The Fireball XL5
spaceship was designed jointly by Reg Hill and Derek
Meddings. Originally the ship and the television program
were both to have been called 'Century 21' but Gerry
Anderson, inspired by a brand of motor oil called
'Castrol XL', changed the name to Fireball XL5. The XL5
is part of a huge fleet of XL class patrol ships operated
by the World Space Patrol. These ships are launched from
Space City on a long rail. This was an idea taken from
the Russians who originally announced to the world during
the 1950s that they planned to launch their early rockets
into space this way. The Russians may have been inspired
by German V1 'Buzz Bomb' scientists captured from
Peenamunde by the Red Army after the war.
Fireball XL5
The Fireball XL5
spaceship was designed jointly by Reg Hill and Derek
Meddings. Originally the ship and the television program
were both to have been called 'Century 21' but Gerry
Anderson, inspired by a brand of motor oil called
'Castrol XL', changed the name to Fireball XL5. The XL5
is part of a huge fleet of XL class patrol ships operated
by the World Space Patrol. These ships are launched from
Space City on a long rail. This was an idea taken from
the Russians who originally announced to the world during
the 1950s that they planned to launch their early rockets
into space this way. The Russians may have been inspired
by German V1 'Buzz Bomb' scientists captured from
Peenamunde by the Red Army after the war.
Fireball XL5 is a
two part ship. The nosecone, which is called 'Fireball
Junior', can operate as an independent spacecraft. The
ship's main flight controls are of course located in
Fireball Junior. However, there is also an auxilliary
flight control station located beneath a long transparent
canopy on top of the main body. Generally, Fireball
Junior is used as a lander while the main body of the
ship remains in orbit, manned or under the control of
Robert the Robot.
Here is the back
end of Fireball XL5. There were at least four models made
for various filming requirements. The smaller models were
repainted from time to time to represent other XL class
spaceships. These models ranged in size from 5 inches to
9 feet long. The Fireball XL5 models were made for the
most part from wood. The larger ones had thin plywood
parts while the smaller ones were made from balsa wood. A
magnet and corresponding bit of iron were used to attach
the Fireball Juniors to the main ships.
Space
Tanker EF Z4
Here is the EF Z4
space tanker seen in 'Hypnotic Sphere' and in several
other episodes of Fireball XL5. This model was made from
a pair of toy balls, some model aircraft kit fins, Airfix
model railway bridge parts, and other bits and pieces of
junk. This is the thing that MPC attempted to duplicate
in their 1964 Fireball XL5 Space City Playset without
much success. The MPC version of this vehicle is marked
'XL Fuel' and was called a 'Jet Fuel Tank' on the side of
the package.
Mayflower 3 Colony Ship
This is the
Mayflower 3 space colony ship featured in 'Space
Immigrants' This appears to have been made from a pair of
cylinderical plastic bottles plus three model tank kit
track assemblies, several model aircraft kit fins, and
other kit parts. This model was modified and given a
repaint for use as Freighter A14 in 'A Day in the Life of
a Space General'.
LP 22
This is Master
Astronaut Kelly's LP 22 (light patrol craft 22) space
ship as seen in 'Sabotage'. This appears to be a simple
balsa wood shape with plastic aircraft kit parts
attached. This model may have been reused later on as a
World Security Patrol guard submarine in the Stingray
episode 'Ghost of the Sea'.
Space Freighter SF4
The SF4 was
featured in 'Space Pirates' as a bulk ore freighter. This
model appears to have been made using three toy balls
(possibly golf balls), some plastic bottle caps, a glue
applicator, and various model aircraft kit parts.
Q Spaceship
Steve Zodiac's 'Q'
spaceship (actually an armed freighter intended to trap a
gang of space pirates) from 'Space Pirates' was similar
though not identical to the SF4 ship pictured above. An
extremely similar model, it has a different nosecone.
Explorer
This is Jim
Ireland's survey ship, the Explorer, as featured in 'Last
of the Zanadus'. This model appears to have been made
using a combination of balsa wood and plastic kit parts.
Space Fuel Tanker (G For
George)
The space fuel
tanker was featured in several epsodes of Fireball XL5.
It turned up in 'A Day in the Life of a Space General'
and 'Faster than Light' as a fuel tanker. It may also
have been redressed for use as a pirate ship in 'Space
Pirates' and as Kanerick's ship in 'Space Vacation'. Like
many other Fireball XL5 minor spacecraft, this thing was
an amalgamation of plastic kit part details on top of a
plastic bottle or balsa wood fuselage.
Space Freighter A14
Space freighter
A14, featured in 'A Day in the Life of a Space General',
looks like it may have been a modification of the
Mayflower 3 from 'Space Immigrants'.
SCS Valiant
The SCS Valiant
was a ship operated by the Briggs Brothers Space Salvage
Company in 'The Robot Freighter Mystery'. It looks like
this model was made from balsa wood, detailed with kit
parts and other things. It is very possible that this
spacecraft was rebuilt from the Trooper 2 rocket seen in
'The Sun Temple' and other episodes of Fireball XL5.
Space Capsule
This is the
one-man space capsule flown by Lt 90 in 'Flight to
Danger'. This is just a simple turned wood shape with
attached wooden fins.
TA2
Here is the
wreckage of the TA2 survey ship as seen in 'The Mystery
of the TA2'. Who knows what this thing was made of!
SS Thor
The SS Thor is the
ship used by Boris and Grizelda, the space spies. The
front of this model appears to be made from a ribbed
bottle cap and the main body may actually be some kind of
bottle.
Pirate Ship
The pirate ship
featued in 'Space Pirates' may have been a modification
of the space tanker seen in 'Faster than Light' and other
episodes. Note the aircraft wings (looks like they came
from an airliner kit) and aircraft external fuel tanks.
Looks like the basic body of the model was made from some
kind of plastic bottle. The neck of the bottle appears to
be the rocket exhaust!
Criminal Ship
Here is the
criminal's ship featured in 'Space Pen'. This model
appears to have been made from a variety of plastic model
aircraft kit or toy parts.
2003 Archive 
