The Blue Thunder helicopter was actually played by a pair of modified Aerospatiale Gazelle light helicopters modified to look like the American AH-64 Apache attack helicopter. The Gazelle is a single-engined design, but Blue Thunder has a pair of dummy engines flanking the real engine.
There are also stub-wings carrying various weapons, and a nose-mounted mini-gun (multi-barrelled Gatling-type gun). The tail rotor is enclosed within the fin, a style seen on a number of French helicopters.
The 1985 line of Matchbox models included a model that was clearly the Blue Thunder helicopter, although it was never referred to as such. Instead it was called the Mission Chopper or Mission Helicopter.
The 1985 line of Matchbox models included a model that was clearly the Blue Thunder helicopter, although it was never referred to as such. Instead it was called the Mission Chopper or Mission Helicopter.
The model had a tail boom that telescoped inside the fuselage, so it would fit inside its packaging. There was also a folding, two-piece main rotor, which was later replaced by a much shorter, single-piece rotor. This is a two-bladed unit, although Blue Thunder, and the Gazelle, have a three-bladed rotor.
The model was never issued as the Blue Thunder movie or TV helicopter, and usually came in either Police or Army markings. I have seen it suggested that the reason the Mission Helicopter never appeared as an official movie model was that by the time it was in production, the show had already been cancelled. So it was released as a generic model, under a new name, without the need to pay licence fees to the movie or TV companies.
Only the upper portion of the fuselage is metal. The lower fuselage, including the landing skids and the side-mounted dummy engines, are plastic; as is the tail boom. The canopy is tinted clear plastic, which helps to hide the lack of a cockpit interior.
The US company Monogram did release a 1/32nd scale kit of the Blue Thunder helicopter in 1984, which was moulded in metallic blue plastic. This has the correct three-bladed main rotor. The Scalemates site lists this kit, and you can download the original kit instruction sheet.
Here are a couple of photos of the Matchbox Mission Helicopter; a cheap knock-off by Jin De Le, which lacks the dummy engines on each side of the real engine; and the Monogram box top from Worthpoint.
Paul Adams from New Zealand
The model was never issued as the Blue Thunder movie or TV helicopter, and usually came in either Police or Army markings. I have seen it suggested that the reason the Mission Helicopter never appeared as an official movie model was that by the time it was in production, the show had already been cancelled. So it was released as a generic model, under a new name, without the need to pay licence fees to the movie or TV companies.
Only the upper portion of the fuselage is metal. The lower fuselage, including the landing skids and the side-mounted dummy engines, are plastic; as is the tail boom. The canopy is tinted clear plastic, which helps to hide the lack of a cockpit interior.
The US company Monogram did release a 1/32nd scale kit of the Blue Thunder helicopter in 1984, which was moulded in metallic blue plastic. This has the correct three-bladed main rotor. The Scalemates site lists this kit, and you can download the original kit instruction sheet.
Blue Thunder, Monogram 6036 (1984) (scalemates.com)
There have also been a number of other, cheaper die-cast knock-offs based on the Matchbox model. As well as several plastic toys, in various sizes, based on Blue Thunder.
Here are a couple of photos of the Matchbox Mission Helicopter; a cheap knock-off by Jin De Le, which lacks the dummy engines on each side of the real engine; and the Monogram box top from Worthpoint.
Paul Adams from New Zealand
I like the Matchbox version. Never knew the toy existed. The movie was quite good and rather dark, the TV series was a bit rubbish IMHO. Always prefered Airwolf, though season 4 of that show never existed and most of season 3 could quite easily disappear too.:)
ReplyDeleteGreat post Paul. Thanks for sharing. I always think of another aircraft called Firefox when I think of Blue Thunder and Airwolf. It may have been a jet.
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