Been watching these episodes again and I have to commend them for their various model props used in the show.
There is a high level of weathering just not seen in scale modeling until decades later.
Amazing how we all missed that as an example to follow.
Twenty years later, the big thing was daintily dry-brushing everything, something they deftly avoided back in the “primitive” ages of modeling.
Way ahead of their time.
Excellent show - pity it only ran for one season. It was considered very “dark” in terms of storylines, and what should have been season two instead became Space 1999.
Agreed. For anyone at all familiar with UFO conspiracy lore, this show also predated much of the conspiracy canon: secret underground bases, abductions, MILAB induction of amnesia, secret lunar base conspiracy, oxygenated breathing fluid (“The Abyss”), etc., etc.
You name it, this show had it. Not just cool models.
Also: shapely women in silver catsuits, plus purple wigs on the secret lunar base women.
This was never explained. 
UFO had some great vehicles although I do need to watch it properly. Seen a few episodes but not all the way through. Have seen Space 1999 in it’s entirety, but find it a little goofy now, especially the second series. The Eagle was a great design though.
Loved the Anderson shows. I was was hooked on Stingray, Thunderbirds and Captain Scarlet when BBC2 repeated them in the early 90’s. I was the right age I think. If I’d been a little older maybe I wouldn’t have been.
Unfortunately, my 12 year old son was laughing at an episode I watched today.
Kids these days! 
I’m sure there are some good episodes, it’s been a good few years since I saw it. It’s very much a product of it’s time and budget. I bet people will be watching today’s shows in 30 years and laughing!
I only saw this series last year. Although I was aware of it. I never saw it as a kid in the sixties.
Actually luckily my first view was on a high definition TV. I also noted the excellence of the models. Gerry Anderson was very talented. His models in other shows are also weathered nicely.
It’s amusing though that UFO was set in the eighties. They certainly got the fashions wrong. Same with Space 1999. The show anticipated moonbases and routine space travel that never materialised. Probably never will, sadly.
I wonder sometimes if the storyline of an international government cover up of UFOs is the basis for many a conspiracy theory.
I loved UFO. That was one of my favorite shows growing up. But it is certainly a product of its era and some aspects of the show have held up better than others.
As far as movie modeling weathering goes, a few years later ILM was doing some pretty well weathered models in the original Star Wars. The Imperial stuff was well maintained, but the Rebel stuff sure looked beat up.
and one of them was Dr Strange’s mother…
Another is now Lady Micklewhite.
Cheers,
M
I watched all of the Gerry Anderson series as a kid in the 60’s and 70’s when they came on US TV. I used to sit enraptured watching Thunderbirds, being too young to realize they were models!
Now with streaming I’ve gotten to binge watch them all again on the big screen in my studio. What a trip it’s been! I just watched all of UFO - I agree a pity it was only one season. What a fantastic concept and so much they gave us credit for that we still don’t have! (Or do we?)
Again the model sequences make the show and the purple haired females are still sexy!
I just downloaded it to watch again … And agree, Gerry Anderson and his ideas were the thing to watch as I grew up … Nice trip down memory lane… Looking forward to watching these again.
Good blog post below about the show with nice photos of the various craft.
Would be great if a company would make a proper S.H.A.D.O. Interceptor plastic model. That would beg for a diorama.
Funny thing: I scarcely remember the interpersonal drama in episodes; I mainly remember the action sequences. That is, the Interceptors chasing UFOs (pronounced “You-Foe”) and blowing them up.
Apparently, Bandai made one in 1971 with a rebox in 1983, but from the article about it, it was a somewhat toy version – the missile had a spring-loaded launcher, with the trigger sticking out top and bottom on the model, for example.
Toy features seem to be common on the Japanese Anderson kits.
I’ve got the Spectrum transport jet and it has spring firing missiles and an elastic band powered ejection pod. Big chunky out of scale vinyl tyres too. Almost like it was designed to be a push along toy and then they changed their minds.
Got the Angel Interceptor too and it’s a lot more chunky than the Airfix. For all its faults with fit and lack of cockpit details, the Airfix Angel is still the most accurate injection moulded kit. There’ve been a couple of better resins, but expensive and long oop.
I remember the model kits my father would bring me back from Japan when the ship he was assigned to went through Sasebo or Yokosuka, and the one commonality was that they were all designed to be toys after construction, with spring- or rubber-band-powered launchers, along with a disturbing number of small details that were easily broken if you actually played with them like a toy.
Doesn’t leave much to the imagination. 
Silver is now my favorite color.
How have I completely forgotten about this show? Wasn’t it “set” in the 1980’s or 90’s? They got the purple hair correct, but other than that I remember the 80’s / 90’s rather differently.
Ever since Fireball XL5, I’ve been a sucker for that style of “spacecraft”. But oddly, have never built any.
The best way to honour the inspiration provided by the Andersons is to build something for yourself that you think would look at home on one of their shows. It would be best built from scrap glueable plastic and include only a minimum of kit parts (track units, wheels and the like) as before “Space:1999” they mostly predated the Star Wars penchant for extensive greebling with kit bits. I wonder if that might be a suitable idea for a future group build?
Regards,
M
I’d definitely be in for an Anderson Campaign.
Good news for those of us in the UK, I’ve just found that UFO is available to watch for free on ITV Hub. That’s my days viewing sorted.