Author Topic: Thunderbirds (Read 13159 times)

Star One · « **on:** 06/22/2015 06:46 am »

I see they've brought back this old show. I used to watch the original when I was younger. Thought it would be appropriate to this section as it always featured a lot of space related technology especially with Thunderbirds 3 & 5. Wonder if it did anything to inspire anyone into a career in space related industry?

tea monster · « **Reply #1 on:** 06/22/2015 06:57 am »

3 was one of my favourite spacecraft for ages (till Star Wars)

Zed_Noir · « **Reply #2 on:** 06/22/2015 08:16 pm »

@Star One

You do realize that Thunderbird 1 is basically a A-4b (modified winged V2) rocket knockoff.

One winders if Masten got his Xeus vehicle concept from Thunderbird 1.

Barrie · « **Reply #3 on:** 06/22/2015 08:19 pm »

iirc Steve Bennet of Starchaser gives Thunderbirds as his main inspiration for getting involved in rockets.

ThereIWas3 · « **Reply #4 on:** 06/22/2015 09:22 pm »

A few years ago we went to an airshow where the AF Thunderbirds were performing. During the take-off roll the music playing over the PA system was the Thunderbirds TV show theme song.

I always thought Virgil and Penelope were a cute couple. (See in particular the episode "The Perils of Penelope", the one with the monorail through the Swiss Alps.)

"Hey Tin-tin, you with the engineering degree, go make us some coffee."

The entire series is available on DVD. Worth it. The live action movie released in 2004 is not.

Star One · « **Reply #5 on:** 06/22/2015 11:31 pm »

Quote from: Zed_Noir on 06/22/2015 08:16 pm

@Star One

You do realize that Thunderbird 1 is basically a A-4b (modified winged V2) rocket knockoff.

One winders if Masten got his Xeus vehicle concept from Thunderbird 1.

In the new series it's supposedly a hypersonic air vehicle.

sanman · « **Reply #6 on:** 07/05/2015 12:39 am »

Here's the new intro

Star One · « **Reply #7 on:** 07/06/2015 05:22 pm »

Is this being shown in the U.S.?

Star One · « **Reply #8 on:** 10/29/2016 10:32 pm »

In season two they've just had a mission out to Europa using Thunderbird 3 & 4. Thunderbird 3 was shown using its conventional engines to take off from Earth and once into orbit they used an ion fusion engine for interplanetary travel. Interestingly rather than being shown getting there immediately they presented it as taking a number of weeks to reach Europa, though how many wasn't said. So I give them points for that and for mentioning that Europa gets tidally flexed by Jupiter whilst in orbit.

Apparently Europa is home to strange glowing sea creatures and you can use the geysers to escape from the ocean.

p51 · « **Reply #9 on:** 11/16/2016 09:37 pm »

Meh. $:-\$
Part of the appeal of the show was the model work. It's unimpressive with CGI...

Bob Shaw · « **Reply #10 on:** 11/16/2016 10:13 pm »

There are *new* old Thunderbirds episodes - back in the 1960s three 'Mini LP' records were issued by Century 21 (Gerry Anderson's tie-in company) which used the original voice actors. A bunch of old-time puppet people and latter-day enthusiasts got together and recreated the old Anderson style, using the records for the voices. They used entirely proper old-school technology throughout (apart from the toxic crash and burn scenes, where modern incendiaries were used instead of the poisonous stuff used in the 1960s).

The result: three *new* Thunderbirds episodes!

Funding was via Kickstarter, but there has been some discussion of a commercial release soon.

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1558089494/thunderbirds-1965-new-episodes-from-1960s-recordin

Star One · « **Reply #11 on:** 11/17/2016 06:38 am »

Quote from: p51 on 11/16/2016 09:37 pm

Meh. $:-\$
Part of the appeal of the show was the model work. It's unimpressive with CGI...

They still use models the CGI is only an addition to this.

Quote

The series is produced using a combination of scale model miniature effects and CGI created by Weta Workshop. In comparison to original series, the reboot features updated character, vehicle, and set designs while retaining their original features and plot purposes.[1]

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thunderbirds_Are_Go_(TV_series)

catdlr · « **Reply #12 on:** 03/30/2025 06:14 pm »

BRINGING BACK THUNDERBIRDS: Making the Anniversary Episodes (Practical Special Effects & Puppets)

Quote

Mar 28, 2025 #thunderbirds #filmedinsupermarionation #century21films
Thunderbirds: The Anniversary Episodes – Coming soon to home media. How can special effects and puppetry secrets last employed in the 1960s be revived for use in the 21st century? That was the challenge posed to the team of filmmakers behind 'Thunderbirds: The Anniversary Episodes'! In this behind the scenes documentary, the crew reveal the tips of the trade that needed to be employed in order to create three brand new episodes of Thunderbirds for the series 50th anniversary – this making of covers "Introducing Thunderbirds", "The Abominable Snowman" and "The Stately Homes Robberies" with contributions from original series director David Elliott, Lady Penelope sculptor and puppeteer Mary Turner, actor and fan Sanjeev Bhaskar, producer Stephen La Rivière and many more.

To celebrate the 50th anniversary of Gerry and Sylvia Anderson's (Fireball XL5, Stingray, UFO, Captain Scarlet, Joe 90, Space:1999) classic series, the team from Century 21 Films produced three brand new episodes which were based upon three original 1960s voice recordings and produced in association with copyright holders ITV. Their task was to build sets, puppets, and models matching the originals and to marry them with those adapted voice recordings. The final effect should make the audience feel that they're watching three long-lost episodes. The series premiered at the BFI in August 2016, and has enjoyed subsequent screenings at Vue Cinemas and on streaming platforms and home media around the world.

The Thunderbirds Anniversary Episodes are now available on ITV X in the UK and Star Channel in Japan!