Oh, to have been a child in the 1960’s. Cowboys were becoming old news, with adventures featuring astronauts and spies taking their place. The works of Gerry Anderson and his team of film-makers encapsulate this transition perfectly, thanks to the spectacularly high-standard of the excitement they presented on-screen. The vehicles featured in A.P Films/Century 21’s productions arguably pre-dated Star Wars and Transformers in their merchandise appeal, but that does devalue their entertainment factor somewhat.
It was the vehicles who were the stars of the various Supermarionation TV shows/films, even if that was only because Gerry and his team found it impossible to make their puppet heroes walk in a suitably human fashion. Rather than cry over the fact their puppets were more wooden with their acting than any Hammer Horror extra, Anderson and his team took to their strengths and produced nearly a decade’s worth of pioneering entertainment, quite literally driven by the fantastically futuristic vehicles that populated Gerry’s visions of the future.
However, the credit for vehicles featured on this list can’t be given to Gerry and Sylvia Anderson alone. Gerry may have dictated what he wanted for these vehicles, but it was a rotating team of model makers to whom we owe our thanks for letting our imaginations blast off. A.P Films co-founder Reg Hill was responsible for most of the pre-Thunderbirds vehicles, while special effects wizard Derek Meddings took control of the majority of mecha from Thunderbirds, Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons and the sole star vehicle of Joe 90.
A note of interest to our superhero fans is that Derek Meddings basically used Century 21 as his introductory playground, and went on to handle the special effects on Superman: The Movie, Superman II, Superman III and Tim Burton‘s Batman
Let’s have a look then at some of the best of those vehicles, the ones who define what Supermarionation is in both its production values and their entertainment value. Strap yourselves in, stand by for action, and blast off into out list of the 20 greatest Supermarionation vehicles ever!
20. Supercar
Supercar is surely the ugliest of the Century 21 fleet, but everyone’s got to start somewhere, and we have a lot to be thankful for of Supercar. ‘Timeless’ isn’t exactly the word that springs to mind when looking at this vehicle, but it was Supercar that made Anderson and his team realise and execute the notion of a fantastic vehicle carrying their wooden-legged characters around at great speed.
This was after all the biggest flaw A.P Films/Century 21 faced throughout its career – making their puppet characters walk convincingly. That’s a bit like saying ‘let’s have a go at breathing without oxygen’. But Supercar displayed a brilliant way around this problem, and set up the traits and formats for what was to come in future years.
19. Thunderbird 1
We’ve previously discussed how Thunderbird 1 is the most useless of the International Rescue craft (and as nicely as we could!), hence it ranks so low on our list. However, it’s not without its redeeming features. The craft itself was originally designed to be the flagship of the television series, which was ultimately overshadowed by two points – one was that Thunderbirds boasts a whole fleet of craft compared to the more singular Supercar, Fireball XL5 and Stingray. Secondly, with that above reason in mind, it was another certain craft that became the most popular with viewers.
But even with its mascot status destroyed, there’s still an enjoyable thrill to be had when that countdown reaches its final number and Thunderbird 1 tears through the Tracy Villa pool to save another day. Indeed, whenever Thunderbird 1 was launched, that was the sign that shit had gotten real.
18. TerrorFish
The many ships used by Titan’s Aquaphibian henchmen in Stingray, the Terrorfish sport a more menacingly fish-like design when compared to the sleeker and friendlier look of Stingray. They were also incredibly camp. The huge, bulging eyes acted as the cockpit, allowing the Aquaphibians to see where they’re going, and on opening its equally gigantic mouth, it would sprout missiles.
These diddy machines are often no match for Stingray, and can very easily be destroyed with a single Sting Missile. But none-the-less, they were a huge entertainment factor of the series, and allowed Titan to go about his world-conquering plans, only to be constantly defeated by the W.A.S.Ps.
17. Sunprobe
One of the earlier guest vehicles from Thunderbirds, this gargantuan rocket was built for the task of collecting flares from the sun so that scientists back on Earth could harness its energy. This being Thunderbirds, Sun Probe runs into trouble and Thunderbird 3 is called upon to save the day.
The vehicle itself also acts as a link between two singular Thunderbirds episodes that make up the series sole two-parter, even though it was rarely promoted as such. ‘Sun Probe’ and ‘The Perils of Penelope’ go hand in hand in a surprisingly complex manner of story-telling. The first few minutes of ‘Sun Probe’ are dedicated to showing the rocket’s launch. In that episode’s timelines, it takes two weeks for the Sun Probe to reach the sun when International Rescue is called out. In between those two weeks however, the events of ‘The Perils of Penelope’ play out, which centre on a dastardly plot to obtain the secret fuel used to power the Sun Probe.
Confused yet? Totally worth it, because Sun Probe is a beast.
16. FAB 1
When thinking of Thunderbirds, there’s one specific vehicle that springs to mind. This is the other one. Rolls Royce to International Rescue’s London agent Lady Penelope, FAB 1 is very much a product of its era. This was the swinging sixties, and James Bond ruled the cinemas at the time, so of course FAB 1 is complete with all the missile, gas rockets and machine guns that the era would allow it.
Interestingly, FAB 1 is the only Thunderbirds vehicle not piloted/driven by its designated character. Its true Lady Penelope and FAB 1 go hand it hand, but it’s her trustee chauffer Parker who drives the thing, not Penelope. Then again, don’t even get me started on how females are treated in Century 21…
15. Spectrum Hovercraft
A vehicle we never saw enough of in Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons, the Spectrum Hovercraft is a vehicle designed to patrol the desert landscapes of Australia, and appeared solely in the episode ‘Traitor’. From the one adventure it ever took part in, we can assume this may well have been an SPV without the wheels.
In ‘Traitor’ the Spectrum Hovercraft never actually went up against a physical enemy, probably because it was patrolling the deserts where there’s nothing and no-one to be found for miles, so we never actually saw this mean looking machine dole out any attacks. But we can still dream, and laugh at the fact that this vehicle is so huge it couldn’t even fully fit inside this article.
14. Any Vehicle From Joe 90 That ISN’T Mac’s Jet-Air Car
Joe 90 marks the point where an attempt was made to move the focus of the show away from machinery and centre more on character-driven plots. The results were mixed, to say the least. Let down by an all-male cast, Joe 90 showed how, even with decent stories that were driven mostly by characters rather than machines, you needed those fantastic machines to literally keep the story moving.
Nevertheless, the show featured a nirvana of wonderful guest vehicles in Joe’s disguises as military personnel, astronauts and spies. The Explosives Truck U-59 and the MIG 242 fighter jet are just some of the highlights from the series. Odd then that the show’s only starring vehicle, Mac’s car, is such an ugly thing. Noted by Anderson himself on how unappealing it’s design was, it’s rough, unfinished appearance brought the series down several levels.
13. Spectrum Patrol/Saloon Car
Another vehicle that we never saw enough of in Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons, The Spectrum Patrol Car (or Spectrum Saloon Car, depending on which toy you bought) is basically an SPV without the massive missiles. Curiously, an SPC is always used before and SPV took over the action. Much like Thunderbird 1, whenever an SPC appears, the adventure would be ready to crank up a few notches.
Its hilariously sleek, retro design puts many of its ilks to shame, and even though it failed to display any FAB 1-like gadgets, the blood-red colour of its body is synonymous with the hero of the programme. Perhaps that’s mostly due to the pre-Mysteronised Scarlet being sent to his death from within an unsuspecting SPC by the Mysterons in the pilot episode.
12. Mysteron’s Flying Saucers
This was the closet we came to seeing the Mysterons in person, if you don’t count their human agent replicas. Seen only in ‘Attack of the Mysterons’, the episode features the Mysterons finally getting of their arses and coming to Earth themselves to destroy Spectrum once and for all. They do so by floating down in an armada of moth-like ships that manage to obliterate Cloudbase, sending it hurtling towards the Earth. But if you haven’t yet seen that episode, don’t be too despondent, as the finale may surprise you (and infuriate the rest of us).
11. The Ghost Ship
The most anti-mecha on this list, in that it doesn’t sport any futuristic designs, doesn’t hide several smaller vehicles inside, or doesn’t have a detachable smaller craft. The Ghost Ship from Stingray (seen in the aptly named episode ‘The Ghost Ship’) was one of the more haunting vehicles in the Century 21 canon.
The ship spends most of the episode moored and sill, surrounded by thick, eerie fog while the Stingray crew investigate it. It’s beautiful, classically designed, and appears magnificently foreboding against the backdrop of fog.
10. Zero-X
Star of the ill-fated big screen adaptation Thunderbirds are GO, the first 20 minutes of the film is devoted to showing this massive spacecraft in all its glory, with half of that time centring on the launch of the bloody thing. Cynics could argue that before the halcyon, toy-juggernaut-selling days of Transformers and Power Rangers, Thunderbirds filled that role extensively. Stephen la Riviere’s marvellous history book ‘Filmed in Supermarionation’ notes in the introduction how a whole other book would be needed to document the merchandising history of Century 21. Zero-X is a prime example of that, but that doesn’t stop it being a fabulous slice of pulpy retro vehicle porn. What stops it being further up on the list is its jagged, boxy/rectangular design, which ultimately hasn’t aged well when compared to the more curved vehicles of Thunderbirds.
9. Fireflash
The atomic-powered passenger jet Fireflash makes numerous appearances throughout Thunderbirds, both onscreen and in the massively popular comic TV21, plus serving as a continuity link between Thunderbirds and Stingray. The craft also gave International Rescue one of its most spectacular rescues.
Bearing a fantastically retro design, it’s curved, dart-like centre and sharp wings gave it an Olympian appearance. Indeed, it dwarfs Thunderbird 2, the largest earth-bound International Rescue craft, and was the catalyst in International Rescue becoming a force to be reckoned with when saving those in peril.
8. Crablogger
The all-in-one forest-destroying machine gave Thunderbirds another daring rescue, while at the same time giving us the audience a reason to cry out in terror as the beautiful vehicle suffers a deadly fate towards the episode’s climax.
But the Crablogger is more than a well-designed hunk of wood-chopping madness. It’s a perfect encapsulation of the world in which Thunderbirds, and many Century 21 worlds, were set. The world of these television shows used man’s expansion of technological dreams in a future world as a platform for adventures filled with danger and excitement.
7. Angel Interceptor
Essentially the Thunderbird 1 of Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons, the Angels (craft and pilots) are aptly named. Sleek, fast, dangerous and gorgeous, they gave Captain Scarlet plenty of dynamic aerial-based combat scenes. They also act as a giant leap towards the realistic and left behind the caricatures that had been such a trait for Anderson shows.
Gone are the giant green transporters with stubby wings that made you question how the hell they could fly, and cue a darker and more sinister world where, for all the science fantasy that was used in the show, Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons used eerily real issues to launch its premise. The whole accidental triggering of a war is the catalyst for the series as a whole, reinforced by the far more realistic vehicle designs used throughout the show.
6. Fireball XL5
This is probably where the magic truly kicked off. Fireball XL5 was the first space-based Anderson series and its here that the traits of most Supermarionation series really took off, literally. Supercar’s launch sequence merely consisted of it floating upwards rather slowly. Fireball XL5 however would blast along the runway of Space City before shooting off upwards into outer space. Also, compared to Supercar, Fireball XL5 looks as if it could actually fly!
5. The Mole
One of the most recognisable of the pod vehicles from Thunderbirds, the Mole is International Rescue’s drilling and burrowing machine, and an ever-popular guest of the show. The Mole is used in several of International Rescue’s most daring adventures, often paired up with the Firefly in clearing a path from burning rubble of collapsed buildings and tunnelling below to save those trapped underground. And that design is just to die for.
4. Stingray
Starring vehicle from the show of the same name, Stingray is automatically the best submarine-vehicle featured in Century 21. Stingray was also, arguably, one of the most diverse of the Century 21 vehicles, in that it and its crew constantly faced a huge variety of missions. Whether its a typical Titan rampage, pink ice, volcanoes, ghost ships or mystery agents sent to destroy the W.A.S.Ps, Stingray proves its versatility time and time again. Future Century 21 shows would have specific vehicles for specific situations, but Stingray faced anything and everything, and always came out on top.
3. Thunderbird 2
Whenever you read of Anderson’s shows having a reliance on the machinery, it’s very often this particular machine they’re referring to. Star of the International Rescue fleet, and of many children’s imaginations, Thunderbird 2 acts as a transporter for the specific pod vehicles needed for rescues.
Interestingly, even though Thunderbird 2’s purpose is to get other vehicles to the scene, it’s TB2 itself that became more popular than the smaller vehicles that would often save the day. Fusing a timeless, idiosyncratic design with many James Bond-worthy gadgets and gizmos, if you were a child growing up in the sixties, there were two toys to own – a Dalek and a Thunderbird 2.
2. Cloudbase
Yes reader, Cloudbase counts as a vehicle. The all-in-one HQ of Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons, Cloudbase acts as the Tracy Island/Marineville/Space City of the series. Unlike those static locations however, Cloudbase is a floating fortress, as its name suggests. It remains still throughout most of the series, and it’s only in one episode when it actually moves (Shadow of Fear). But it’s still a beast of a machine.
1. SPV
It’s often written how the one thing Gerry regretted about the SPV from Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons was that the driver had to sit with their back to the road and steer via a television screen from within the vehicle. Troubling that may be, it doesn’t stop the Spectrum Pursuit Vehicle being number one on our list.
Surely the most dangerous machine at Spectrum’s disposal, this tank-like monster is to Captain Scarlet what the Batmobile is to the Caped Crusader. Complete with missiles, ejector seats, retracting caterpillars and a stirringly powerful design, the SPV is to Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons what Thunderbird 2 was to Thunderbirds, not just in the success of merchandising, but in the sense of total disbelief that Anderson’s shows encouraged just as strongly as their realistic predictions of the future.
An SPV could only exist in a world constructed by Century 21, as it’s tailor-designed to suit both the gritty back-story of Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons, as well as its wooden-legged hero at the wheel.
Did you agree with this list? Let us know in the comments section below!