Deadly Whirlwind

plot
A space-fungus is destroying the vegetation on Mars.  Professor Haggerty develops a chemical which is deadly to all non-Martian forms of life.  Dart and his crew are given the task of spraying the chemical over Mars.  The Neptunians, meanwhile, have created a giant artificial planet which disrupts the orbit of Earth, Mars and Venus so that Mars and Venus will eventually collide with Earth.  Soon after Dart and his crew have finished spraying the chemical, a whirlwind develops on Mars and, taking a large amount of the chemical with it, begins heading toward Earth.  Raeburn sends Dart to blast it off course and it hits the Neptunians’ artificial planet.  This causes part of the planet to change colour.  Haggerty realizes that the planet is made from metal which the chemical can destroy.  Dart and his crew spray the planet with the chemical, destroying it completely.

notes
The Neptunians make their fifth appearance in this episode. They had previously featured in the Telepathic Robot, the Planet of Thought, the Cloud of Death and the Slaves of Neptune.

credits
a National Interest Picture production
Wonderama Productions Ltd. © 1962
produced by Roberta Leigh and Arthur Provis
directed by Frank Goulding
created & written by Roberta Leigh
voices by Libby Morris, Dick Vosburgh, Ronnie Stevens, Murray Cash, Ysanne Churchman
puppetry by Martin & Heather Granger, Joan Garrick
electronics by F.C. Judd
editor: Len Walter
sound editor: John Beaton
recordist: Cyril Brown
RCA sound recording
processed at Kay’s
cameraman: Arthur Provis
art director: Roland Whiteside
models: Derek Freeborn
script assistant: Denise Kaye
space consultant: Colin Ronan
special effects & animation: Brian Stevens, Bert Walker
2nd unit cameraman: Jimmy Hopewell