Fireball XL5

[Clave]

Fireball XL5 was a World Space Patrol vehicle of the 21st century. It patrolled Sector 25 to maintain the security of Earth from aliens.

The ship was launched by boosters from Space City, and was inter-planet capable. Exploration of planets could be carried out using the detachable front of the vehicle, called 'Fireball Junior'

Fireball XL5 is commanded by Colonel Steve Zodiac, with a crew of four including a robot and a pet Lazoon.

The series was designed by Gerry and Sylvia Anderson, it preceded Thunderbirds and was first broadcast in the UK in 1962.

[BLOWHARD]

EVEN COOLER!!!!!!!! Are you going to do other Gerry Anderson stuff? What about Skydiver from UFO?

[Clave]

It is likely - this is kind of relaxation from aircraft for me...

...and an escape from the hyper-critical comments like: "you should do this or that to make them photo-realistic" "you are wasting your talent" etc.

I don't mind people pointing out mistakes - everybody makes them, but I do what I do in my own way, and it's satisfying to me to know that when I finish something, I can make another 10, 20, 30, or more different units/countries/markings or whatever from the same base file.

Mass production makes more sense to me than spending weeks hand-crafting every speck of dirt and oil... all power to those that do mind you, it's just not me - I am a simple illustrator and never wished to make a photographic record - they already exist...

So I probably will put some aircraft up again, just don't expect them to be covered in dirt...

Oh, and by request from another place - Fireball XL5 in 500th Bomb Group markings:

[GrubbyFingers]

That is wonderful, Clave. The markings fit the subject so well.

Good on you.

Grubby.

[Clave]

Thank you!

[JMSmith]

" i wish i was a spaceman, the fastest guy alive.
i'd fly you round the universe in Fireball XL5.
way out in space together, where conqueror's of the stars"

the robots name was Robert

[Clave]

Ah, yes... all the Anderson-related theme tunes were pretty good