- "The idea for Major Tom was originally to out-rank Sergeant Bash."
- — Henry Ryan
Major Tom was a robot from the Isle of Sheppey that competed in Series 4 to 7 of Robot Wars, also entering in both series of Extreme. It had previously failed to qualify for Series 3 despite a near perfect qualification run.
Despite competing in 4 separate series of Robot Wars, Major Tom never reached a Heat Final, having only reached round 2 in Series 4 and 5, and going out in round 1 in Series 6 and 7. Its best performance was in the Annihilator in Extreme 2, where it finished third.
The robot's name came from the astronaut in the David Bowie song "Space Oddity", and Craig Charles and Jonathan Pearce frequently made jokes involving the song's lyrics.
Versions of Major Tom
Despite taking on many different forms, every version of Major Tom (except for Series 3) was always painted in the colours of the Union flag. Major Tom was also famous for its plastic bubble-gum dispenser head which was present on every machine that featured on the televised show. The head itself was either knocked off or destroyed easily, as shown during Major Tom's most infamous moment after its loss to 101. The head also sported different head gear throughout Major Tom's appearances; a cap in Series 4, a helmet and crown in Series 5, 6 and both Extremes, and just a crown in Series 7.
Major Tom (Series 3 Qualifiers)
The version of Major Tom that failed to qualify for Series 3
The Series 3 version of Major Tom was very different to all of its successors, mainly because it did not have its trademark head or Union Jack colours. 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 the thick steel shell with aluminium.
Major Tom (Series 4)
Series 4 appearance
For Series 4, the split scoop of the Series 3 machine was taken off and half of a garden water barrel was added to the top armour along with parts from bicycles and lawnmowers. The robot itself was powered by two golf buggy motors, and the weapon was converted into a lifting ramp, also powered by a golf buggy motor, and was capable of lifting 12 stone.
- "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. This version is referred to as Major Tom Mark 1 in Robot Wars Extreme: The Official Guide. The Series 4 version was originally painted black with meteors down the sides, but this was repainted with the Union Jack for its appearance in the main series.
Major Tom (Extreme 1-2, Series 5-6)
- "The good-looking dodgem car!"
- — Robot Wars: The Ultimate Guide on the second version of Major Tom
Major Tom in Extreme 1
Major Tom in the arena during Series 6
In Extreme 1, the robot became more box-shaped with a vertical spinning disc on the front, rotating at 35mph and the body was made from a cut-down 1977 bumper car body, found by team member Joe Brown, and a garden water barrel, the robot travelling at 10mph.
In Series 5, the chassis was shortened from the front to reduce weight and fit in larger motors. A roll-bar was added to the top of the machine for Series 6 and Extreme 2 to act as a srimech (though its weakness is labelled as not having one), and the blades on the disc were also enlarged to cause more damage.
Major Tom 3 (Series 7)
Front view of Major Tom 3
In Series 7, a new design known as Major Tom 3 was entered, which was an invertible two-wheel driven, box-wedge shaped robot with a double clamping spike on the front. It was much slower than its predecessor with only a top speed of 4mph, as a result of much stronger motors and low gearing, but had good pushing power, and a broad surface.
Qualification
During the Series 3 qualifiers, Major Tom was able to navigate the assault course perfectly, but still was not chosen to compete in the main competition.
Major Tom in Series 4 at the qualifiers
At the Series 4 qualifiers, Major Tom faced the returning Killertron. Both robots fought an even contest for the full five minutes of the bout, with the win eventually being given to Killertron based on damage.
- "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 Major Tom lost the battle, it received a discretionary place in the Fourth Wars, and also qualified for the Fifth Wars in the following year.
Major Tom during the Sixth Wars qualifiers
In its Series 6 qualifier, Major Tom fought Roobarb, Hell's Teeth, and a robot with a spinner. Major Tom was immediately targeted by Roobarb due to it being the most experienced robot in the qualifier, but managed to roll over whenever it was flipped. Over the course of the battle, the unidentified spinner and Hell's Teeth became immobilised. Roobarb's flipper had also broken, so Major Tom was able to survive for almost the full battle, engaging in a pushing match until losing most of its power. Although Roobarb was declared the winner via Judges' decision, Major Tom was given a discretionary place in the Sixth Wars.
- "All this happened in around 2/3 mins and Major Tom was still going!!"
- — Team Roobarb
Major Tom 3 would also qualify for Series 7 under unknown circumstances.
Robot History
Series 4
- "Certainly getting into the spirit of Robot Wars!"
- — Julia Reed comments on the team
In its first televised appearance, Major Tom was drawn up against the number 25 seeds Shadow of Napalm and fellow newcomers Disc-O-Inferno in its first round melee in Heat E of the Fourth Wars.
Major Tom clashes with Shadow of Napalm and Disc-O-Inferno
Major Tom paraded through this opening battle, first driving round the back of Shadow of Napalm before missing a charge against Disc-O-Inferno. It then turned on the reverse and drove over a flame jet, before ramming Shadow of Napalm from the side. Major Tom bumped into Shadow of Napalm again, this time from behind, but it failed to get underneath with its lifter effectively, which then became stuck open.
- "Major Tom trundles with the Union Jack proud, aloof to the other robots it would seem."
- — Jonathan Pearce
After the three machines came together near the centre of the arena, Major Tom pushed Shadow of Napalm from the side again. It was then deflected away from Shadow of Napalm by Disc-O-Inferno, who broke down after the attack.
- "Major Tom's lifting ram seems to be stuck in place..."
- — Jonathan Pearce
Major Tom attacks Shadow of Napalm from the side
Shadow of Napalm was wedged onto Disc-O-Inferno, and Major Tom shoved it away from the immobile spinner before pushing Disc-O-Inferno from behind briefly. While Disc-O-Inferno was flipped by the Floor Flipper, Major Tom had just enough time at the end of the battle to slam the limping Shadow of Napalm machine into the arena side wall, and used its now functioning lifting ramp to tilt the seeded robot sideways before cease was called. However, because of poor editing this attack wasn't properly demonstrated on screen. Both robots moved through to the next round nonetheless.
- "Go on, Major Tom! Show 'em what you're made of!"
- — An audience member enthusiastically supports Major Tom just before the fight against 101
Major Tom's head is dislodged by a 101 attack
Major Tom is slammed into the arena wall by 101
Major Tom was then drawn up against the number 9 seeds 101 in the second round of the Heat. In this battle, Major Tom initially chased after 101, who then turned and shoved Major Tom over a flame jet. Major Tom was able to withstand a push from the side by 101, before 101 ran up the ramp of Major Tom. 101 slid back off and then drove up Major Tom's ramp again, and along its body, pushing the bubblegum dispenser head askew. 101 then shoved Major Tom into the arena side wall from behind, crumpling the front ram of Major Tom.
- "Major Tom in trouble now, against the arena wall. There's Captain Cosmic's head wobbling, and their whole future in Robot Wars a bit of a wobble too."
- — Jonathan Pearce
Major Tom is decapitated
Major Tom then slowed to a stop, with Matilda coming in and ripping Major Tom's face half-off with its chainsaw, before Shunt decapitated it completely, an axe blow shattering the bubblegum dispense head, although little damage was done to the actual body of Major Tom.
- "Oh! There goes the head! Cleaved away - ooooh! And all around you are losing their head, can you keep yours? No, no, no, no."
- — Jonathan Pearce
Major Tom ends up in the Pit
Major Tom's body received a couple more hits from Shunt's axe, allowing the House Robot to drag and push it for a short period, and onto the Arena Floor Flipper, where it was thrown across the arena before being pitted by Matilda, eliminating it from the competition.
- "Ground control to Major Tom, goodness me, it's all gone wrong! The winner is 101!"
- — Craig Charles describing the team's loss
Extreme 1
Major Tom's only appearance was in the Tag-Team Terror competition where it fought alongside Bigger Brother, Major Tom was actually only brought into the competition at the last minute as a substitute for Plunderbird 5, which had broken down and damaged the entry gate going into the Arena for the first battle.
- "We're really looking forward to it!"
- — Henry Ryan
Major Tom is flipped by Spawn Again
In the first round, Major Tom and Bigger Brother fought Comengetorix and Spawn Again, with Major Tom starting in the CPZ salongside Spawn Again. The fight started evenly with Bigger Brother and Comengetorix having a tug-of war contest, before Bigger Brother was pushed into Major Tom by Comengetorix. Major Tom decided to come out of the CPZ at this point, just as Spawn Again drove into it, but missing a flip on it. After being chased briefly, Major Tom was side swiped and flipped over by Spawn Again's only successful flip of the fight.
- "That's Major Tom being flicked up and over! Henry Ryan and little Samantha Ryan in the team, and bang, they go over! Well that was a head-on collision, wasn't it, for Major Tom?"
- — Jonathan Pearce
Major Tom's underbelly is damaged by Comengetorix
Bigger Brother attempted to right Major Tom, who was having its underbelly axed by Comengetorix, creating a large hole near one of the wheels. Major Tom was righted by its teammate, but it didn't move afterwards. Bigger Brother reversed into Major Tom while under pressure from Spawn Again, and it was nudged by Sir Killalot before being axed by Comengetorix. As it continued to sustain blows from Comengetorix, and suffering damage to the armour behind the head, Major Tom was counted out by Refbot.
- "They were righted by Bigger Brother, but they were never quite... right, if you get what I mean."
- — Jonathan Pearce as Major Tom is counted out
Major Tom is thrown over by the Floor Flipper
After being dragged backwards by Comengetorix slightly, Dead Metal took over, shoving Major Tom into an angle grinder, before being pushed onto the Floor Flipper by the House Robot, where it was flung over and onto its head once more.
- "...and the Italian dodgem car failed to dodgem...er...just about anything really."
- — Jonathan Pearce after Major Tom was flipped by the Arena Floor Flipper
Sir Killalot attempts to fit Major Tom down the pit
Major Tom was then shoved towards the pit by Dead Metal, before being righted and pushed onto it by Sir Killalot, but Major Tom didn't fall in because it was too big to fit. Cease was called and Major Tom and Bigger Brother were eliminated from the competition.
- "Lose some weight, son!"
- — Jonathan Pearce as Sir Killalot fails to pit Major Tom
Series 5
- "I can't remember a bumper car looking like that!"
- — Jonathan Pearce
Major Tom uses its disc on Kliptonite
In the first round of the Heat, Major Tom went up against newcomers Kliptonite, another robot from the Isle of Sheppey. It evaded Kliptonite's first attack and cut into the side of its opponent with its disc, but not causing any real damage. It reversed and then bumped into the front of Kliptonite before absorbing a hit from the axe. Major Tom turned in a wide circle and attacked Kliptonite from the side again, but still couldn't cause any damage to the newcomers. After reversing away from its opponent, Major Tom was attacked head-on by Kliptonite, but Kliptonite broke down immediately afterwards with its axe downwards. Major Tom bumped into Kilptonite a couple more times before the latter was counted out by Refbot.
Major Tom is axed by Kliptonite
- "Major Tom, a couple of bashes and-a crashes and Kilptonite not strong enough to survive."
- — Jonathan Pearce
Major Tom came in for another attack on its beaten opponent, but Matilda crashed into Kliptonite, knocking it away from Major Tom. While the House Robots toyed with Kliptonite, Major Tom activated the pit, and Kliptonite was thrown across the arena by Sir Killaot. Major Tom rammed into Kliptonite one last time, before its opponent was torched over the Flame Pit and dumped into the pit by Sir Killalot. This put Major Tom through to the next round of the Heat.
- "Our 'man of steel', Major Tom, to go through!"
- — Jonathan Pearce
Major Tom is axed by Kat 3
Major Tom then took on the more experienced Kat 3 in the second round. In this battle, Major Tom charged straight at Kat 3, who dodged away from the attack. Major Tom quickly turned and rammed into Kat 3's side, before Kat 3 turned and struck Major Tom with a glacing hit from the axe. Major Tom spun on the spot and avoided a hit from Kat 3, but it then drove head-on into its opponent and took a hit to the to armour.
Major Tom splits the rear of Kat 3
- "Now more dangerous with the flywheel at the front, and I think more potent than that axe of Kat 3."
- — Jonathan Pearce
After taking another hit from the axe, Major Tom spun away, before turning and slamming into the back of Kat 3. As Kat 3 went to activated the pit, Major Tom gave chase, smashing into the back of it and causing some damage to Kat 3's rear armour. However, Major Tom then reversed onto the descending pit and went down with it, eliminating it from the competition.
Major Tom reverses into the descending pit
- "The pit release button's been pressed - oh no! Major Tom, can you hear me Major, can you hear me?! What a dreadful piece of driving!"
- — Jonathan Pearce as Major Tom reverse into the pit
Both teams were uncontrollably laughing in the post battle interview. This battle was also voted the funniest battle ever in Robot Wars for the book Robot Wars: The Ultimate Guide.
- "Ground control to Major Tom! The pit's open, and you are gone! Talk about unlucky..."
- — Craig Charles describing the loss
Series 6
- Ian Watts: "...Major Tom was our partners, in the Tag-Team, we can't fight them!"
- Philippa Forrester: "Forget about the past! Forget about the past!"
- Joe Watts: "They made us lose!"
- — Team Big Brother's pre-first round interview
Killer Carrot 2 lifts up Major Tom
In the first round of its heat in the Sixth Wars, Major Tom was forced to fight old Tag Team partners and number 2 seeds Bigger Brother, in addition to newcomers Riptilion and Killer Carrot 2. In the battle, at first, Major Tom was attacked by Killer Carrot 2. Despite four successive attacks, Killer Carrot 2 could only lift Major Tom, but could not flip it over. Bigger Brother seemingly came to its aid, flipping away Killer Carrot 2, but then went on to attack Major Tom itself, successfully flipping Major Tom into the CPZ, leaving it in Sir Killalot's hands, before Mr. Psycho came in. A severe blow from Mr. Psycho's hammer dented the rollcage. After its rollcage was ripped apart, it seemed that one of Major Tom's drives had stopped working. Major Tom was then counted out by the Refbot, as it could only drive in circles inside the CPZ. Major Tom was then left under the Drop Zone, where a shower of balls of various sizes fell. Cease was finally called, and Major Tom was eliminated from the competition, along with Riptilion, who drove into the pit earlier on in the battle.
- "Major Tom, stripped of its stripes and demoted to private..."
- — Craig Charles at the end of the fight
Extreme 2
- "Will it lose ground control?"
- — Jonathan Pearce, as Major Tom enters the arena
Major Tom exclusively participated in the Annihilator in the second series of Extreme. At first, it was up against Typhoon 2, Thermidor 2, Kan-Opener, Revenge of Trouble & Strife and Raging Reality, and went in as underdogs. In the first round, Major Tom stayed out of most of the action, it drove into Raging Reality before being eyed up by Thermidor 2 and flipped into Typhoon 2's full-body spinner. Major Tom then reversed away but was intercepted by Revenge of Trouble & Strife and suffered several blows from their full-body spinner. After this, Major Tom could only spin in circles, but Typhoon 2 was already flipped over by Raging Reality and counted out by the Refbot, so Major Tom survived for the next round of the Annihilator.
Major Tom is trapped by Dead Metal and Sir Killalot in Round 2 of the Annihilator
It turned out that Major Tom needed to be stripped down right to the innards in the pits as considerable damage had been caused in the first round but they still managed to enter round two of the Annihilator. In the second round, Major Tom tried shunting Raging Reality again, but was then flipped over by Thermidor 2. Its rollcage self-righted it, but it was hit again by Thermidor 2, causing one of the front panels to fly off due to the impact. Revenge of Trouble & Strife then spun Major Tom, forcing it into the path of Sir Killalot, who then shoved Major Tom into an unoccupied CPZ. Major Tom tried to escape, but was then pushed back into the same CPZ by house robot Dead Metal. After looking like the hot favourite to go out next, Major Tom finally escaped from the CPZ and pressed the pit release button, but then Kan-Opener managed to immobilise Raging Reality with its jaws, Raging Reality was then later counted out by Refbot, flipped by the arena floor flipper and eliminated, meaning Major Tom survived for the third round.
Before this round though, the team hesitated to whether they should just take the weapon off to make the robot quicker and more agile, however they eventually decided to keep the weapon on for the upcoming battle.
- "Bruised and battered, but the weaponry is still there. They haven't gone for the lightweight option!"
- — Major Tom's third introduction into the arena by Jonathan Pearce
Major Tom and Thermidor 2 watch Revenge of Trouble and Strife go down the pit
In the Round Three battle, Major Tom tried attacking both Thermidor 2 and Revenge of Trouble & Strife, trying to chase them down as they retreated from the arena side wall, but Major Tom was then intercepted and pushed across the arena from one side to the other by Kan-Opener. Thermidor 2 then flipped Revenge of Trouble & Strife over and Kan-Opener then pressed the pit release button for it to go down. Major Tom tried to then steer away from Thermidor 2 who still went on the attack of it. Kan-Opener then pitted Revenge of Trouble & Strife right before Major Tom lost control and drove backwards into the pit themselves. Major Tom was still through to the Fourth Round, it was also a bit of a clue for what was to come.
- "We think it will be the last farewell..."
- — The Major Tom team's prophetic response to Philippa Forrester asking them about their feelings on the Fourth Round battle.
Major Tom is counted out.
In the fourth round battle, it was pushed by Kan-Opener, before Thermidor 2 picked it up and flipped it into the arena side wall, onto its side. Major Tom's rollbars didn't work, but Kan-Opener righted it near a CPZ. Major Tom was then pushed into another arena side wall, and then one drive stopped, only one wheel was turning, but only enough to make the robot twitch. Mr. Psycho hammered its rollcage, knocking the crown of the head. Then Matilda came in and caused severe damage to its fibreglass shell, ripping it apart completely. Refbot then counted it out, before it was placed on the Drop Zone, where a cooker crushed it.
The obliterated remains of Major Tom
- "And the tune we are singing tonight is in the chord of A. Flat Major!"
- — Jonathan Pearce reviewing the replay of the Drop Zone
Matilda then hit Major Tom with her flywheel one more time, which ripped several pieces off and flipped the machine over onto its back, before pushing the carcass of the robot into a CPZ, and cease was called. Major Tom was finally eliminated from the Annihilator.
- "The words to the song are "Here I am, floating in a tin can", not "Turned into a tin can""
- — Craig Charles to the Major Tom team at the end of the fight.
After being completely destroyed, this bumper car version of Major Tom was retired to make way for Major Tom 3.
Series 7
- "Very slow at 4 miles an hour"
- — Jonathan Pearce's only criticism
Tsunami prepares to throw Major Tom 3 out
Major Tom 3 was drawn up against German runners-up Tsunami, the number 11 seeds X-Terminator and Diabolus in the first round of the Seventh Wars. Going against Major Tom created unmentioned revenge for Diabolus, not just because it was another robot from the Isle of Sheppey, but Major Tom defeated the team's previous robot, Kliptonite, in the Fifth Wars. In this battle, Major Tom's first collision with Diabolus caused an immediate effect as the head fell straight off Major Tom 3. X-Terminator toppled Major Tom 3 over with its disc, causing the front of Major Tom's wedge to crumple a bit. Major Tom 3 did not last much longer as it tried to run to safety, but its top speed of 4mph proved to be its undoing, as Tsunami then eyed up the sluggish Major Tom 3, pushed it side on towards the flame pit and flipped it straight out of the arena, eliminating it from the competition.
Major Tom 3, having been thrown out of the arena.
- "Carnage already in the warzone, and Major Tom out! Gone. Hit by the tidal wave - the Tsunami, and they went."
- — Jonathan Pearce
Major Tom 3 was then soon followed out of the arena by Diabolus, whilst Tsunami and X-Terminator advanced.
- "Major Tom: Major Disappointment!"
- — Craig Charles after the battle
Results
| MAJOR TOM - RESULTS | ||
| Series 4 | ||
| The Fourth Wars - UK Championship Heat, Round 2 | ||
| Heat E, Eliminator | vs. Disc-O-Inferno, Shadow of Napalm (25) | Qualified |
| Heat E, Semi-Final | vs. 101 (9) | Lost |
| Extreme Series 1 | ||
| Tag Team Terror with Bigger Brother, Round 1 | ||
| Round 1 | vs. Comengetorix & Spawn Again | Lost |
| Series 5 | ||
| The Fifth Wars - UK Championship Heat, Round 2 | ||
| Heat J, Eliminator | vs. Kliptonite | Won |
| Heat J, Semi-Final | vs. Kat 3 | Lost |
| Series 6 | ||
| The Sixth Wars - UK Championship Heat, Round 1 | ||
| Heat L, Round 1 | vs. Bigger Brother (2), Killer Carrot 2, Riptilion | Eliminated |
| Extreme Series 2 | ||
| Annihilator Third Place | ||
| Round 1 | vs. Kan-Opener, Raging Reality, Revenge of Trouble & Strife, Thermidor 2, Typhoon 2 |
Qualified |
| Round 2 | vs. Kan-Opener, Raging Reality, Revenge of Trouble & Strife, Thermidor 2 |
Qualified |
| Round 3 | vs. Kan-Opener, Revenge of Trouble & Strife, Thermidor 2 | Qualified |
| Round 4 | vs. Kan-Opener, Thermidor 2 | Eliminated |
| MAJOR TOM 3 - RESULTS | ||
| Series 7 | ||
| The Seventh Wars - UK Championship Heat, Round 1 | ||
| Heat F, Round 1 | vs. Diabolus, Tsunami, X-Terminator (11) | Eliminated |
Wins/Losses
- Wins: 5
- Losses: 6
Series Record
| Main Series | Major Tom Series Record |
|---|---|
| The First Wars | Did not enter |
| The Second Wars | Did not enter |
| The Third Wars | Not selected |
| The Fourth Wars | Heat, Round 2 |
| The Fifth Wars | Heat, Round 2 |
| The Sixth Wars | Heat, Round 1 |
| The Seventh Wars | Heat, Round 1 |
| Series 8 | Did not enter |
| Series 9 | Did not enter |
| Series 10 | Did not enter |
| Robot Wars Extreme | Appearances |
| Series 1 | Entered |
| Series 2 | Entered |
Trivia
- At 36 seconds, Major Tom 3's battle against Tsunami, X-Terminator and Diabolus is the shortest battle in UK Robot Wars to require two immobilisations. However, it did not make the top 30 list.
- The Major Tom team has a member called Henry, and Henry has a team member called Tom.
- Major Tom was twice in the same Heat as Killer Carrot 2, Disc-O-Inferno, and Team Demon (Diabolus and Kliptonite).
- Both times Major Tom was in the same Heat as Killer Carrot 2, it was knocked out in the first round of the competition.
- Major Tom is one of two machines to fight axe-wielding robots twice in a row in a main series heat, the other being S.M.I.D.S.Y..
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