A beautiful toy. I love the design of the original Thunderbird 5, and I don’t care who knows it! I would have loved to run across the JR21 version, but I’m happy with my Imai Kagaku plastic model, thank you! SFZ
I like TB5 too SF. I understand its the least liked of all the TB craft. The origin of the JR21 toy is still a mystery among collectors, the accepted wisdom being that its parts of existing toys bashed together, although exactly which isnt known. I had some luck years back ID'ing the main body of the white KO version by SOMA. Turns out it was an ice crusher I seem to recall!
Truth is, the TB5 JR21 toy is a knockoff itself, as its cobbled together from some earlier flying saucer toy, with the TB3 docking gantry glued onto the side.
A close inspection of the package actually says Radio Controlled. But brief glance at that hand controller made me suspect it wass Sonic Controlled, rather than the more expensive radio style.
You squeeze the trigger and a clicker inside makes a loud click. The circuitry of the toy then detects it. Click for On, then click again for Off. I had a Japanese R2-D2 that worked on this priciple and the clicker unit even had a dummy radio aerial to make it look like it's more complicated cousins!
A beautiful toy. I love the design of the original Thunderbird 5, and I don’t care who knows it! I would have loved to run across the JR21 version, but I’m happy with my Imai Kagaku plastic model, thank you! SFZ
ReplyDeleteI like TB5 too SF. I understand its the least liked of all the TB craft. The origin of the JR21 toy is still a mystery among collectors, the accepted wisdom being that its parts of existing toys bashed together, although exactly which isnt known. I had some luck years back ID'ing the main body of the white KO version by SOMA. Turns out it was an ice crusher I seem to recall!
DeleteTruth is, the TB5 JR21 toy is a knockoff itself, as its cobbled together from some earlier flying saucer toy, with the TB3 docking gantry glued onto the side.
ReplyDeleteI wonder what that earlier toy was Mish?
DeleteA close inspection of the package actually says Radio Controlled. But brief glance at that hand controller made me suspect it wass Sonic Controlled, rather than the more expensive radio style.
ReplyDeleteYou squeeze the trigger and a clicker inside makes a loud click. The circuitry of the toy then detects it.
Click for On, then click again for Off.
I had a Japanese R2-D2 that worked on this priciple and the clicker unit even had a dummy radio aerial to make it look like it's more complicated cousins!
Well spotted Looey! It does look like a clicker. I sold a Formula One car with a similar clicker years ago.
DeleteClap on clap off. American people will know what I am talking about.
ReplyDeleteYou are right. The remote seems to be pretty basic.
ReplyDeleteYou are right. The remote seems to be pretty basic.
ReplyDelete