Fireball XL5

[eisemanrenyardjake]

I love this show, too! And I agree it would've looked more impressive in colour (yes, I know back in early 60s colour TV wasn't so widespread, sorry). P.S. What's going on with the sound in this video; there's some sort of an echo? I thought no1 could hear U scream in space Lol

[MrGrayTube]

Showing my age watching and remembering these old progs, "Supermarination" wow what a word, Astounding what they could do, in days when computers were not around

I'm goning to subscribe, keep the videos coming

[alanmerzcharles]

That's me next to the PM.. memories

[anmana7]

This show rocked!!

[MrSolarisBreeze]

The cornerstone of all my fascination with science-fiction since 1963 (it nicely paralleled my fascination with science-fact of the space race between the U.S. versus Russia).

[rofflemows2]

another awesome adventure for Captain Zapp Brannigan, eh xD

[drmdrmy]

One of the best opening sountracks of ANY show ever.

Even at 8 the end soundtrack was sucky.

Wife is shouting why I watch this garbage ?

It's like flying Concorde because it was there and you had to do it !

I wish XL5 was in colour though !

[stevebritgimp]

OK Steef.

[Quasimodo1957]

I actually had a plastic toy that was a 2 foot model of the XL-5. The cockpit/capsule seperated from it and when you opened the hatch at the top of the capsule you could remove plastic figures of Steve and Venus. Also behind their seats were two removable jet bikes. Man I wish I still had that thing. What a collector's item!

[Factnotfictionpeople]

@Quasimodo1957 Sod the collector's item bit - did it give YOU the pleasure it was intended to? :-)

[Quasimodo1957]

@Factnotfictionpeople A thousand times over Fact. In fact I think it was my favorite toy. When kids used their imaginations and the living room and bedroom were new planets to explore.

[ickleshouse]

welcum harm welcum harm...... the lazoonie....lol

[hafstrat]

PS Derrick Meddings went on to work on Star Wars!!! I also wanted to make model space ships for a living .. missed the boat.. should have taken my teachers advice and took art at GCSE. Bugger.

[hafstrat]

I want the theme song played at my funeral. At the crematorium. I wanted to be Steve Zodiac when I grew up.

[johnbarry007]

oh the memories, what a shame kids dont appreciate the same stuff now

[badger5221701]

why dont the powers that be coulourise it and sell it,it would be a big hit with us oldies :)

[FeatherGlow1]

Nostalgia, nostalgia!

[diddymuck]

when it arches skyward after takeoff, the clouds are sideways!

[badger5221701]

@diddymuck

if you check thunderbirds its the same :)

[Aniva66]

what year does this show be? '64?

[GCarty80]

@Aniva66

'62 I think.

[MrSHUBH008]

meri bachpan ki yaaden



[GCarty80]

I wonder if one of the creators of Fireball XL5 knew about the Eugen Sänger's Silbervogel? That was a proposal during WWII for a hypersonic aircraft capable of bombing the United States, and was planned to be launched from a ramp very similar to that shown in Fireball XL5.

[binaway]

@GCarty80 probably got the idea from the V1

[baraxor]

@GCarty80

I'd wager that Gerry Anderson's FXL5 was inspired firstly by Dandrige Cole's design for an "Antares" spacecraft, which also was to be launched by a turbojet sled (boosting a 10,000 ton orbiter vehicle to 2000 feet per second along a 15-mile track).

[chodeshadar18]

Oh Gawd. I wanna be 7 years old again! I wanna watch this & Leave It To Beaver & Twilight Zone on a big B&W TV in a wooden cabinet with vacuum tubes inside that takes a whole minute to warm up, & I wanna play with dinosaurs on the big dirt pile in my folks' backyard! Thanks for posting!

[sinclairbrett]

its still cool

[robharding1957]

brilliant for the time,tv should take a few lessons from shows like this,,

[DoctorPossum]

Absolutely love it.

[profesorsergio]

Thank you very much for posting this!!!. In Argentina we loved the Fierball XL5!!!. Cheers!!!!, Sergio.

[blabblab1212]

I had to have the XL-5 lunchbox, Johnny Seven OMA, and of course, a Superball. When I got bored I would safely ride my Schwinn down to the local store and spend a real silver dime on two American made candy bars. American products made by American workers bought with real money. But that was a different world from a galaxy far, far away.

[JBofBrisbane]

@blabblab1212 - You're aware that Fireball XL-5 was a British production, aren't you?

[blabblab1212]

@JBofBrisbane Yes, a British production but I was talking about American products.

[britelite2657]

Yee a pwoper wocket dat ya can dwive yeeeeee!!! wheeeee!!!!!!

[chompfest]

They did release the theme tune by Don Spencer on a blue HMV label. I have it :)

[TurtleRunning]

This is just wonderful!!!!!!!!! I loved the theme song..wish they would release it...Loved this show! Had forgotten just how great it was! Thanks so much!

[Bovrilkid]

I'm 5 again....................Thanx­!

[tanyaloveshair]

One of my favorite shows growing up. Got the spaceship as a Christmas gift one year. One of the best Christmas 's ever.

[Quasimodo1957]

@tanyaloveshair me too....see my post below!

[wvuguy]

@tanyaloveshair Ditto for me; I thought that ship was one of the coolest things I ever got.....even more that the Supercar.

[ruzphi]

I had forgotten all this, thanks for the posting

[1wichr]

Favourite opening theme of all time, I remember running from where ever I was in the house or yard when it came on!

[1304teal]

I loved this show! When I was a kid nothing better - very glad to see this stuff again.

[pdogone1]

yep gerry anderson brought alot of smiles to us kids back then supercar was first i think that xl5

[mavericstud]

God-haven't this in 48 years

[bdicat]

if I remember correctly, these guys stole this from Supercar.

[Tazzman]

Nothing was stolen. Gerry Anderson was the same creator for both shows and a few new ones!