Thunderbirds 2 with Mini 4

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The aircraft is primarily piloted by Scott Tracy, with Alan taking his place when he is unavailable as Thunderbirds 1 and 3 are rarely required on the same mission (such as in the episode " Atlantic Inferno", where Scott, as the eldest Tracy brother, takes charge while Jeff is on holiday). Jeff described it as "sleek, first and fast" at the beginning of Thunderbird 6. Other points of note are TRIPLE jewelled headlamps, suspension, "FAB 1" number plates and authentic pink gloss finish. Overall, the model is a big 5 11⁄ 16 in. long by 2 1⁄ 10 in. by 1 1⁄ 2 in. high and, as a matter of interest, weighs more than ½lb. which is surely proof of its substantial nature.

Thunderbird 3: a single-stage-to-orbit spacecraft. Piloted alternately by Alan and John, with Scott as co-pilot. In 1992, Tracy Island became a phenomenon in the UK, after Thunderbirds was re-run on BBC2 and generated massive interest in Thunderbird related toys. The Tracy Island playset was top of many Christmas lists but large demand resulted in a shortage that left many parents and children upset. Hearn, Marcus, ed. (September 2015). Thunderbirds – A Complete Guide to the Classic Series. Tunbridge Wells, UK: Panini UK. pp.40–46, 48–52. ISBN 978-1-84653-212-2. The series focused on the head of the organisation, ex-astronaut Jeff Tracy, and his five sons who piloted the "Thunderbird" machines. A popular show, the series is still shown today and has inspired a number of subsequent television programmes and films. Several companies, including Matchbox and Dinky Toys were licensed to produce die-cast metal and plastic toys based on the Thunderbird vehicles. They proved hugely popular and were one of the best selling merchandising lines of the decade. Original Thunderbirds toys are now expensive and highly sought after collectors' items. Piloted by aquanaut Gordon Tracy, Thunderbird 4 is 9 metres (30ft) long and 3.4 metres (11ft) wide. This makes it the smallest of the Thunderbirds vehicles, but not the smallest of the Pod Vehicles. [21]Thunderbird Shadow was designed by Shōji Kawamori, best known as the creator and mechanical designer of the Macross franchise. Yot Toys (of Taiwan) released two unlicensed versions in 1979, one blue and silver!! and another one in bright orange.

Many toys were made by Matchbox in the 1990s to coincide with a revival of the TV series, including a Tracy Island playset and also the new movie, though they were generally marketed outside the US and in Canada. The Tracy Island set was particularly popular in the UK, being the best selling toy at Christmas and was in such high demand on the year of its release that the BBC children's television show Blue Peter instructed viewers in constructing their own version from household materials. Remarkably, the free 'fact sheet' that detailed this process also became so sought-after that it too became difficult to obtain. FAB 1: a six-wheeled Rolls-Royce pink motor car used by Lady Penelope and her chauffeur, Parker. The car has an aircraft-style canopy and is fitted with many gadgets including an air-cooled machine gun located behind the Rolls-Royce grille. [36] The use of these models in Anderson's Supermarionation productions, beginning with Supercar, was a significant advance in television production. Dirt and wear were applied to add realism and counter the miniature models' toy-like appearance. [ citation needed] Thunderbird fleet [ edit ]The natural gas being sealed off Launch Sequence [ ] Main article: Thunderbird 4/Launch Sequence Appearances [ ] In the remake series Thunderbirds Are Go, Thunderbird 1 retains the same role it has in the original series. However, like all of the Thunderbirds, it can be piloted remotely via Scott's wrist console. Thunderbird 1 also possesses an electromagnetic cable that can be fired from the open cargo bay, allowing it to lift or tow objects. The electromagnet at the end of the cable can be swapped for a clip. It also carries a Skypod, a short-range flying capsule that allows Scott to get in close to a target where Thunderbird 1 's size would be a disadvantage, and several remote-operated drones that can be deployed to search multiple areas or places that cannot be reached by conventional means.