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Docking Bay 36 Orbit Jet While Space Patrol and Tom Corbett Space Cadet may have been the most popular space opera shows during the 50s, one of the best remembered has to be Rocky Jones, Space Ranger and his spaceship, the Orbit Jet.
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To many this was the most beautifully sculptured sleek and aerodynamic of all of the golden era spaceships. It was also well preserved because the entire series was captured directly on 16mm film rather than kinescoped, as were the other shows. This means two things. While the other, more popular shows of the day were in essence stage shows, Rocky Jones was a filmed series with the live errors that plagued the others edited out. This one aspect made Rocky Jones singularly different. It also means that today we can see a series with better video quality in the episodes that survive.
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For those unfamiliar with the series, Rocky Jones Space Ranger was a series on ABC that debuted in 1954 and ran through 1955. Its production sets, costumes and production costs were considerably above the other space opera presented at the time. It gives the impression that it was really a sophisticated series made more for syndication than Saturday morning TV. The only reason for it not having lasted longer was that all space opera (especially the live shows) was going out of Vogue and being dropped by the networks.
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The Orbit Jet combined the features of an aircraft with the swept wings and the features of a rocket with four tailfins to stand on vertically. It took Rocky Jones on many an adventure in 1954. A winged, V2 styled ship it also served the purpose of pretending to be other ships in the series by having its insignia changed and its registration numbers switched. You might say it single-handedly served Rocky Jones Space Rangers as the entire space fleet of the series.
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Because the series was filmed, and not shot as live television, episodes of the series can still be easily found. One look at the Orbit Jet and you'll know why it is considered to be such a beautiful golden era of spaceship.
Links to Additional information available in the Trade Zone.
A Precision Design Drawing of this Spaceship -----------------------------------------
Click on Image to LEARN MORE or BUY NOW.
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Complete background information is available in the Spaceship Handbook
Click on Image to LEARN MORE or BUY NOW.
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This Spaceship is also featured in “Ad Astra per Aspera”
And Art by Steve Johnson
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