Raumpatrouille – Die phantastischen Abenteuer des Raumschiffes Orion

Das Boot meets Star Trek!

Raumpatrouille – Die phantastischen Abenteuer des Raumschiffes Orion (literal translation: Space Patrol – The Fantastic Adventures of the Spaceship Orion), also known as Raumpatrouille Orion, and Space Patrol Orion in English, was the first German science fiction television series. Its seven episodes were broadcast by ARD beginning 17 September 1966. Being a huge success with several reruns audience ratings went up to 56%. Over the years, the series acquired a distinct cult status in Germany.

Overview

In the series, nations no longer exist and Earth is united. Flying saucers, such as spaceship Orion, are flown by humans, whilst the aliens fly fighter jet-like aircraft. The titular ship of the series title, "Spaceship Orion", (German: "Raumschiff Orion") is portrayed as being a fast space cruiser (German: Schneller Raumkreuzer), the newest starship in mankind's fleet and the fastest spacecraft ever created by humans.

The show tells the story of Commander Cliff Allister McLane (Dietmar Schönherr), an Earth starship captain and his loyal crew. He is Orion's commander in the developing war against an alien race called the Frogs (so-called also in the German original). He is notoriously defiant towards his superiors.

Frogs

The storyline was about the invasion and attacks of the Frogs, the term now becoming an acronym for "Feindliche Raumverbände ohne galaktische Seriennummer" (roughly Hostile Space Combat Units Without Galactic Serial Identification Number). This description appears for the first time in the film and contradicts the series, where Atan Shubashi and Hasso Sigbjörnson, who were the first humans to see the Frogs, called them "Frösche" (German for frogs) first, but later switched to the English translation because "Frösche" sounded too familiar to describe the aliens.

Colourise!

It is available on YouTube:

With English Subtitles

The Full 7 Episodes

Colourise Gallery

1960 - Rice Krispies Spacemen Free in Packets

A very popular set at the time, this set of 6 spacemen were issued in 6 different colours and came with clear plastic helmet. The helmet has a slight lip on fro

At this time I was 6 and I was intrigued by thought of going to the Moon.

Note the similarity to Raumpatrouille!

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