I Was going through some old print photographs, and found an actual snapshot of my IMAI Thunderbird 1 model taken in 1968!
Unpainted, in all its original out-of-box glory!
I had forgotten that in addition to the big wheels on the bottom (the side away from the camera), there were spring-loaded swing wings, and the red nosecone also launched with spring action!
Second photo is of the AHM/IMAI box top, which I managed to save all these years.
Rob C
CT
USA
Wow - a vintage print from '68, as well as a vintage model! Cool! Bill
ReplyDeleteWasn't aware of this, or any, Japanese Thunderbirds kits at the time ('68).
ReplyDeleteFabulous box art though.
These Thunderbirds kits appeared in the US in ‘68, along with the Imai SF Ziggurat, a groovy fictional tank. In ‘69 and ‘70, the Paramount imports of the Japanese SF vehicles came to the US, and then it was all over for me, brother! SFZ
DeleteA piece of history. I never had any Thunderbird kits, although I do remember seeing the Lincoln kits in the shops. My Mother would not get them - they needed to be put together. Yes, I knew that, they were kits.
ReplyDeleteOh my gosh, you were probably so angry at not being able to get those Lincoln Intl kits! That’s the whole point of a kit! Educational too, mom! SFZ
DeleteI had the Lincoln TB3 kit. They were nicely engineered and the parts were made of soft polythene instead of brittle styrene.
DeleteThat's really neat - vintage photos of a vintage toy - awesome!
ReplyDeleteLovely stuff Rob! A time machine!
ReplyDelete