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Spectrum Pursuit Vehicle

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Spectrum Pursuit Vehicle
Captain Scarlet vehicle
First appearance"The Mysterons"
(29 September 1967)
Information
AffiliationSpectrum Organisation
Auxiliary vehiclesRemovable power pack (converts into a jet pack, other personal vehicles or other equipment)[1][2]
General characteristics
ArmamentsRocket cannon, laser cannons, electrode ray cannons[3]
DefensesBulletproof chassis[3]
Maximum speedOn land: 200 or 250 miles per hour (320 or 400 km/h)[1][2][4]
On water: 50 knots (93 km/h; 58 mph)[2][4]
PropulsionTwin turbo jets (on water)[3]
PowerHydrogenic electric fuel cells
Removable power pack
Auxiliary batteries (if power pack removed)[1][2][3]
Mass8 tons[4]
Length25 feet (7.6 m)[2][3][4]
Width8 feet (2.4 m)[2][4]

The Spectrum Pursuit Vehicle (or SPV) is a fictional pursuit and attack vehicle from Gerry and Sylvia Anderson's science-fiction television series Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons (1967).[5]

Specifications

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The metallic-blue, tank-like SPV serves as Spectrum's primary armoured interceptor ground vehicle. It is 25 feet (7.6 m) long, weighs eight tons, and has a maximum speed of either 200 or 250 miles per hour (320 or 400 km/h) on land.[1][2][4][6] It is fitted with five pairs of wheels (the three over the front, middle and rear axles constituting the main drive), with additional traction for mountainous environments provided by rear-mounted, hydraulically-lowered caterpillar tracks.

Within the hermetically-sealed control compartment, the driver, co-driver and a passenger are seated backwards, facing the rear, to reduce the possibility of injury in the event of a crash; the driver is aided by a video monitor displaying (horizontally-flipped) forward and rear views. It is armed with a front-mounted cannon, housed underneath a fold-away panel, and is also equipped with ejector seats and radar. The hydrogenic power unit can be removed and re-assembled as a personal jet pack, or other devices of comparable size (additional components for which are stored towards the back of the vehicle).

SPVs are distributed worldwide and are requisitioned from disguised buildings and other structures, guarded by undercover operatives. A Spectrum agent can access an SPV only upon presenting his or her identification to the relevant authority. SPVs are amphibious, all-terrain vehicles that can be driven in extreme environments as well as in cities.

Background

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There were moves afoot to have rear-facing seats in airliners. In the event of a crash-landing the passengers would be forced into their seats as the plane decelerated, as opposed to being hurled forwards ... I thought, 'I'll be very smart here and on this futuristic SPV we'll have seats facing backwards'.

— Gerry Anderson on the SPV concept[7][8]

In 2002, Gerry Anderson explained how the vehicle's safety features were borne out of his "preoccupation" – demonstrated in various aspects of Captain Scarlet – "with things not being what they seemed ...With a flick of a switch the walls of these buildings would collapse to reveal this astonishing vehicle inside. I knew kids would find that exciting."[7] He quickly regretted his decision to make the seats rear-facing, commenting: " ... we began to realise that the audience was going to say, 'Why are these people facing backwards?' So we wrote an explanation into the first script. Then I realised that not everyone would have seen that episode so we had to put explanations in again and again."[7] The rear-facing system is well received by commentators Jim Sangster and Paul Condon, who praise Anderson's innovation and credit the feature as a "work of genius".[9]

The SPV was designed by special effects director Derek Meddings on the basis of a brief description given in the Andersons' original script for the first episode, which specified only that the SPV was a high-speed armoured vehicle with reversed seating (and thus no windscreen) and a removable "lightweight power unit".[10][11][12] Noting that the occupants faced backwards and viewed the road through a TV monitor, Meddings said that "all [this] meant to me was that I could design the vehicle without windows."[13] For added realism, these were replaced with grilles and air vents.[14] To fulfil his vision of a "menacing, shark-like" assault vehicle, Meddings added a tail fin to the design.[14] He also incorporated a broad front bumper, intended to be shock-absorbent, and five pairs of wheels (in two sizes), as he thought that vehicles with more wheels "looked more interesting on screen."[15] He said that he was pleased with the SPV design because he believed that it "could be filmed from any angle".[16]

Several filming models were built. They were made of either balsa or hardwood in a range of scales, the largest being 24 inches (61 cm) long.[10]

Toys and kits

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Various toy versions of the SPV have been released. These include a 1960s plastic friction-drive toy by Century 21 Toys and die-cast models by Dinky as well as newer toys by Corgi, Product Enterprises and Vivid Imaginations.[7][17][18][19] Dinky's version, which remained on sale until 1975, was its best-selling product of all time and one of the most popular die-cast toys ever made in the UK.[20][21][22][23]

Meddings' assistant, Mike Trim, made his own version of the SPV.[24]

Reception and influence

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Andrew Blair of website Den of Geek calls the SPV "clearly the best vehicle in the show". Comparing it to "a tank driven at ludicrous speeds, while facing backwards and located in secret garages around the world", he argues that the vehicle represents "probably the fastest transformation from covert to ridiculously unsubtle that fiction has ever seen."[25] James Taylor of Car magazine ranks the SPV one of the top 10 vehicles from the Gerry Anderson productions. On the vehicle's design, he comments that "all-round visibility [was] clearly not a priority of Captain Scarlet's employers."[6] Writing for TV Zone magazine, Tat Wood questions Spectrum's logic in keeping its SPVs hidden until they are needed ("inside caravans, gasometers, tubes of Pringles or wherever") given that they are "then abandoned on the road".[26]

The SPV's curved front bumper inspired the rounded edges of LaCie's "Rugged" external hard drive designed by Neil Poulton.[27][28]

In 2022, YouTuber Tom Scott published a video in which he and a company work together to build a go-kart with backwards-facing driver and passenger seats, similar to the SPV.[29]

The Rhino

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In the animated remake series New Captain Scarlet (2005), the successor to the SPV is the Spectrum Rhino. The Rhino is more heavily armed than the SPV, and unlike the original is incapable of travelling on water. Instead of being hidden in safehouses, it is deployed from Skybase via Albatross dropships. The driver of the Rhino adopts a normal driving position, in contrast with his predecessor.

References

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  1. ^ a b c d Drake, Chris; Bassett, Graeme (1993). Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons. London, UK: Boxtree. pp. 31–33. ISBN 978-1-85283-403-6.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g Denham, Sam (2017). Gerry Anderson's Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons Spectrum Agents' Manual. Yeovil, Somerset: Haynes Publishing. pp. 32–38. ISBN 978-1-78521-143-0.
  3. ^ a b c d e Bentley 2001, p. 53.
  4. ^ a b c d e f Bleathman, Graham (2000). Gerry Anderson's Supermarionation Cross-Sections. London, UK: Carlton Books. pp. 30–31. ISBN 9781842224113.
  5. ^ Spectrum Pursuit Vehicle: Century 21 Tech Talk. March 16, 2019 – via YouTube.
  6. ^ a b Taylor, James (2 October 2015). "The Car Top 10: Gerry Anderson Vehicles". carmagazine.co.uk. Bauer Consumer Media. Archived from the original on 2 October 2017. Retrieved 1 January 2020.
  7. ^ a b c d Archer, Simon; Hearn, Marcus (2002). What Made Thunderbirds Go! The Authorised Biography of Gerry Anderson. London, UK: BBC Books. pp. 149–150. ISBN 978-0-563-53481-5.
  8. ^ La Rivière, Stephen (2009). Filmed in Supermarionation: A History of the Future. Neshannock, Pennsylvania: Hermes Press. p. 156. ISBN 978-1-932563-23-8.
  9. ^ Sangster, Jim; Condon, Paul (2005). Collins Telly Guide. London, UK: HarperCollins. p. 165. ISBN 978-0-007190-99-7.
  10. ^ a b Bentley 2001, p. 21.
  11. ^ Meddings, p. 90.
  12. ^ Bentley, Chris, ed. (1995). "Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons: 'The Mysterons'". The Century 21 Script Book. Bradford, UK: Fanderson. p. 12.
  13. ^ Jones, Keith (Spring 2002). Richardson, Michael (ed.). "Colours of the Spectrum". Action TV. No. 6. Leeds, UK: The Shipley Print Company. p. 32.
  14. ^ a b Meddings, p. 95.
  15. ^ Meddings, p. 94.
  16. ^ Bentley 2017, p. 81.
  17. ^ Bentley 2017, pp. 163–164; 196–197.
  18. ^ Arron, Simon (17 February 2007). "The Gear Box: The Grand Prix Saboteurs, Sat-Nav and Captain Scarlet Twin Packs". telegraph.co.uk. Telegraph Media Group. Archived from the original on 16 May 2011. Retrieved 31 August 2020.
  19. ^ Treadaway, John (2012). "Scarlet Thunder". salute.co.uk. South London Warlords. Archived from the original on 1 August 2019. Retrieved 11 May 2020.
  20. ^ Christopher, John (2013). Mini Moke: Small Car, Big Fun. Amberley Publishing. ISBN 9781445623733.
  21. ^ Archer, Simon (2004) [1993]. Gerry Anderson's FAB Facts: Behind the Scenes of TV's Famous Adventures in the 21st Century. London, UK: HarperCollins. p. 69. ISBN 978-0-00-638247-8.
  22. ^ "TV Shows: Ca-Ch". televisionheaven.co.uk. Archived from the original on 2 February 2014.
  23. ^ Pixley, Andrew; Rogers, Julie (December 2001). Gillatt, Gary (ed.). "Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons: By Numbers". Starburst. No. 280. London, UK: Visual Imagination (published November 2001). p. 47. ISSN 0955-114X. OCLC 79615651.
  24. ^ How to Make Your Own SPV, by David Sisson
  25. ^ Blair, Andrew (2 February 2016). "Remembering '90s Thunderbirds and Captain Scarlet Toys". Den of Geek. Dennis Publishing. Archived from the original on 17 December 2019. Retrieved 11 May 2020.
  26. ^ Wood, Tat (June 2004). "The 5 Essential Anderson Archetypes". TV Zone Special. No. 57. London, UK: Visual Imagination. p. 31. ISSN 0960-8230.
  27. ^ "LaCie Celebrates a Decade of Rugged Drives" (Press release). Business Wire. 12 August 2015. Archived from the original on 9 May 2021. Retrieved 16 May 2021.
  28. ^ "LaCie Rugged Hard Drive". PC Magazine. Vol. 25, no. 14. New York City, New York: Ziff Davis Media. 22 August 2006. p. 119. ISSN 0888-8507.
  29. ^ Scott, Tom (20 June 2022). Can You Really Drive While Facing Backwards?. Retrieved 26 November 2024 – via YouTube.

Works cited

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