Posted by Griff! on
URL: https://www.shado-forum.com/interceptor-tp1503081p1503088.html

I know it's always going to be a matter of conjecture, but I've always
believed the Interceptor pilots used pressurised cockpit pods (there are
examples used in other Anderson productions). I say this as there are a
number of clues:

- The Interceptor pilots do not wear space suits, or indeed even protective
suits.
- The launch bay is open to 'atmosphere', it is clear that the Interceptors
are 'parked' in the open to atmosphere area, so the Interceptor pilot could
not climb into their respective Interceptors.
- The design of the Interceptor leads me to believe that no delivery chute
could delivery the pilot right into the body of the Interceptor (as with say
Thunderbirds). Could not go in through the front, and the engines appear to
start right behind the pilot - no access.
- Gerry Anderson states in his commentary and in a number of other places,
that he always wanted to have the vehicles in all his shows to be ready for
takeoff in the shortest time possible (these shows were made during the
'cold war', and emphasised the attitudes of the time), so to have the pilots
launch themselves down a chute leads me to believe that there must be a
mechanism that delivers them to the Interceptor in as short as time
possible, otherwise why bother?

I think the chutes deliver each pilot into a complete Interceptor cockpit
that is somehow then bodily delivered complete, aligned and attached to the
Interceptor, the reverse delivery system employed on return of the mission,
except of course using the chute back to the sphere - but by then of course,
the urgency would be over, and I presume there would then some kind of
medical de-brief before resuming stand-by status on Moonbase.

On either side of the Interceptor cockpit appears to be a standard red eject
warning triangle as used in the 60's and 70's, on the F-111, the same
warning triangles were used even though that airplane used an escape pod for
both pilots...

...so it all makes sense to me :)

Best to all, Griff

-----Original Message-----
From: Kevin Bulmer [mailto:[hidden email]]
Sent: Tuesday, February 03, 2004 10:16 AM
To: [hidden email]
Subject: [SHADO] interceptor


<snip> However, the thing I can't see is how the canopy opens and how the
pilot enters the cockpit. I can accept that the interceptor hangar is like
an airlock and can be pressurised while the pilot (not in a space suit) gets
in and out. Perhaps there's a ladder or gantry allowing access to the
cockpit. My guess is the cockpit hinges up allowing access from the front.
There's
no way for it to slide forward.
<snip>