed to be in season 2 of UFO, mostly the expanded moon base.

I recall reading an early 80s Starlog mag article by Gerry Anderson about the Hawk attack craft used in an episode of Space: 1999 and how that was a direct link to the UFO series. The Eagles were the general workhorse of the base, but were never intended as outright warships like the Hawks, which were suppose to replace the lunar-based SHADO interceptors from UFO.

“I like a good story well told. That is the reason I am sometimes forced to tell them myself.”
~ Mark Twain / Samuel Clemens (1907)

[Robert McNay]

AlexG wrote:

FlakBait wrote:

Here’s a pretty good Space:1999 site http://www.space1999.net/~catacombs/

Space:1999 was actually created from some of the ideas that were supposed to be in season 2 of UFO, mostly the expanded moon base.

I recall reading an early 80s Starlog mag article by Gerry Anderson about the Hawk attack craft used in an episode of Space: 1999 and how that was a direct link to the UFO series. The Eagles were the general workhorse of the base, but were never intended as outright warships like the Hawks, which were suppose to replace the lunar-based SHADO interceptors from UFO.

The ship designs from SPACE:1999 were awesome. Probably the most “realistic” concepts I have ever seen on TV sci-fi. I remember a few years back, someone was doing limited edition model kits of both the Eagle and Hawk in 1/72 scale, IRC, which made them, like 3 feet long. Pricey as all hell, but absolutely gorgeous with full interiors, turned aluminum engine bells, full landing feet suspension setups with real oil filled shocks.

God I wish I could’ve afforded to get them. 🙁

[Paul Schilling]

CDR wrote:

Agreed but this new version isnt bad at all. Especially comparing it to the movies…
Also consider that, due to the current regulations on TV, most of the original’s humor would be banned.

Watch out for that tree!
:S

The Hell with being PC and damn the Religious Right, Full speed ahead. I want my, MY Saturday and Sundays back. I’m talkin’ Filmation, Terrytoons, Jay Ward Studios, and local programming.
First they take away my MTV, then VH-1, now Cartoon Network is either moies or Japanese Anime and that’s not even Takahashi… oh God Forbid, we show LUM or Ranma 1/2 (her classics over here.) I mean (running out of steam quickly guys) it’s Fella and Ursala, even the movies got it right.
A lot of you youngsters don’t know what it’s like to get up on Saturday morning turn on your local CBS, NBC, ABC at 6:00A.m. to watch Mighty Mouse or prime-time during the week to watch the Flintstones, Johnny Quest, Top Cat, Quick Draw Mc Graw.. ETC and later Frankenstein Jr, Dasterdly and Muttley, The Impossibles, Mighty Mightor, Spider-Man . Do you? Well bucko I was there! I became disappointed when the three majors (Don’t even get me started on an oxy-moron called Fox) when they went to shows like TODAY. I think some of the humor today should be banned FOR BEING PC. I say bring back Saturday mornings the way they used to be with American Bandstand and The Children’s Film Festival, with Kukla, Fran, and Ollie following them… Enough of this, It’s way past my bedtime.

Say Goodnite Gracie

[AlexG]

CptMatt wrote:

AlexG wrote:

FlakBait wrote:

Here’s a pretty good Space:1999 site http://www.space1999.net/~catacombs/

Space:1999 was actually created from some of the ideas that were supposed to be in season 2 of UFO, mostly the expanded moon base.

I recall reading an early 80s Starlog mag article by Gerry Anderson about the Hawk attack craft used in an episode of Space: 1999 and how that was a direct link to the UFO series. The Eagles were the general workhorse of the base, but were never intended as outright warships like the Hawks, which were suppose to replace the lunar-based SHADO interceptors from UFO.

The ship designs from SPACE:1999 were awesome. Probably the most “realistic” concepts I have ever seen on TV sci-fi. I remember a few years back, someone was doing limited edition model kits of both the Eagle and Hawk in 1/72 scale, IRC, which made them, like 3 feet long. Pricey as all hell, but absolutely gorgeous with full interiors, turned aluminum engine bells, full landing feet suspension setups with real oil filled shocks.

God I wish I could’ve afforded to get them. 🙁

In the late 70s the model company AMT also produced some kits of the spacecraft from the program, including the Eagle (with a detactable cargo section) and the Hawk (albeit for some reason was made at a slightly smaller scale then the Eagle). They still show up on eBay from time to time.

Speaking of realistic, most if not all of the terrestial craft in the series were inspired by the film “2001: A Space Odyssey” that came out (then) only a few yrs earlier. You can see this especially in comparing the design for the Eagles with the Lunar Rocket Bus used in the feature film. Even down to outright copying the outer hull shape of the cargo/passager section.

“I like a good story well told. That is the reason I am sometimes forced to tell them myself.”
~ Mark Twain / Samuel Clemens (1907)

[Robert McNay]

AlexG wrote:

In the late 70s the model company AMT also produced some kits of the spacecraft from the program, including the Eagle (with a detactable cargo section) and the Hawk (albeit for some reason was made at a slightly smaller scale then the Eagle). They still show up on eBay from time to time.

Got those, plus a couple of the reissues they did. The Hawk was smaller than the Eagle because it was a 2 man ship, the rest was engine and weaponry. I actually did up 4 Eagles, 1 container transport, 1 rescue w/red stripes, 1 regular transport and 1 with the booster pack on it’s spine.

Actually, I got it wrong, the AMT kits were 1/72. The big ones I talked about were 1/24 or 25, making them about 3 feet. The aluminum engine bells were the size of tea cups.

Speaking of realistic, most if not all of the terrestial craft in the series were inspired by the film “2001: A Space Odyssey” that came out (then) only a few yrs earlier. You can see this especially in comparing the design for the Eagles with the Lunar Rocket Bus used in the feature film. Even down to outright copying the outer hull shape of the cargo/passager section.

I read an interview on one of the British media sites celebrating the 50th anniversary of Gerry Anderson productions. They talked to the guy who designed a lot of the craft in G.A. productions. He said he took his cues from the Apollo spacecraft, the LEM in particular. He said the more “bug-like” you make a spacecraft design, the more believable it is.

[Ashlee]

I loved building models kits in the 80’s.
And your right having a vehiclean Industrial look , always makes it believeible.
I did not know they made kits of GA shows, I just found out mattel made figures!

[Paul Schilling]

AMT which is (or was a division of ERTL Diecasting was more known for its cars than spaceships. Now Aurora (Polar lights) is your movie, TV, spaceship. and superhero models, I think the cheapest model I ever owned in the 60’s was 98 cents and now it sells for over $15. but to be honest lets not forget the Revell, lindburgh, and of course Testors line of fine quality models and supplies too. :cheer: 😉 😛 :ohmy: B)

P.S. Last I knew the AMT Line is being built overseas not at the RC2 plant in Dyersville IA.

[AlexG]

Roadblock1 wrote:

AMT which is (or was a division of ERTL Diecasting was more known for its cars than spaceships. Now Aurora (Polar lights) is your movie, TV, spaceship. and superhero models, I think the cheapest model I ever owned in the 60’s was 98 cents and now it sells for over $15. but to be honest lets not forget the Revell, lindburgh, and of course Testors line of fine quality models and supplies too. :cheer: 😉 😛 :ohmy: B)

P.S. Last I knew the AMT Line is being built overseas not at the RC2 plant in Dyersville IA.

Revell, and Monogram made some good military hardware kits, but for pure unadulterated detail Tamiya was the best. Made many a diorama battlescene with them.

The German 88mm Flak gun w/ crew was one of my favorites, that and the American M16 4-.50 Cal armored half-track.

“I like a good story well told. That is the reason I am sometimes forced to tell them myself.”
~ Mark Twain / Samuel Clemens (1907)

[AlexG]

Ashlee wrote:

I loved building models kits in the 80’s.
And your right having a vehiclean Industrial look , always makes it believeible.
I did not know they made kits of GA shows, I just found out mattel made figures!

Besides Space: 1999, AMT also produced the line of Star Trek starship related kits in the 70s. Besides the Enterprise (classic tv version), there was the Klingon battlecruiser, Romanian warbird (from the episode “Balance of Terror”), a Phaser, Communicator and Tricorder kit, a statue of Spock fending off a reptile creature, Galileo Shuttlecraft, and one that was semi-ST related, a glow in the dark UFO starcruiser w/ mini shuttle.

Also there was Aurora that put out the Pan-Am shuttle from 2001, and another called Ragnarok Orbital Interceptor which had a detachable fighter.

“I like a good story well told. That is the reason I am sometimes forced to tell them myself.”
~ Mark Twain / Samuel Clemens (1907)

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