DEAGOSTINI MONOBRAKE

DeAgostini’s (Model Space) version of the Monobrake , International Rescue’s search and recovery vehicle.

The Monobrake is used in the episode, The Perils of Penelope to enter the Anderbad   Monorail Tunnel and search for the missing Lady Penelope and friend of International Rescue, Sir Jeremy Hodge.

The Monobrake is a low slung vehicle which allows Monorail trains to pass above it. It carries a telescopic arm which can extend and attach to the overhead monorail.  It is powered by a rear jet engine if suspended or a gas turbine on the ground.

The vehicle does make a couple of cameo appearances in the episodes, Cry Wolf and Security Hazard.

As usual I’ve given the  model a little light weathering  and as it’s an open cockpit I’ve done a tiny figure of Virgil at the controls (There’s not really enough room for Gordon as well)

DEAGOSTINI TRANSMITTER TRUCK

The Transmitter Truck by DeAgostini, based on the Thunderbird Pod vehicle seen in the episode, Sun Probe.

Like the Firefly seen on my previous DeAgostini post I’ve given the Transmitter Truck a little light dirtying down to take away its toy-like showroom look.  

In the episode it’s pretty much obscured by snow, but for obvious reasons I decided against giving it that look.

In the episode the truck uses its antenna dish to transmit a powerful radio beam from the high snowy peak of Mount Arkan, to fire the Sun Probe’s retro rockets which have jammed due to its close proximity of the Sun.  In a two pronged rescue mission Thunderbird 3 manages to get close enough with its own transmitter to save the Sun Probe. However,  because of the intense heat, the crew of Scott, Alan and Tin-Tin pass out before they can save themselves leaving the beam of the Earthbound Transmitter Truck to turn off TB 3’s transmitter and remotely fire the retro – rockets, and save the day.

According to a photo article the 1966 Thunderbirds TV21 Extra, the Transmitter Truck is called ‘The Jodrell 6, and a recent addition to the fleet.  Designed to aid space rescue, the Jodrell 6’s beam is directed to any distressed ship, and immediately takes over full control of the craft. Ground control  can then bring the stricken ship in to a safe landing.’

DEAGOSTINI FIREFLY

The Firefly, another one of the DeAgostini pod vehicles which comes with the 1/144 Thunderbird 2 build.

I have put a little light weathering on the model as it did look a bit too clean for the photos.

In the TV series it is used for fire fighting and debris clearing.

The protective shield at the front is made from Cahelium  Extract X ( according to the 1967 Thunderbirds Annual),  and has a view screen and a hole to allow an extendable heavy duty gun to fire nitro-glycerine shells used to snuff out fires.

The rear of the Firefly carries a gantry which raises and directs a high pressure jet of water. There is also a foam dispenser. 

The Firefly appears in the episodes, City of Fire, where it’s housed in Pod 3 along with the Mole. It briefly appears in Terror in New York City, this time using Pod 6. It also has a cameo appearance in Cry Wolf in the vehicle hangar on Tracy Island.

DEAGOSTINI HIGH SPEED ELEVATOR CARS

There can’t be many Thunderbirds fans that don’t get a nostalgic buzz when they see the high speed Elevator Cars from the premier episode, ‘Trapped in the Sky’.

I’m currently up to cars, one, two and three in my DeAgostini Thunderbird 2 build, with number four due to arrive with pack 10 in a few months’ time.

Like the Recovery Vehicles I talked about last time, my Elevator Cars will be getting some weathering at some point, but for now its plain old showroom condition.

I can still remember watching that first episode of Thunderbirds way back in 1965, and really liking the cool and intriguing design of the cars as they emerged from Pod 3.

The Master Elevator Car is driven by Virgil, while the others are radio controlled. As most of you will know, during the episode Car 3 develops a radio fault while the Fireflash airliner, with a bomb on board is on its first runway approach.  The car spins out of control and smashes into some nearby aircraft. Remarkably, the ever resourceful   Thunder-boys have a stand-by Elevator Car also the pod, although quite how four of these rather large vehicles fit inside always amazes me.

Virgil has a lucky escape when his Master Elevator Car applies maximum braking, bursts a tyre, and spins out of control, leaving the nose of Fireflash to drop precariously and scrape along the runway.

DeAGOSTINI THUNDERBIRD 1 & 'PIT OF PERIL' RECOVERY VEHICLES

As some of you know it’s been a while since I’ve blogged for various reasons but now I think it’s time to get back in the saddle and begin with a few photos in suitable surroundings of course, of the DeAgostini  1/144 scale Thunderbird 1 kit along with the Recovery Vehicles as seen in the episode, ‘Pit of Peril’.

As I’ve said in previous posts , the Thunderbird 1 kit was originally produced by Aoshima, and has been repackaged by DeAgostini in Japan to compliment it’s  1/144 Thunderbird 2 model, and comes complete with an accompanying glossy magazine , and additional pre-coloured nose cone and atomic pile covers for those modellers who prefer not to paint the model.

The kit comes with landing legs that can either be the earlier wheeled version with struts facing sometimes inwards and sometimes outwards or the later ski version with struts facing outwards.

 I decided on the wheeled version on this particular model as most of the ones I’ve seen built are the ski version, plus the wheeled version was the one seen in ‘Pit of Peril’, the second episode in production and broadcast order. (I did purchase a second kit from Japan at the same time which I will use to make a ski version)

The kit is a fairly easy build. The fuselage, wings and engines are a toned-down silver, while the atomic pile drum, wing tips, and rear stabiliser wings are a Tamiya TS-23 light blue. The engine’s exhausts and ram jet intakes are painted black. A final black wash all over highlights the detail and helps to give a light weathering.

The perfect companion to the Thunderbird 2 build.

Now we turn to the two DeAgostini versions of the Recovery Vehicles, those powerful tractors that fire magnetic grapples that are used to haul the stricken Sidewinder out of the Pit of Peril. 

Recovery Vehicle 1 is manned by the multi-tasking Virgil Tracy, while Recovery Vehicle 2 is remote controlled.

In the episode the 500 ton Army Sidewinder , a revolutionary jungle walking machine is trapped on its side 300 feet down in an open cast mine crater that’s filled with surplus military equipment that was dumped following WW2. A weak crust of top soil has formed over the top, and Brains’ decides that a section must be removed to enable the Recovery Vehicles to pull the Sidewinder out.

At the moment my DeAgostini vehicles are all in showroom condition, however, they will get some weathering at some point to give a more authentic look.

As to my Thunderbird 2 build itself it’s coming along nicely. I’m up to pack 7 with 5 to go, and the possibility of additional extras following those. The main model is becoming quite complicated inside now, with assorted gears and wiring. One of the Pods is more or less complete now and here we see the two Recovery Vehicles stored inside, although quite where The Mole which also makes its first appearance in the Pit of Peril episode fits in there as well is still a bit of a mystery to me.  

Fun pedantic fact; While the photo shows the inside of the DeAgostini Pod 3, it was actually Pod 5 in the episode.