Airfix kits used in Thunderbirds

[DavidB-AU]

Two fascinating videos about the amount of Airfix and similar kits used in making Thunderbirds models.

 

 

 

[Enterprisingwestern]

 

From that it would seem that railway modellers weren't the largest buyers of the Airfix Lineside kits!

 

Mike.

[Steamport Southport]

There was a previous thread about this a few years ago where someone had gone through loads of stills.

 

And you'll also find them in Space 1999, UFO, Doctor Who, Blakes Seven, etc.

 

 

 

Jason

[Hroth]

Also toothpaste caps and miscellaneous audio connectors!

 

[Halvarras]

Very interesting videos, I had no idea so many Airfix kits were used like that but It made perfect sense if the kits' scale met their requirements and time was always pressing. I'm a bit surprised there were enough kits left for the rest of us! I remember building that hovercraft kit. As the presenter says it gives a fairly accurate guide to the size of everything, which can only enhance one's appreciation of the intricacy and quality of the model-making. It was a long time ago now - as if we need reminding! - but I seem to recall Alan Tracy making his way to Thunderbird 3 (which we didn't see very often, as there were more than enough disasters down here to keep the team occupied) sitting sideways on a Hornby Dublo Lowmac wagon - painted silver I think. Presumably the sturdy HD wagon being RTR saved a bit more time compared to building a reliably-running Airfix kit (although they'd have had all those JCB digger bits to mess about with 😉)

 

Back in 'those times' my brother had a military-styled toy periscope moulded in a light-ish green plastic on which a lever on the side reversed the top mirror so you see backwards as well as forwards - without turning around 🥴 - we spotted this, again painted silver, glued to a wall (purpose unknown then) in one of Gerry Anderson's series, maybe Thunderbirds, maybe not. Fifty-odd years ago you didn't have the opportunity for a second look until the repeats came around......

[BernardTPM]

Amusingy this means there are small versions of Airfix kit parts in the Japanese kits.

[andyman7]

From one of the videos the reason given for using the kit parts is that when painted and incorporated, they were far more forgiving of the colour close up filming than models made of Balsa and card would be. Precision moulded plastic components with cast in rivet detail etc helped with the illusion of substance and reality.

Apparently there is a Lemon squeezer somewhere in Thunderbird 1's launch sequence which, once seen, can't be unseen 🙂 

[Enterprisingwestern]

3 hours ago, andyman7 said:

Apparently there is a Lemon squeezer somewhere in Thunderbird 1's launch sequence which, once seen, can't be unseen 🙂 

 

To get us slightly back on track!

As modelled by Bachmann.

 

Mike.

[Ben B]

I still subscribe to the theory that it isn't a proper build if there isn't at least a part from the Airfix girder bridge in there somewhere ;)  I love that sort of model-making, they were still doing it up to the dying days of in-house BBC visual effects (with the model-makers who cut their teeth on Captain Scarlet and Thunderbirds), where shows like "Red Dwarf" had models that used the same principles.  On one of the DVD's, Mike Tucker recounts that in the pre-production phase of each series, he'd lead an expedition to a model shop, and buy up loads of Japanese robot kits, tanks, and similar, to split them up for parts.  You can spot the odd bits of Airfix kits in the "Red Dwarf" sets, especially the hanger bays.

 

There's a nice bit I have in a book on the history of Century:21 (the Anderson production company) where the author, who was a model-maker at the time of Thunderbirds, recounts going to the Airfix factory with the legendary Derek Meddings to pick out parts that would be useful, and the quantities they wanted them in.  He mentions they split the kits up into boxes of parts, so all the girder sections would be in one box, steps in another, that sort of thing.  They were certainly doing it as late as the 1980's Anderson productions like "Terrahawks"; one of the starships in that series has Airfix tanker wagons incorporated into the build.

 

It's nice that it still occasionally goes on today, even in the age of CGI; some of the relatively recent "Dr Who" episodes had lightly-modified, commercially available radio-controlled Daleks incorporated into scenes. 

[locomad2]

Thunderbirds is been shown again on "Talking pictures" freeview ch 82 @3pm every Saturday.

 

Watched 1st episode live yesterday, brilliant quality colour picture really enjoyed it

[Darlington_Shed]

On a related note, the wonderful Adam Savage has talked about how there are parts of model kits "on every spaceship you've ever seen in the Star Wars universe". Well worth a watch here:

 

 

Edit: For those who don't know, Adam was a modelmaker at Industrial Light & Magic.

Edited September 3, 2023 by Darlington_Shed

[RJS1977]

10 hours ago, locomad2 said:

Thunderbirds is been shown again on "Talking pictures" freeview ch 82 @3pm every Saturday.

 

Watched 1st episode live yesterday, brilliant quality colour picture really enjoyed it

 

Yes, TPTV had to pull quite a few strings to get it! ;-)

[Edge]

15 hours ago, andyman7 said:

Apparently there is a Lemon squeezer somewhere in Thunderbird 1's launch sequence which, once seen, can't be unseen 🙂 

I’ll just leave this here to ruin people’s childhood memories :)

[Mark Saunders]

1 hour ago, Edge said:

I’ll just leave this here to ruin people’s childhood memories :)

 

There was an item on Blue Peter in the 1970's about the building of space ship models and it showed some of the detailing parts used, reused off household items. Not sure if it was Dr Who or Blakes 7.

 

[Ben B]

2 hours ago, Edge said:

I’ll just leave this here to ruin people’s childhood memories :)

 

The thing that adult me thinks, that childhood me didn't... is what did Jeff Tracey do with the presumably vast workforce who built that massive, underground base? Given he needed to keep the whole International Rescue thing pretty secret... at least Spectrum was clearly a multinational institution with a runaway defence budget :)

[Hroth]

2 hours ago, Edge said:

I’ll just leave this here to ruin people’s childhood memories :)

 

The copper central heating pipes* with the self-solder connectors** don't help either!

 

* My parents had central heating installed at about the same time as Thunderbirds, so we had runs of such piping all around***

** Can't remember what they're actually called.....

*** I remember my brother and I racing blobs of Plasticene down hot radiator pipes...

 

 

[Fat Controller]

2 hours ago, Edge said:

I’ll just leave this here to ruin people’s childhood memories :)

'Red Dwarf's' opening and end credit sequences demonstrate suggest 'repurposing' has survived into fairly recent times.' 

[Fat Controller]

13 minutes ago, Hroth said:

 

The copper central heating pipes* with the self-solder connectors** don't help either!

 

*'Yorkshire' fittings, after the Yorkshire Copper Company.

 

 

 

[RJS1977]

I think the wagon that takes Alan Tracy's sofa to Thunderbird 3 is an Airfix Loriot...

[Halvarras]

35 minutes ago, Ben B said:

 

The thing that adult me thinks, that childhood me didn't... is what did Jeff Tracey do with the presumably vast workforce who built that massive, underground base? Given he needed to keep the whole International Rescue thing pretty secret... at least Spectrum was clearly a multinational institution with a runaway defence budget :)

 

Same here!

Or did Brains possess DIY skills beyond all comprehension?!

He didn't even look that old.....🤓 

 

There were many other unanswered questions, such as how Thunderbird 2 generated enough lift from a standing start to get itself off the ramp and into the air, and stay there, with all that bulk and tiny wings (let's assume the down thrusters were permanently on) and how John seemed completely unfazed by his semi-isolation in space.

 

Mind you I used to wonder how big the pile of Fireball XL5's rocket-propelled launch trolleys was getting........and that was while watching the series 🤔!

 

Ah well, best not think about it too much and just enjoy the spectacle, as we did. Much like all of these more recent superhero movies.......

 

18 minutes ago, RJS1977 said:

I think the wagon that takes Alan Tracy's sofa to Thunderbird 3 is an Airfix Loriot...

 

Quite likely, it was a very long time ago and I only recall noticing it once!

[Enterprisingwestern]

1 hour ago, Fat Controller said:

 

 

Yorkshire fittings.

From 50 years ish ago;

Y1. Socket.

Y9/Y99. Metric/imperial adaptor.

Y12. Elbow.

Y15. Cooker backplate elbow.

Y24. Tee.

Y69. Cylinder connector.

 

I could go on, but the worrying thing is I can't remember what I had for breakfast.

 

Mike.

[Hroth]

47 minutes ago, Halvarras said:

Mind you I used to wonder how big the pile of Fireball XL5's rocket-propelled launch trolleys was getting........and that was while watching the series 🤔!

 

Retrieving the launch trollies was probably a job for a punishment detail....

 

1 hour ago, Ben B said:

The thing that adult me thinks, that childhood me didn't... is what did Jeff Tracey do with the presumably vast workforce who built that massive, underground base?

 

Reflecting on Gerry Andersons prediliction for underground facilities, he probably employed the construction team who built the caverns for Marinevilles Control Tower and the office/flat blocks.

 

"Tom-Tom warning signal"

"Anything can happen in the next half hour!!!"

 

[Steamport Southport]

4 hours ago, Edge said:

I’ll just leave this here to ruin people’s childhood memories :)

 

Ah that type of lemon squeezer. I was half expecting one of these things.....

 

[andyman7]

4 hours ago, Mark Saunders said:

 

There was an item on Blue Peter in the 1970's about the building of space ship models and it showed some of the detailing parts used, reused off household items. Not sure if it was Dr Who or Blakes 7.

 

I remember that. Rocket exhaust cones made by cutting off the top part of orange squash bottles!

[andyman7]

5 hours ago, Edge said:

I’ll just leave this here to ruin people’s childhood memories :)

Airfix Girder Bridge parts top centre. I claim my prize 🙂