I was browsing this morning drinking coffee and stroking Blue the Moonbase Mutt when I came across this toy online. Its described as a 1918 Thunderbird plane. Plastic, friction drive and in a nice window box. Maybe by TM.
As soon as I saw I thought of the yellow biplane in Thunderbird 6 the movie. In fact the biplane is Thunderbird 6 if I remember rightly.
Bandai made a toy version of it, which also came in a window box.
Wanting to test my theory that these two toys are similar I went to look for a decent big picture of the Bandai vintage toy boxed.
I know it came in a similar window box and was part of their Space Age series, but it may also have been badged up as Thunderbirds in another box, although I'm unsure.
You can see a small picture of the yellow stripy biplane on the rear of the Bandai Space Age box for the Excavator [courtesy of vintagespacetoys]
Can I find a big image of this old Bandai toy Thunderbird 6? No!
Can anyone help?
The actual 'plane looks like a Tiger Moth, if that helps?
ReplyDeleteH
Thanks for that Hugh. I'll look it up.
ReplyDeleteIt seems there is one in the Nicholson bible (great source btw, both of them :-)
ReplyDeletehttps://projectswordtoys.blogspot.com/2010/09/thunderbird-six-mysterious-toy-dossier.html?m=1
Ah, I thought it was on the blog somewhere. Thanks Arto. I wonder of there is a colour picture anywhere? I'll check my Japanese toys books.
DeleteThe Tiger Moth used in the rescue of International Rescue personnel from the crashing Skyship One is only named Thunderbird 6 at the end of the movie, after the mission. Pod 6 was used to carry a number of different vehicles in different episodes, but not the Tiger Moth. The tail, and centre-section fuel tank of the toy are pure Tiger Moth, but the nose shape is totally wrong. It is hard to see in the photo, but the toy is a two-seater.
ReplyDeleteThanks Paul. I am trying to find a better picture of the Bandai toy.
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