Major Tom

Major Tom was a robot that competed in Series 4 to 7 of Robot Wars, it had previously failed to qualify for Series 3 despite a near perfect qualification run.

The Series 3 version of Major Tom was very different to its successors, mainly because it did not have its trademark head. It was white with, blue, green and red triangle shapes painted on it. Its weapon was a lifting device that had a secondary usage as a split scoop. It was originally meant to be a tracked robot, but the rubber tracks were replaced with wheels for the qualifier. The robot was also 13kg overweight so the team had to replace that thick steel shell, with aluminium. During its qualifier it navigated the assault course perfectly, but still failed to get through to the main competition. For Series 4 the split scoop was taken off and half of a water barrel was added to the top armour. The weapon was converted into a lifting ramp. "Firstly, changes were made to the weapon. The splitting wedge was dropped from the robot in favour of the lifting arm. To this was added a hefty plate, turning it into a kind of wedge. Because of its weight and size, a much faster revving motor was used to achieve a quicker lifting action"

- On the team's website The new weapon was capable of lifting Henry Ryan's car and also caused quite a large dent in one of the doors. Major Tom received its first paintjob which was black with meteors down the sides. At the Series 4 qualifiers it faced the returning Killertron. "Major Tom performed really well, far better than expected. The contest was as good as even, until about the final 10 seconds when Killertron's axe came down and got stuck in Major Tom's body shell. The judges scored the win for Killertron"

- From the team's website Although the team lost, they received a discretionary place.

In Series 5, the robot became more box-shaped with a vertical spinning disc on the front, made from a cut-down 1970's bumper car body. A roll-bar was added to the top of the machine in Series 6. In Series 7, a new design known as Major Tom 3 was entered, which was a box-wedge shaped robot with a double clamping spike on the front. Although the robot took on three different forms, it was always painted in the colours of the Union flag.

Major Tom was also famous for its bubble-gum plastic dispenser head, present on every machine that featured in a televised show. Major Tom's most famous moment was in its Series 4 loss to 101. The head was pushed askew by 101, sawn almost off by Matilda, and shattered in one solid axe blow from Shunt. However, the head always managed to be replaced each wars. It had a cap and crown in Series 4, a helmet in Series 5, 6 and both Extremes, and a crown in Series 7.

Series 4


"Ground control to Major Tom, goodness me, it's all gone wrong. The winners are 101!"

—Craig Charles describing the team's loss to 101

Major Tom paraded through the first round, only making minimal contact by ramming into Shadow of Napalm. It was the most mobile at the end, and moved through. It then fought 101, who ran up the body of Major Tom, pushing the head askew. 101 then shoved Major Tom into the side wall, crumpling the ram. Matilda and Shunt then cleaved the head away, decapitating Major Tom. It was then pushed onto the floor flipper, thrown, and pitted by Matilda.

Extreme 1
Major Tom came back for Robot Wars Extreme 1 this time as a stripped-down 1970s Bumper Car. Its only appearance was the Tag-Team with Bigger Brother, Major Tom was used as a substitute for Plunderbird 5 who'd broken down and damaged the entry gate going into the arena. In the first round Major Tom and Bigger Brother fought Comengetorix and Spawn Again, the fight started evenly with Bigger Brother and Comengetorix having a tug-of war contest before all robots went out. Major Tom got flipped over by Spawn Again's only flip of the fight where it had its underbelly axed by Comengetorix. Major Tom was righted by its teammate but didn't move afterwards, was counted out by Refbot, and then the house robots put Major Tom on the flipper and down the pit.

Series 5
For Series 5, Major Tom kept the bumper car chassis that was used in Extreme 1, but cut a chunk off the front to reduce weight and fit bigger motors in. Despite this, they still kept the flywheel weapon.

Major Tom had a stroke of luck in its first round, as newcomers Kliptonite broke down quite early on after several bumps from Major Tom's disc, allowing Matilda and Sir Killalot to rip up and destroy the newcomers, before finally dropping it in the pit. Major Tom then took on Kat 3 in Round 2. It had a good start, slamming Kat 3 into the pit release, but then reversed onto the descending pit and went down with it. Both teams were uncontrollably laughing in the post match interview and this fight was also voted the funniest for the book, Robot Wars : The Ultimate Guide. "Ground control to Major Tom! The pit's open, and you're gone! Talk about unlucky..."

- Craig Charles describing the loss

Series 6
The only changes to Major Tom since Series 5 were that the Union Jack Flags were removed and a roll cage was added on top.

Major Tom was forced to fight old Tag Team partners Bigger Brother, in addition to Riptillion and Killer Carrot 2. At first, Major Tom was attacked by Killer Carrot 2. Despite four successive attacks, Killer Carrot 2 could not flip Major Tom. Bigger Brother seemingly came to its aid, flipping away Killer Carrot 2, but then went on to attack Major Tom itself, succesfully flipping Major Tom into the CPZ, leaving it in Killalot's hands. A severe blow from Mr. Psycho dented the rollcage. After its rollcage was ripped apart, Major Tom was counted out as it could only drive in circles. Major Tom was then left under the drop zone, where a colossal shower of balls of various sizes. "Major Tom, stripped of its stripes and demoted to private..."

- Craig Charles at the end of the fight

Extreme 2
Major Tom participated in the Annihilator, against Typhoon 2, Thermidor 2, Kan-Opener, Revenge of Trouble & Strife and Raging Reality. In Round One, it stayed out of most of the action, but Typhoon was flipped over and eliminated. In Round Two, Major Tom tried hitting Raging Reality, but was flipped over by Thermidor 2. Its rollcage self-righted it, but it was hit by Revenge of Trouble & Strife and forced into Sir Killalot's CPZ. Major Tom escaped, but was pushed back by Dead Metal. It pressed the pit button, and Raging Reality was counted out and eliminated.

"Bruised and battered, but the weaponry is still there. They haven't gone for the lightweight option."

- Jonathan Pearce, just before the start of the Round Three battle.

In the Round Three battle, Major Tom tried attacking opponents, but it was pushed across the arena by Kan-Opener. It did drive into the pit, but only after Revenge Of Trouble & Strife was flipped and pitted. This put Major Tom through to the Fourth Round. It was pushed by Kan-Opener, before Thermidor flipped it. Major Tom's rollbars didn't work, but Kan Opener self righted it near a CPZ. Major Tom was then pushed into an arena wall, and stopped moving. Mr Psycho hammered it, before Matilda caused damage to its fibreglass shell. Major Tom was very badly damaged by the house Robots, and counted out, before it was placed on the Dropzone, where a Cooker crushed it.

"And the tune we are singing tonight in the court is A. Flat Major."

- Jonathan Pearce reviewing the replay of the dropzone.

The House robots then flipped it over, and Cease was called.

Series 7
Major Tom 3 was drawn against Tsunami, X-Terminator and Diabolus. The first collision with Diabolus caused an immediate effect as the head fell straight off Major Tom 3. X-Terminator without causing any damage toppled Major Tom 3 over with its disc, it did not last much longer as it tried to escape but Tsunami eyed up Major Tom and flipped it straight out of the arena. Major Tom 3 was soon followed by a then picked on Diabolus.

Results

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Wins/Losses

 * Wins: 5
 * Losses: 6

Series Record

 * Series 1-2: Did not enter
 * Series 3: Failed to qualify
 * Series 4: Heat, Round 2
 * Series 5: Heat, Round 2
 * Series 6: Heat, Round 1
 * Series 7: Heat, Round 1