Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons, often referred to as Captain Scarlet, is a
1960s British science-fiction television series produced by the Century 21
Productions company of Gerry and Sylvia Anderson, John Read and Reg Hill. First
broadcast on ATV Midlands from September 1967 to May 1968, it has since been
transmitted in more than 40 other countries, including the United States,
Australia, New Zealand and Japan. Characters are presented as marionette puppets
alongside scale model sets and special effects in a filming technique that the
Andersons termed "Supermarionation". This technology incorporated solenoid motors
as a means of synchronising the puppet's lip movements with pre-recorded
dialogue.
Set in 2068, Captain Scarlet presents the hostilities between Earth and a race of
Martians known as the Mysterons. After human astronauts attack their city on
Mars, the vengeful Mysterons declare war on Earth, initiating a series of
reprisals that are countered by Spectrum, a worldwide security organisation.
Spectrum boasts the extraordinary abilities of its primary agent, Captain
Scarlet. During the events of the pilot episode, Scarlet acquires the Mysteron
healing power of "retro-metabolism" and is thereafter considered to be virtually
"indestructible", being able to recover fully from injuries that would normally
be fatal.
Angel or Falcon Interceptor (the Angel Interceptor in Anderson's earlier series):
The five White Falcons of the Angel Squadron comprise the main force of Skybase's
air power. The White Falcon is the Spectrum ATF or Advanced Tactical Fighter,
piloted by the Angels. Each pilot has a designated craft, assigned to them, with
her codename marking the fuselage. The same codename also appears on the front of
each Angel's helmet. An ultimate all-around attack aircraft, the Falcon is a
high-speed fighter plane powered by two of Halo pulsejets, with multi-step
afterburners. State-of-the art designed wing-tip geometry and variable multi-
plane flaps make the Falcon a supersonic strike fighter with high speed and
agility, that can outmanoeuvre any other known fighter plane. Because of the
incredible forces generated by the supersonic speeds and turning ability of the
Falcon, the Angel pilots need to wear specifically designed and fitted G-suits
for their protection against G-forces in flight. Armament comes in the form of
twin 30 mm Tempest cannons, front and rear, firing titanium-tipped ammunition.
Stowed within the main fuselage of the Falcon, a variety of air-to-air and air-
to-ground missiles can be fired through internal tubes at any target. In the case
of an emergency, the front portion of the plane, including the front canard
wings, can disengage from the main body and become a self-powered escape pod. In
the unlikely event of this pod failing or being damaged, there is still an
ejector seat.
