These old 60's Japanese adverts are so cool. How I wish I would have got some of those Imai Thunderbirds models as a kid at Christmas. Still, I've never been very good at modelling so I suppose my JR21 toys were OK too!
Did you get any Bandai Thunderbirds models as a kid?
Got any since?
Got a couple in the 80s, but didn't really want the motors, as I thought they spoilt the look of the kits.
ReplyDeleteAs a kid I'd probably have preferred them as toys.
Wonderful pre-truth in Advertising stuff!
ReplyDeleteI miss all that extra stop-motion goodness.
All of my Bandai kits were as an "adult"!
Thank you for a great collection of classic TV ads. I love Thunderbirds. My only Thunderbirds kit is the Tracy Island (did I send you photos of it ?) bought a few years ago. Plus a few die-casts, but I had nothing Gerry Anderson at the time.
ReplyDeleteThe three Imai Thunderbirds kits which were imported into the US by Associated Hobby Manufactuers of Philadelphia (1,2 and 5) circa 1967 were the original motorized toy versions, sold here without the motors, so very toy-like, but I bought and built them all, at least twice. Might have built TB2 three times, in fact. I didn't mind the toy-like quality of the kits then, and I still don't. The ultra-realistic new generation Thunderbirds kits leave me cold, in fact. And folks on modeling forums have to show off that they build a Thunderbird 2 (let's say) with complete interior, custom-made parts, lighting, and all that jazz. Even worse are those folks with deep pockets that custom 3D print a three foot tall Thunderbird 3! That must cost a thousand bucks! To each his own I guess. I still enjoy building a nice old kit right out of the box, no fancy extras, as if I were still a dreamy teenager. That's the fun of modeling to me...
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