GABRIEL - MODEL T FORD from the 1969 TV Series ‘THE SECRET SERVICE’ created by Gerry Anderson

The last and least well known of the ‘Supermarionation’ TV shows was ‘The Secret Service’. The weekly adventures followed Father Stanley Unwin, a spy working for BISHOP, who would tackle the sort of assignments that any ITC hero of the era would tackle.. He drove a uniquely yellow Model T Ford. Famously the Model T Ford was available ‘in any colour you like. so long as it is black’ (Henry Ford). So the bright yellow paintwork makes the car unique. But apart from the colour the car had no special features. It was just a well maintained antique car. This odd show would likely be completely forgotten if it were not a Gerry Anderson production.

The shows features a unique mix of puppets and live action scenes. The car - named Gabriel - was an actual Model T Ford. A miniature was also used for the more spectacular shots.

Airfix’s car kits were in 1/32nd scale, and not the standard 1/24th or 25th scale favoured by virtually every other manufacturer of model automobiles.

See the video on my YouTube Channel;

What If #20 - Fantasy Model Kit Box Art

Designed by Childe Harold Wills