FAB Facts: The Fireball XL5 Reference hidden in Star Trek

[@stenoch]

I just discovered the XL5 series on Tubi, and I've been almost binge watching them. What a blast from the past! Does my (67 year) old heart good!

[@wcw43921]

There was a more intentional tribute, I think, in the Star Trek: Enterprise episode "First Flight." They were testing a warp drive prototype ship, the NX Alpha, and it looked just like a rocket with wings. I took one look and said to myself, "Please, let that be launched off a ramp." And when it sister ship--the NX Beta--appeared, it was, indeed, launched off a ramp. Just like Fireball XL5. I was so happy. :)

[@barrybend7189]

and the anime Angel links the ship itself has a very similar launch sequence. also in a Retrograde nod Thunderbird 3 in the 2015 thunderbirds reboot has grappler arms like the anime starship the outlaw star.

[@davidrichard2761]

What I have always liked when XL5 is zooming into the upper atmosphere is the switch to the cockpit view as the sky turns from blue to black. It leaves to the imagination the feeling of .. well something.. speed? Adventure? Into the unknown .. but it works well, we feel we are heading into space with Steve Zodiac, best space pilot of all.

[@mandolinic]

I agree. That is a cool transition.

[@ChrisPage68]

I bet the designer of Spacex's Starship is also a fan. That would also explain the Derek Meddings-worthy explosions every time one of the prototypes tries to land. 🤣😂

[@knowndeserter]

As the voyages of The Enterprise continue it's good to know that so do the references. The start of the end credits from J. J. Abrams 2009 trek film do look a little familiar.

[@randomatheist1039]

Happy birthday Jamie

[@JohnDyerTheBrewer]

I love the little inconsistencies with the captions. It time for a "fat fact"

[@colinp2238]

The Japanese mango and the underseat 100%.

[@jeffwheatley3682]

At 3:29 "Futurama" is shown in the captions as "future"

[@gufbrindleback]

According to legend, GNDN originated during the second world war. The US was building ships at a breakneck pace, using as many pre-fab sections as possible. Some of these sections had piping already installed - and it didn't always connect to existing piping in adjacent modules. When the builders or sailors would catch one of these, they'd mark it "GNDN". Also according to legend, some sections were installed with bulkhead doors that didn't match up. To save on provisioning time after being launched, heavy equipment such as machine tooling was installed in the sections before they were hoisted in place. So, sometimes, machinery stayed there throughout the whole war, unused, inaccessible and forgotten, until the ships would be broken up or converted to museums. So goes the tale, anyway.

[@seriousmaran9414]

Anyone notice that the SpaceX Starship looks like XL5? Whatcha mean, all rockets look like XL5? It's a conspiracy!

[@trainlover16]

Omg! I knew it’s design looked familiar, I just couldn’t put my finger on it until now!

[@dogwalker666]

Yes I noticed that too, its worrying how similar it is.

[@randomatheist1039]

Well yesterday's test launch ended up a fireball. 😀

[@trainlover16]

@@dogwalker666 It’s not worrying, it’s cool!

[@trainlover16]

@@randomatheist1039 Lel.

[@johncourtneyavery7670]

The computer in the spacious command centre of in Season 1 of Space 1999 has an XL5 logo on it

[@anthonygraham834]

The puddle-jumper departing Atlantis through the roof carries echoes of Supercar.

[@No1emilybrowningfan]

In the Star Trek enterprise season 2 episode first flight, the way the first warp 2.5 ship takes off is exactly like XL5s take off in Anderson’s show

[@Tony-nx2cj]

I just discovered Fireball XL5 on TUBI. I am watching when I have some free time. Really great stories and great details on the models and puppets.

[@masterbondofox8982]

Hope you had a great birthday Jamie! And sorry, but that's not the warp drive, that's part of the impulse drive. :)

[@dutch_asocialite]

Fascinating, I never suspected such things could be.

[@OdeeOz]

*Hello again Jamie ... Do you know if the Fireball XL-5 name, came from the many tests of the X-15 Hyper-sonic Rocket Plane, of those days the series was produced? Or maybe the back of an astronauts suit in the first few minutes of the 1960 film **_Assignment Outer Space,_** that has X I 5 printed in large letters? The spaceship in that movie, has a small resemblance to the XL-5 too.* 👍👍 10⭐ 10👏

[@brendancush7624]

My iPad Pro model type number is ‘1701’ the same as the Enterprise in Star Trek - coincidence? ;-)

[@brianartillery]

Belated Happy Birthday, Jamie! And "Shatner's Wig" sounds like a great name for an indie band. As for homages, I gave up trying to count them in Alan Moore and Kevin O'Neill's superlative 'The League Of Extraordinary Gentlemen' Graphic Novels. They're all over the place - sometimes hidden, sometimes blatantly obvious, to the point of one of the final episodes resembling an issue of 'TV21'.

[@bodieofci5418]

Shatner"s Bassoon.... :)

[@ionobelisk]

@@bodieofci5418 been on the cake again?

[@bodieofci5418]

@@ionobelisk its a made up drug...

[@ufoclips1]

@@bodieofci5418 I bought one in the 80s,i`ve not finished it yet.

[@bodieofci5418]

@@ufoclips1 are you the boz boz?

[@OdeeOz]

Thanks for showing the clips of those Noddy Frames :D

[@cyjones8488]

Not Anderson related, but the panels in the back of the Enterprise 1701D (Next Generation) have the names of the doctors from Dr.Who. Too small to be seen on VHS tapes, they show up in Blue Ray.

[@denniscarlson4674]

I always wondered if the Enterprise saucer section ability to detach was inspired by XL5's detachable command nose.

[@barrybend7189]

The Anime Angel Links has the titular ship launch like XL5. In Macross 7 theres a Shuttle that looks similar to Thunderbird 2.

[@starcobra123]

I wouldn't be surprised if theres Anderson references in The Next Generation or Deep Space Nine Also anything by Hideko Anno that man clearly loves Gerry Anderson shows

[@barrybend7189]

Or Shoji Kowamori as Macross 7 has a cargo shuttle that looks like Thunderbird 2.

[@starcobra123]

@@barrybend7189 he's also worked on Thunderbirds before

[@barrybend7189]

@@starcobra123 Kowamori did Thunderbird Shadow in the 2015 reboot.

[@ewaf88]

In fact there's another sort of link. In the original US TV guide it shows the Enterprise using rocket power around a planet and in the original Pilot - The Cage - Spock suggests using rocket power to blast away from the Talosian's planet

[@JohnnyD-787]

In episode 3, "Space Immigrants" there is a character Jock who is every bit like Scotty on Star Trek. Was Scotty patterned after Jock??

[@iandeeley9033]

Another great FAB FACT that links the Anderson world and Star Trek!

[@richardmattocks]

I’ve only just noticed that the Space X Starship bears more than a slight resemblance to FB5. I’m thinking the way the top fins / nose cone shape mainly 😎

[@johnruschmeyer5769]

Starship reminds me of a cross between FB5 and TB1.

[@richardmattocks]

@@johnruschmeyer5769 it really does! Yeah! 😁

[@johnruschmeyer5769]

@@richardmattocks I was watching a replay of the SN10 flight and, during the flop, my inner soundtrack was playing a danger theme from Thunderbirds. One could almost imagine one of the Tracy boys at the controls, struggling to get the engine restarted for landing.

[@ChrisPage68]

@@johnruschmeyer5769 Derek Meddings would applaud the explosions.

[@alex35agm]

Also in Star Trek:TNG Picard has a ready room,which was in Stingray first.

[@redpoll4628]

Hope thats a true fact. Any others?

[@MoonjumperReviews]

Happy belated Birthday! I will say that it’s a rare thing when someone can point out a Trek-related factoid or trivia that I didn’t already know-but you did it. I tip my hat. 🎩

[@williamchick6649]

What do you mean Star Trek isn’t real, you mean it doesn’t actually exist you have completely destroyed my faith in reality, The next thing you’ll be saying is that there isn’t really a International organisation fighting aliens from another planet, we all know that one is real.👽🖖🤔

[@mandolinic]

I don't know if anyone else has noticed just how similar the pilot's view looking forward on XL5 is to the pilot's view on a B-29 bomber...

[@MyKharli]

I am surprised musk has not invented the `hyper rocket sled `

[@tomay777a]

It is the impulse engine chamber

[@yourhealinghome8812]

How 'bout the engineer being Scottish? That one jumped right out at me. Then you've got the robot co-pilot, and the alien pet. The rear shot facing forward through the bridge, with the glazing that looks just like the Millenium Falcon; which of course, looks just like that of the B-29 bomber, until the hyperdrive kicks in. I'm sure there are plenty more, if I really went to work on it; but this was a great idea, to point them out. Good on ya, guys, this is lots of fun. Did either of you guys build model rockets when you were kids?

[@daman4802]

We were the rocket generation. Of course we had all the space/moon /saturn V merchandise.

[@nobudgetshortfilms5510]

Fireball Xl5 is so cool.

[@trevorbrown6654]

I think its a bit of a stretch to try and make that connection, although congratulations in the great use of a still showing Shatners rather obvious stunt double! However as you know, Space 1999 did have a loose connection to Star Trek in that a) Martin Landau was almost cast as Spock b) Fred (Boo...hiss) Freiberger took over the showrunner reigns on the final seris of both shows and c) Nick Tate was also in one episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation.

[@cyberwomble7524]

Zefram Cochrane's first warp ship also looks mighty similar.

[@MissMarinaCapri]

Far reaching if you asked me. Question; when did ” Fireball XL5 “ air on New York City broadcast television? I’m pretty sure I was there then.

[@dodo1opps]

That's the Impulse Engines, not the Warp Engines...

[@danielauger7990]

How about the most obvious one ? The ending of Star Trek (2009) - kzbin.info/www/bejne/eHnZY5KirNRjkM0 , go to 1:46 minutes, and try telling me that's not like the ending of XL-5 , hopping and stopping from planet to planet !

[@only257]

🙂love this show

[@patrickradcliffe3837]

Star Trek carried on that tradition of the GN/DN conduit, with the ODN conduit Otherwise Does Nothing conduit.

[@outerrealm]

Sorry, it really looks more like XL6, but your still is way too blurry. Is that the best you can do? All episodes have been digitally remastered and enhanced

[@gordontaylor4184]

What about the episode where the transporter broke and Scotty had to go outside to fix it without a spacesuit by taking an oxygen pill?

[@CrusaderSports250]

Just like Marine Boy with his oxygum, it enabled him to stay underwater, its only later that you ask if it was that good why didn't everyone use it?.

[@BarryH1701]

Does Fireball XL5 look a little like SpaceX Starship?

[@OdeeOz]

Oy Jamie and @Gerry Anderson Is it coincidence that Elon Musk's Starship SN10 looks like Fireball XL5?

[@AndreVandal]

Or they could have just type random letters and numbers and just happen to fall on XL5, unless you actually get somebody who worked on the show to admit to this it's all just speculations

[@christo6765]

...not that Starship kinda resembles XL5 in a way......

[@blxtothis]

The subtitles must have been computer generated as there are loads of amusing errors in there, come on chaps employ a proof reader!

[@Allan_aka_RocKITEman]

👍👍

[@EddieLopez711]

Wonder if Elon Musk ever watched FB-XL5

[@mikesilva3868]

🤗

[@primalconvoy]

I'm not interested in seeing hardwired captions. This is my first, and last time watching your videos. Please improve them in the future.

[@CrusaderSports250]

Out of interest and possibly being a little pedantic, if this is the last time you watch one how will you know if he has responded to your criticism/request? just wondering.

[@ufoclips1]

@@CrusaderSports250 We`re in the future,i thought i was in Star Trek when i got my Nokia pay as you boldly go.

[@CrusaderSports250]

@@ufoclips1 very interesting!!, in my time that was about fifteen years ago, so unless one of us is time traveling then we must be time/dimensional phasing between our alternate realities, very interesting indeed!!!☺.

[@ChrisPage68]

Please improve your approach to dealing with people. You are not owed anything by creators.

[@LDTV22OfficialChannel]

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