The models of Stingray

There were at least four different studio models of Stingray built. These models were about 3 feet long, 2 feet long, 14 inches long, and 8 or 6 inches long. All of the Stingray models were made predominantly from solid balsa wood and all but the smallest model were hollowed to make room for lighting gear and various moving parts. Legend has it that the 'contra rotating eddy damper' (that clear thing on the back of Stingray) on one of the larger models was made from a transparent bath tap.

The Aquasprite is a one-man 'dry' submarine that was seen in The Golden Sea. The Stingray submarine carries two Aquasprites in recesses located on either side of the upper hull behind the forward hydroplanes. The Aquasprite was a simple balsa wood model that was fitted with a transparent cockpit canopy made from thermoformed plastic. It was common practice to make the figures seen in model vehicles out of plasticine clay. Thus, the aquanaut piloting this Aquasprite is probably made of painted plasticine.

The Seaprobe is one member of a large class of submarines used by the World Aquanaut Security Patrol to guard the sea lanes. The actual models (there were probably more than one) appear to have been made from Aurora, Revell, or Monogram USS Nautilus nuclear submarine kits. These kits appear to have been assembled with few, if any, modifications. WASP Seaprobe class submarines were featured in the Stingray pilot episode and in A Nut For Marineville.

The Downbeat provides transportation for the official WASP band. This model was about 16 to 18 inches long. It had a hull and conning tower made from balsa wood with side pipes made from plastic tubing. The wooden conning tower was detailed with rivets made from common pins and decals from a USAF Thunderbirds flight demonstration team aircraft kit. The nose of the sub was decorated with flame decals from a hot rod car kit. The Downbeat was featured in Tune of Danger.

Here is the WASP guard submarine that Commander Shore was piloting during the undersea battle in which he lost the use of his legs. Seen only in The Ghost of the Sea, this small 10 to 14 inch long model was made primarily of balsa wood and appears to have used an engine from a B-58 'Hustler' kit. It is quite possible that this model was a modification of Master Astronaut Kelly's light patrol craft seen in the Fireball XL5 episode The Forbidden Planet.

This is Captain Jordan's submarine, the WN27, as seen in The Man from the Navy. The actual model was about 12 inches long and had a hull made from a toy or kit midget racing car. The car body is turned back-to-front and the front of the conning tower fits into what would be the back of the driver's cockpit. This model was dressed up with Airfix SRN1 hovercraft kit turbine parts and repainted bright orange for use in the Thunderbirds episode The Man from MI.5.

The Hepcat was featured in Raptures of the Deep. This 10 to 14 inch model was made mainly from balsa wood and detailed with plastic aircraft kit fins. The markings on the fins are USAF Thunderbirds aerobatic team aircraft kit decals. The full scale puppet sized Hepcat cockpit set used the canopy from Supercar. The model Hepcat may have used a recycled Supercar canopy too. The Hepcat may have been rebuilt from the yellow submarine seen in Ghost of the Sea and Invisible Enemy.