I recently came across a similar Aoshima kit from Japan that I bought a few years ago. It has been sitting in a box for several years.
This is the Thunderbirds Tracy Island set, which includes the five main Thunderbirds craft. There are a number of working features. Some are battery operated, others use springs. I am just not sure I could actually get everything to work.
The kit is moulded in several colours. Sand for the island itself; along with red (Thunderbird 3), green (Thunderbird 2), brown (tree trunks), and white (Thunderbird 1, Thunderbird 4, Thunderbird 5, and various buildings). Blue and clear plastic are used for the various internal fittings and controls. The palm tree tops are moulded in a soft green plastic, and there is also a bag of green lichen for additional ground cover. There are two motors, and a bag containing several smaller bags of wires, gears, and other complicated looking bits, in both metal and plastic. There is also a small decal sheet.
Despite coming in a large box (16 1/2 by 12 1/2 inches, and 4 inches deep) the set is obviously made to a very small scale. Tracy Island itself measures 15 1/2 inches by 11 1/2 inches. This was my most expensive kit ever - the price sticker says $124.00 NZ.
The shop only got in a few assorted Thunderbirds kits, just a fraction of the range. This was the only one that I got, as they were all expensive. According to my copy of The Gerry Anderson Memorabilia Guide, by Dennis W. Nicholson, this set was originally made by Imai, another Japanese company. There are several copyright dates on the box, the most recent being 2013.
I found a very short You Tube video showing this set in action. The vehicle launching systems seem rather violent, and I am not sure how long the models would survive.
Do you have this kit?
Paul Adams from New Zealand
Hey Paul - I would just build it without the motorised elements. Imai kits are great, especially the very toy-like ones like this. Paul had a Thunderbird 7 with the same battery pack as this and it overheated and melted the plastic. I bought the large Mole kit a few years ago, advertised as motorised, but it doesnt come with any motor! Bill
ReplyDeleteThank you for the warning about the battery pack. I have not made a start on this model yet, as it would be both large and delicate. I do not have a great track record when it comes to working parts.
ReplyDeletewell having seen the video, its an accident waiting to happen! Id keep it static and if it was me, id leave it unpainted too. As its more toy than model. Bill
DeleteYep, this kit is a treasure, and I would build it as a static display model, not motorized. Paint it with shiny colors, like the great children’s toy it was meant to be! A classic from the Imai Kagaku “Space Science Series!” SF_Ziggurat
ReplyDeleteI think I found one of these kits at a car boot sale in the early 1990's. It had a different box and it was quite crushed. As usual I sold it so its nice to see one again. Best of luck Paul when you do decide to liase with Geoff Tracy's paint department!
ReplyDeleteI finished one and it somewhat works. 2 gearboxes, assorted gears, cams but no motors. I was lucky to have 2 motors. The instructions are terrible at best. The battery pack almost caused a meltdown because I missed bending a tab down. Lots of painting and it looks good, but terrible toy-like working features. It’s done and I should have avoided the working features. I wouldn’t do it again though.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Anonymous, for the comments. It looks as though this kit is best built without the working features. I got it because I love Thunderbirds, and all things Gerry Anderson.
ReplyDelete