Fireball XL5
 Fireball
XL5 is one of a fleet of 'XL' vehicles of the World Space Patrol,
a world space agency of the 21st Century in a world where man has
explored space extensively and made contact with alien
civilizations.
Set around 2067, the series of 39 episodes was more advanced
than Gerry Anderson stable mate Supercar.
There was still the occasional juvenile style episode (EG 1875
where the XL5 crew are sent back in time to the Wild West where
Steve Zodiac becomes a sheriff and Venus becomes an outlaw) but
generally the stories were exciting and relatively mature.
Fireball XL5 was a long, sleek spacecraft, with one main nozzle
engine at the back. Two smaller rockets were fitted to each of the
wing fins. Running almost the entire length of the spacecraft is a
tail fin. Seven windows run along each side of the fuselage,
stopping just at the beginning of the tail fin.
On top of Fireball XL5 is a glass observation dome. Fireball
XL5 is split into two parts, the main section as described above
and then a smaller section which is the control cabin and is
called Fireball Junior.
It has large windows at the front, which run along part of the
side, giving a wide area of view, and four fins which run nearly
the entire length of it, which enable it to fly to any planets
with an atmosphere.
 Apart from being the control cabin, Fireball Junior acts as a
landing vehicle. It detaches from the main body of Fireball XL5
and lands on planets (using rockets and landing legs), while the
main part of the spacecraft remains in orbit.
There are two large
doors either side of Fireball Junior providing access. Fireball
XL5 is a fully-equipped spacecraft.
The control cabin, Fireball Junior, has two pilot seats - one
for Steve Zodiac and the other one for Robert the Robot.
Control of the spacecraft is by control columns, one to each
pilot, rather like handlebars. The front of the control cabin is a
metal framework, covered in glass (in the puppet set of the cabin
there is obviously no glass - you can see the strings).
A hatch
at the rear of the control cabin leads to the back of Fireball
Junior, and the two doors, and to the main body of Fireball XL5.
The main body of Fireball XL5 has a navigation bay, where Matt
Matic plots courses. His equipment includes a radarscope, like
conventional earth radar, and an Astroscope, which provides the
spacecraft with pictures of the area they are searching.
Professor Mathew Matic also has a Spacemascope, which again
gives pictures of the area. One other device used by both the crew
of Fireball XL5 and other craft is the neutronic transmitting
system, a sort of radio system for use in space.
Aside from the navigation bay, Fireball XL5 also has a lounge,
accommodation for the crew, a laboratory for Venus, a Space Gyro
Room, and a Space Jail.
 There are four other important pieces of equipment. First there
are the ray guns with capsules of energy. Second are the thrust
packs, which strap to the crew's backs, and which enable them to
manoeuvre in space.
Third are their jetmobiles. These are like motorcycles, but are
used in space and on land. They hover on jets (hence the name).
Finally, there are the oxygen pills. These enable the crew to go
into space without oxygen and without the need for space suits.
Fireball XL5 is launched from the launch rail at Space City by
rocket boosters attached to the launch platform. The spacecraft is
positioned onto the rocket boosters on takeoff.
The boosters and the main engine of Fireball XL5 are fired,
sending the boosters down the launch rail, with the craft
attached. Just before the end of the rail, having picked up enough
speed, Fireball XL5 separates from the rocket boosters and takes
off.
On return to Space City, Fireball XL5 uses retro-rockets to
land vertically, landing on a pad where crane cradles pick it up
and move it back onto the launch ramp, ready for takeoff again.
Fireball XL5 established a style which Gerry Anderson refined
and improved in each series. The next step was to move into a
wider market, and that meant the United States - and colour (with Stingray).
EPISODES
Planet 46 | Hypnotic Sphere | Planet of Plutonia | Space
Magnet | The Doomed Planet | Plant Man from Space | The Sun Temple
| Space Immigrants | Space Monster | Flying Zodiac | XL5 to H2O |
A Spy in Space | Space Pirates | Convict in Space | Space Pen |
The Last of the Zanadu's | The Wings of Danger | The Triads |
Sabotage | Prisoner on the Lost Planet | Flight to Danger | Space
Vacation | Mystery of the TA2 | Robert to the Rescue | The
Forbidden Planet | The Granatoid Tanks | Dangerous Cargo | 1875 |
The Robot Fighter Mystery | Drama at Space City | Whistle for
Danger | Faster than Light | The Day The Earth Froze | Invasion
Earth | The Ghosts of Space | Trial by Robot | A Day in the life
of a Space General | Space City Special | The Firefighters
|
