The Fireball XL ship that never was....

[uk 75]

Those of us who grew up in the 1960s with the TV21 comic derived from the various Gerry Anderson TV shows remember the weird and wonderful machines featured.
After my BAOC Fireflash I decided to revisit Fireball XL5. In the TV21 summer special of 1966 there was a brief glimpse of a possible successor ship designated Fireball XL32. The view revealed little except that it had swing wings like Thunderbird 1.
Many years later a young Graham Bleathman drew his version of this ship in a short lived comic strip called AC21 in the Anderson Fan magazine SIG. I was lucky enough to meet Mr Bleathman but he did not remember the design.
Like the BAOC Fireflash I aim one day to get a model of XL32, but first I need some decent drawings.
I know some of you remember these things so hope you enjoy

 

[merriman]

I still have a few issues of SIG. Did some work that appeared there. Who was the guy who did those excellent three-view drawings? … Ralph something-somethin? I also modeled some of that stuff. SIG was a quality fanzine -- up there with Newit's Starfleet Assembly Manuals, and the work of Garry Kerr.

David

 

[uk 75]

I know the drawings you mean.
Sadly the XL32 design only appeared as a bunch of XL ships attacking something in the pretty awful.AC21 strip which tried to update the Anderverse. AC21 only appeared in three SIGs. The equipment was not so bad in black and white but the people and story were bad.

 

[uk 75]

The joy of the Internet. Here are Graham B's versions of the XL32 design above from AC21

 

[edwest4]

In situations like this, a good understanding of design, both functional and aesthetic, is required. I'm not seeing that.

 

[uk 75]

In situations like this, a good understanding of design, both functional and aesthetic, is required. I'm not seeing that.

We are talking about a kid's mag from the early 60s. A spaceship for a space patrol outfit one hundred years in the future designed for function and aesthetic would have been a bit much to ask. You need Syd Mead and a big paycheck for that. Its just a bit of fun and nostalgia

 

[merriman]

In situations like this, a good understanding of design, both functional and aesthetic, is required. I'm not seeing that.

We are talking about a kid's mag from the early 60s. A spaceship for a space patrol outfit one hundred years in the future designed for function and aesthetic would have been a bit much to ask. You need Syd Mead and a big paycheck for that. Its just a bit of fun and nostalgia

No one can deny that Musk is a romantic -- his recent iteration of STARSHIP looks much like the STARDUST from Satellite In The Sky

 

[Foo Fighter]

Is that the film where basically an 'Ark' was sent out prior to a massive impact? If I remember correctly it was fired downwards in an arc through a valley and up the other side to assist acceleration. The only scene I can recall is embarkation and launch where an old wheelchair using scientist attempted to get on board and was stopped because, "This is for the younger generation".

 

[The Artist]

The movie you are remembering is When Worlds Collide.

Is that the film where basically an 'Ark' was sent out prior to a massive impact? If I remember correctly it was fired downwards in an arc through a valley and up the other side to assist acceleration. The only scene I can recall is embarkation and launch where an old wheelchair using scientist attempted to get on board and was stopped because, "This is for the younger generation".

 

[merriman]

Is that the film where basically an 'Ark' was sent out prior to a massive impact? If I remember correctly it was fired downwards in an arc through a valley and up the other side to assist acceleration. The only scene I can recall is embarkation and launch where an old wheelchair using scientist attempted to get on board and was stopped because, "This is for the younger generation".

That was, When Worlds Collide. A George Pal production (Cecil B DeMille was slatted at one time to do it, but let the option go).

The ship in the movie (the story loosely based on two novels by Philip Wylie and Edwin Balmer, written back in the 30's) was referred to only as, 'the Ark'.

The guy in the chair was one of the financiers of the ship, a total ass-hole who was trick-fucked at the boarding gang-way by the projects chief scientist.

What I loved about the flick was the emphasis on employing chemical rocket motor tech of the period, and the need to maintain a high mass-fraction if that SSTO ship was to make it to the 'new world' with enough fuel to complete the trip. George Pal respected the 'science' in his films.

 

[Foo Fighter]

Thanks very much folks, off to amazon to see if I can get it.

Oh well, at least I know what it is titled now, have to keep looking.

 

[The Artist]

By the way. Has anyone here noticed the noticed the Fireball XL ship launching during the commercial/invitation sequence in Tomorrowland?