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Martin Bower

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Martin Bower (born 1952)[2] is a British miniature model-maker[3] and special effects artist for film and television. He built 50 scale models for the TV series Space: 1999.[4]

His other credits include the TV series The Tomorrow People (19731979), Blake's 7 (1978–1981), The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (1981),[5] Doctor Who[4] and The Tripods (1984–1985), as well as the films The Medusa Touch (1978), Alien (1979), Flash Gordon (1980)[6] and Outland (1981).[7]

He has a long-standing professional relationship with effects director Brian Johnson.

Notable designs

Blake's 7

  • The Liberator models, and the teleport bracelets, as seen in multiple episodes of the series[8]

Space: 1999

The Tripods

  • Models of the eponymous tripods used throughout the two series[9][10]

References

  1. Freeman, John (20 December 2019). "Coming Soon: Martin Bower's World of Models". downthetubes.net. Retrieved 26 October 2025.
  2. Alexander C. T. Geppert (2012). Imagining Outer Space: European Astroculture in the Twentieth Century. Palgrave. ISBN 978-0-230-23172-6.
  3. "A Smash Hit? Thunderbirds Were a Big 'Go' on Wearside". Sunderland Echo. 26 January 2019.
  4. 1 2 Hirsch, David (December 1979). "Space Report: Martin Bower – A Rising Star in the World of Miniatures". Starlog. No. 29. pp. 32–34.
  5. "Thumbs Down for Thunderbirds". dorsetecho.co.uk. 23 July 2004. Retrieved 26 October 2025.
  6. "Martin Bower". AFI Catalog of Feature Films. Retrieved 26 October 2025.
  7. Hirsch, David (May 1982). "The Altares: On The Screen & Behind the Scenes". Starlog. No. 58. p. 49.
  8. "Starship Troupers: Creating B7's Iconic Vessel". SFX. 3 January 2018.
  9. "The Tripods (1984) – Original Tripod filming miniature". The Prop Gallery. Retrieved 22 October 2022.
  10. "Tripods". Martin Bower's Model World. Archived from the original on 4 November 2016.