UFO Interceptors

[airbolt]

Just how rubbish was the arnament on the U.F.O Interceptors.?

The Pilot Entry System was the Coolest thing ever ( though it was hard to be cool in your Grandad's Combs ) .
They took off in unison to a Big Beat Combo and looked appropriately steely . Then they had a " One-shot" Missile up front!! Miss and you've had it,

Surely there was a cooler arnament? Or was it necessary to let a few through so that Peter Gordeno could camp it up as a Fighter Pilot ?

[960cd]

it did seem a bit odd to only have one missile each, but reading on a website I believe the original idea was to have the missile explode in front of the UFO and it be destroyed by flying into the aftermath. However this was too difficult to achieve technically. You're also right that it let the aliens through to Earth, which made for more exciting adventures.

[tonymclark]

Yes, it's known as a plot device.
Had the Interceptors destroyed all the UFOs in space, we wouldn't have had the adventures on Earth, as 960cd says.
The second series of UFO was going to be set entirely on the Moonbase, but since Lew Grade didn't want any more, the format was changed to Space 1999.

[LeMarchand]

From what I remember, the rationale was that they only had one chance of hitting the UFO anyway (due to the speed it was travelling) so any more that one missile was superfluous.

[ScreaminTree]

I always wondered, with all their supra-intelligence, why the aliens/ UFOs never fired back ; especially after the interceptors missed with their missile(s) - which happened occasionally (employing stock footage).
Ah well -without such inconsistencies & plot holes, UFO wouldn't have been as good as it was!

[naz_nomad]

*** ANORAK ALERT ***

Did you know ... Ed Straker's gullwing car was owned by Dave Lee Travis in the '70's

[tonymclark]

naz_nomad, Dave Lee Travis had one of the other, background cars, not Ed Straker's.

[Jay_Jay]

(Ed Bishop - what a COOL bloke! Great hair, great car.)

UFOs DID fire back, but only when grounded; splatting away, in a 'Greek-fire' stylee, at the Mobiles. Didn't Interceptors - a sort of 21st Century Spitfire on acid - have a type of high-fire-rate machine-gun as well?

The 'wheesh-wheesh' sound-effects of an in-coming UFO raid STILL sends shivers down the old spine.

[Mikeyd2]

All this talk of "UFO" and no mention of Gabrielle Drake ...Purple hair and tight costumes ...oh sorry a Sixties/Seventies flashback.....

[airbolt]

Yep , the Moonbase Girlies in their Discotheque Outfits and their all too few Mini Skirt appearances. The Ladies on Earth had form-fitting Outfits too - I think pop star of the time Ayshea was featured in one and looked fairly scrummy!

Rather embarrasingly the chaps on the Sub had String Vests which just looked cringeworthy. Not to mention the Pixie Boots the Guards had to wear !

The Opening Sequence has to be one of the Best ever. From the Quick Cutting of action sequences to a Groovy Trumpet and Hammond Theme Tune it all fitted marvellously.

[airbolt]

Actually , for all we know the Aliens , once past the Inteceptors , could be Blowing Raspberries and Giving them Two Finger Salutes!

However it was a family show so they probably didnt!

[LeMarchand]

airbolt - The female crew on Skydiver had the same tops, IIRC :o)

[airbolt]

Oh Yes , I forgot.

Whats IIRC? Havent heard that one

[ScreaminTree]

Sorry Jay; I meant "fire back" at the interceptors. I recall the UFOs fired explosive light beams/ rockets very regularly. And the noise of the UFO - you're right; very eerie & distinctive.

[LeMarchand]

IIRC = If I Recall Correctly (IIRC ;o) )

[Blackfoot]

I never saw interceptors re-fueling either....!

[airbolt]

Moonbase appeared to have no point Defences either . If a UFO got near them they had nothing in the way of Triple A - Quad Lasers would have looked Cool!

I think they had to use Harsh Language , Rolling Pins and Running Away at this point!

[ScreaminTree]

Airbolt, I seem to recall they had mobile rocket launchers for the moon's surface, but you're right...no ack ack or missiles for Moonbase itself.

[Jay_Jay]

(I was trying to keep unclean thoughts about Gabrielle Drake at bay ! But now somesone's mentioned her...)

'UFO' degenerated into a chase around the back-lot of the film studios with Ed Bishop looking harrassed and tired and almost ready for a Portmeirion stamp on his passport.

The 'Skydiver' submarine from 'UFO' must have been, along with the Angel Interceptor, one of THE coolest pieces of TV Sci Fi hardware around, notwithstanding the submarine's string-vest clad crew.