Classic Dr Who - Lightning Guns - Ark in space

Skyler101

Sr Member
Hey Guys....

Just been watching some classic Dr who, and came across the Tom Baker story, Ark in Space. In the story the Space Station team have a set of "Lightning Guns" which look really cool.

They have a pyramid type opening, and then the trigger is squeezed, the top opens back and reveals the barrel. Here are two pics that show them being fired.

gunclosed.png

Before firing...

gunfired.png

Being fired

inaction.png

And the crew in action. Got to love Ian's face in this, he's trying to sell the POWER of the guns.. hehe!

Given that these were made by the BBC, i have a feeling that these were found object that may have had the handles added, but thats just a guess. Anyone have any idea what these were before taking on an acting role?

Obscure enough for me to have one on my wall...

-Skyler101
 
208 views, and no ideas?

I guess I should have posted about Future War rifles or Iron Man??? :)

I Kid... I kid...
But seriously folks, any ideas about these oldschool items?

-Skyler101
 
Hey Guys....

Just been watching some classic Dr who, and came across the Tom Baker story, Ark in Space. In the story the Space Station team have a set of "Lightning Guns" which look really cool.

They have a pyramid type opening, and then the trigger is squeezed, the top opens back and reveals the barrel. Here are two pics that show them being fired.

gunclosed.png

Before firing...

gunfired.png

Being fired

inaction.png

And the crew in action. Got to love Ian's face in this, he's trying to sell the POWER of the guns.. hehe!

Given that these were made by the BBC, i have a feeling that these were found object that may have had the handles added, but thats just a guess. Anyone have any idea what these were before taking on an acting role?

Obscure enough for me to have one on my wall...

-Skyler101

Harry Sullivan is NOT an imbecile! :)
Dear Ian Marter is missed; gone before his time.
 
It almost looks like a steampunk version of the Zat gun from Stargate. :lol

Definitely work in the same way!

Given that the show was a in house BBC production, I cant believe that for something like this, they went to too much trouble. The main parts have to be found objects.

Its been suggested that the handle may have come from an air gun or pain sprayer. Its the operating parts (the cut up orange) that I want to lock in... :)

-Skyler101
 
Those things are ugly as hell! :lol

In for the run. :D

My sentiments exactly! :love

Honestly though, nothing about these has ever pinged my recognition database. Unless maybe it's some kind of novelty toy like those seasonal split spinning balls that reveal a holiday character. (Did that even make sense to anyone?)

I will say that the function of the prop is very similar to the Master's Tissue Compression Eliminator, and that really didn't look like a found item.
 
The more I look at it the more I'm thinking not much "found" items... I can see little brass hinges on the orange peel bit, the tube itself looks like a cheaply bent sheet of aluminum or tin, the tip of the gun almost looks like a pencil, the blue handle bit looks like a found item but lord knows what...
 
Yeah, you think it would not be to hard to bend some aluminium. Now to see how to make the mechanism....

This will be fun... :p

-Skyler101
 
Couple things.

First of all, the technical name for those weapons are "Fission Guns", which shoot out radioactive electro radiation.

Second I plan on making one of those gun as soon as I get my specifics down. What to use, how long, the mechanics, stuff like that.
 
I've started on my Fission Gun from the episode "The Ark"I used an image & marked it out to scale. Each box is an inch around, with the individual markings in the box. Fission Gun Mesurement copy 02.jpgFission Gun Prop 01.JPGFission Gun Prop 02.JPG

So far I made out 8 wood panels, 6 for the barrel & 2 to make the gun handel. I have no idea what im doing so any hepfull hints will be greatly appreciated​
 
I've always liked this prop. It was pretty high tech for 70's Doctor Who. It was a great prop I wonder why it was never reused in other episodes.
 
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