About this season
Jimbo and the Jet Set is a British animated cartoon series broadcast in the 1980s, featuring the adventures of the eponymous Jimbo, a talking aeroplane. Created by Maddocks Cartoon Productions, it originally ran for 25 episodes between 1985 and 1986. The premise of the cartoon is that Jimbo was originally intended to be a Jumbo Jet, but his designer could not tell the difference between inches and centimetres, resulting in his diminutive size. If Jimbo's designer switched the imperial measurements of the Boeing 747 for metric, the result would have been an aircraft with a fuselage length of 91 ft; this would make Jimbo roughly the length of an early-series Boeing 737. The television series features various talking airport-type ground vehicles: Tommy Tow-Truck, Claude Catering, Amanda Baggage, Phil the Fuel Truck, Sammy Steps and Harry Helicopter. Other plane characters appear from time to time, such as Old Timer, a Vickers Wellington bomber who gets into the story while flying to or from an airshow. The story is based at a fictional "London Airport", under the command of an irate controller who frequently ends episodes screaming "I want words with you, Jimbo!".
Episodes (25)
1. The Little Big Problem
Aired 6 January 1986 • 5 min
The origin of how Jimbo came to be starts out at the Aircraft Factory, where the technicians use centimetres instead of inches, resulting in "half a Jumbo"!
2. Trouble at Sea
Aired 7 January 1986 • 5 min
One day whilst crossing the Atlantic, Jimbo sees a ship in distress and frantically does all he can to gather help to save it.
3. First Time Flyers
Aired 8 January 1986 • 5 min
Jimbo is to take a class of children on their first ever flight. Despite the Chief's warnings to behave, Jimbo gives the kids a ride they'll never forget - much to their poor teacher's displeasure!
4. The U.F.O.
Aired 13 January 1986 • 5 min
One stormy night, Jimbo claims to have seen a flying saucer hovering above London Airport. The Chief thinks he is playing another joke until he experiences a Close Encounter...
5. April Fool's Day
Aired 14 January 1986 • 5 min
Today is the Chief's birthday which, ironically, is on April Fools Day. He has a bit of fun with Jimbo whilst testing out fire safety with Captain Squirt of the Fire Department, but Jimbo gets the last laugh.
6. The Old Timer
Aired 15 January 1986 • 5 min
One misty day, Jimbo comes across a Wellington bomber plane (the Old Timer) who has lost his way in the fog. Jimbo offers to guide him home but weather (rain, snow, fog) constantly causes the pair to be diverted to one airfield after another.
7. The Royal Visitors
Aired 20 January 1986 • 5 min
The Chief flies everyone in a blind panic when he hears word that royal visitors are due to arrive at the airfield. Unfortunately for him, the visitors (who turn out be 'DOGS!') aren't as royal as he was expecting...
8. Jet Lag
Aired 21 January 1986 • 5 min
Poor Jimbo suffers jet lag after an uncomfortable flight. The Flying Doctor has to get Jimbo to gain his confidence in order to fly again; but when all his methods fail, Tommy Towtruck suggests a bold solution...
9. Every Silver Lining Has a Cloud
Aired 22 January 1986 • 5 min
Jimbo is low on fuel and wants to get home but finds himself in a "queue" with other planes waiting to land. With help from a large cloud, Jimbo pretends to be Concorde in order to slip in quietly, which causes great confusion at London Airport...
10. Holiday Weather
Aired 27 January 1986 • 5 min
Fed up with the cold and wet in Britain, Jimbo flies to Hawaii for his holiday for some fun in the sun. All is well until a volcano really heats things up!
11. Winter Wonderland
Aired 28 January 1986 • 5 min
Jimbo is sent to take champion skiers to Switzerland for an important championship and even shows off a few of his own winter sports!
12. Jimbo Down-Under
Aired 29 January 1986 • 5 min
Jimbo, tired and weary after a long flight, accidentally lands in the middle of the Australian outback. However, he is rescued by a fellow Australian and a herd of kangaroos.
13. Jimbo and the Astronaut
Aired 3 February 1986 • 5 min
Flying a little too high, Jimbo finds himself out in far space where he helps a stranded astronaut back to Earth.
14. Jungle Jimbo
Aired 4 February 1986 • 5 min
The African airfields begin using computer technology to keep their airport running. Jimbo realises how useful computers and elephants are when he helps to put out a forest fire.
15. Jimbo and the Whale
Aired 5 February 1986 • 5 min
Jimbo's engines are acting up as he flies over the North Pole, causing him to become stranded. But he gets airborne again with help from a whale.
16. Bermuda Triangle
Aired 10 February 1986 • 5 min
Jimbo is to escort the Old Timer to a wartime convention in Miami, Florida, USA. but ends up becoming trapped in the mysterious Bermuda Triangle.
17. The Chief Gets a Rocket
Aired 11 February 1986 • 5 min
Jimbo is sent on a Top Secret mission to help with the launching of a rocket. The Chief, Control Tower and all, are also sent to launch it, but they end up launching the Control Tower by mistake!
18. The Controller's Apprentice
Aired 12 February 1986 • 5 min
The Chief brings along his nephew to teach him how to be a proper airfield chief, much to Jimbo's dismay. but the apprentice's cockiness becomes his downfall...
19. Chinese Pandamonium
Aired 17 February 1986 • 5 min
Jimbo is sent, along with an animal trainer, to try and capture a rare panda from China. Much to his embarrassment he is disguised as a panda as camouflage, but the Chief ends up laughing on the other side of his face when Jimbo returns with a live Chinese dragon...
20. The Penn and Inca Story
Aired 18 February 1986 • 5 min
Jimbo sets off with a tropical explorer to find an ancient ink well that writes with pure gold. However, the result isn't entirely successful...
21. Quiet Please
Aired 24 February 1986 • 5 min
A little old lady who lives near the runways is complaining about the noise, which means that Jimbo's engines are constantly muffled. However, the Chief realises his mistake when he does some investigating: the noise nuisance came from a radio-controlled model plane.
22. Jinglebells Jimbo
Aired 23 December 1986 • 5 min
When Father Christmas's sleigh is stolen, Jimbo is sent to help deliver presents all over the world in time for Christmas.
23. The Great Air Race
Aired 17 January 1987 • 5 min
A round-the-world air race is set and Jimbo wishes he could take part. He gets his chance when he has to hurry the race judge to the finishing line when he arrives at the start by mistake! Low on fuel, Jimbo relies on rocket power to get to the finish in time.
24. The Little Red Devil
Aired 23 January 1987 • 5 min
A special display of Red Devil Planes are prepared for a retiring Admiral, but when one of them is unavailable, Tommy Towtruck tries to masquerade Jimbo to look like one of them. However, the paint is not entirely waterproof when a storm breaks...
25. The Computer Clanger
Aired 6 February 1987 • 5 min
The Airfield Administration decide to build another "Jimbo" for their fleet. To avert another mishap, the Aircraft Factory decide to build the new plane using computers - only this time, they mistake centimetres for yards!