The Laser Rifle Prop

Surgical Laser

The Although somewhat "psychedelic" in appearance, the laser rife seen in Fantastic Voyage is actually quite practical in concept.  It features a manual focusing capability, shoulder rest for what would likely be a heavy piece of equipment and a separate power pack.  Such a tool would require allot of power to operate so the separate power unit is quite reasonable.  So too are the interchangeable lens units which can be fitted to the front, presumably to control the width of the beam and therefore its intensity.  We do have to ask ourselves why CMDF HQ had such a piece of equipment on hand but perhaps it was intended as a means of dissecting specimens which had been enlarged, as mentioned in Isaac Asimov's novelization of the movie.  Later this same prop would appear in an early "Lost in Space" episode entitled "The Sky Pirate".
 

Please contact me if you have comments about these images or corrections to the information presented here via E-Mail.