LOOEY'S HOME-MADE THUNDERBIRDS AND STAR TREK GUM WRAPPERS .... and MORE!

Hi Woodsy! I was VERY impressed with Norman's ephemera collection. My Captain Scarlet choccy wrappers must be lurking around there too!

I was amused at the scrap booking with Sellotape holding the cherished items on place.

I have just finished my first ever Portrait of my friend Nick Stathopoulos, for the Blue Mountains Portrait Prize this year.

Nick is a Fine Artist, but I've known him since he was just a drooling fanboy and this work celebrates that history.

Here, he is surrounded by his closest friends and all the influences of his childhood ( mostly disaster movies!).

The display box is a mash-up of 1950's Bolland style amusement machines and 1970s style Greek action movie posters!

Of particular interest (maybe to Norman), are some decorations on the sides of the display box. Greek style Thunderbirds and Star Trek gum wrappers, glued down with yellowed Sellotape as if from 50 years ago!

Too bad none of them are real!

Keep on Bloggin' 

 Looey

Oz Base

BILL EV's FAB1's and CENTURY 21 THUNDERBIRDS TOYS

Here are a number of my Century 21 vehicles and real ones in rough scale, as per Chris Thompson's fabulous comparative scale illustration.

Here are some super close-up shots of the Konami FAB1 together with the IMAI kit version. The coin is a UK 5p piece.

Late Night Lunar

FAB1 and FAB2! BRITISH PATHE THUNDERBIRDS 1965

 I mean, Wow! FAB1 and FAB2 the boat! The original workshop of dreams!

https://www.britishpathe.com/asset/109502/

A FAB1 GOOGLEWACK

Years ago a single hit on Google was called a Googlewack. The name stuck with me and now and then I find one.

Here's another; contained within this superb Fab1 article on the ever-informative Dinky Toys TV and Space site is mention of a rare FAB1 custom model car made in 1982. 

https://dinkytvspace.com/100-lady-penelopes-fab-1/

Its about two thirds down in the rarities and oddities section talking about two gold hand-made FAB1's. One is shown and another non-gold normal model is also shown on the company box. It looks amazing and a bit like a JR21 toy FAB1 but more detailed.

Anyways I wont say the name of the company, S, or the model maker, DM* and FAB1 in the same sentence as that would explode the Googlewack!

* I have read separately that DM was previously the Marketing Director at Dinky Meccano before setting up his own model company, S.

FAB1 ON BLUE PETER

 I stumbled across this whilst looking for something for the sidebar but its just too cool so here it is on the blog proper.

FAB1 in the Blue Peter studios back in summer 1968.

Its HUGE! They're all in it! Noaksy, Peter and Valerie! Maybe Shep as well!

What do you think? Do you remember this on TV?

THE MURKY BITS OF LADY PENELOPE'S FAB FLEET

We all know what FAB1 is. We grew up with the pink Rolls.

But Lady Penelope's other FABS are less well-known, certainly to me.

FAB2

Liking a good boat, I've blogged about FAB2 before, Lady Penelope's luxury yacht. Check the post labels for it.

There was another FAB2, which is news to me; the modern movie version, a movie I've not seen but I recall was disliked by Thunderbirds fans.

Here's its FAB2, a large pink whatchmacallit! Have you seen it before?

 FAB3

according to sources on the net, was the Lady's Heli-Jet at her Australian Bonga Bonga Ranch. I don't know who piloted it, I assume Parker too.

I don't think it featured anywhere except on paper, including Graham Bleathman's cut-away, which you may have in your collection.

FAB3 was also the name of the Lady's racehorse in the strip 'Safe Bet', Redan Thunderbirds comic 58, October 2004. You can see it on the cover below.

FAB4

FAB4 features in fan fiction as seen here:

"When flying intercontinental, Lady Penelope chose to take the Fireflash airliner, which was able to accommodate the Rolls Royce, FAB1. The Creighton-Ward yacht, FAB2, was ideal for cruising around sea-bound locales in Europe, but for more out of the way locations, such as Tracy Island, the little jet, registration FAB3, was the preferred mode of transport. Another of Brains' designs, it was compact enough to carry six people in comfort while still having the power to fly through the air at half of Thunderbird Two's speed. Her sister craft, FAB4, resided in the States."

https://www.tracyislandchronicles.com/tb2/purupuss/purupuss_lodestarlost01_FULL.html

Do you know of any more FABS?

FAB1 BOARDING

I've recently got excited about where FAB1 was stowed in the Thunderbirds fleet.

Courtesy of the brilliant Thunderbirds Wiki's TV screengrabs we can see.

Here's the pink roller in the superyacht FAB2. 

About to board Skyship One.

About to board Fireflash.

Still no evidence FAB1 got stowed in Thunderbird 2's pod.

Or?

FAB1 IN SKYTHRUST

I love this screengrab of FAB1 inside the cargo area of the Thunderbirds supersonic airliner Skythrust courtesy of Thunderbirds Wiki.

Here it is in the episode Alias Mr. Hackenbacker. Click on the link and scroll to 21.40 minutes.

https://dai.ly/x296p94

Did FAB1 get stowed in any other craft of any kind do you know readers?

FAB1 STORY

This was interesting, a take on the history of FAB1 by Marc of Sixmania. Part 2 is linked in the article.

http://www.sixmania.fr/en/la-fabuleuse-histoire-de-la-vraie-fab-1-premiere-partie/ 

What did you think?

SUPER FAB ONE

 I couldn't resist this snap of Junior's new FAB1 and his Superman Car.

A true caravan breakfast of champions.

But what would Lady Penelope and Superman say to each other?

FAB1 DOME: DOES IT OPEN?

Looking at this image of FAB1 on Sixmania I was amazed to see that the car's dome splits in half and rises up like a sunroof.

http://www.sixmania.fr/wp-content/uploads/la-fabuleuse-histoire-de-la-vraie-fab-1-premiere-partie/real_fab1_015.jpg

or is this the way Parker and Lady Penelope actually got in and out of the car in the Thunderbirds TV show?

Do you know readers?

DO YOU KNOW WHAT FAB3 WAS?

I've always loved FAB1 - like most kids of my age. Its just one of those TV cars that was the perfect form of style and looks and drove straight into the showroom of our memories.

FAB2 was Lady Penelope's yacht, which we've blogged about once or twice. Not sure if Parker was the pilot or whether FAB1 went on board. It would have made a great JR21 toy, maybe using the Vosper  toy as its basis. Would that have worked?

Amazingly there was a FAB3 too! I only found out today. I could never have guessed and I had to chuckle when I read it. It was Lady Penelope's racehorse! Now I've no idea if it appeared on TV and whether Parker was the jockey. Not sure it would have been a decent JR21 toy, but they did release at least three other small toy horses, the Rocking Neddy, Piggy Chariot and Cowboy Joe.

Now please don't tell me: there was a FAB4 too?

BLUE FAB1

We spoke about a red-brown FAB1 toy the other day.

Here's a blue one!

I like it! Do you?

Its an old plastic model kit release by Imai of Japan.

Anyone got one?

Are there any other FAB1 colours?

MYSTERY GOLD FAB1

I saw this old auction on Vectis of a varied and rather smart bunch of Thunderbirds vehicles inlcuding a fleet of FAB1's.

One of the FAB1s is a mystery to me. Its the golden metallic brown one between the two pink Dinky's.

There's nothing in the description.

Any ideas?

*

UPDATE

Here it is, boxed, as featured on Ebay!

Thanks guys for the ID!

PS. They're not cheap!

Never-Before-Seen Pictures of the Day Thunderbirds' FAB 1 Came to Guildford

https://www.getsurrey.co.uk/news/nostalgia/fab-1-thunderbirds-guildford-street-17550924 

Courtesy of Getsurrey.co.uk

Gerry Anderson's Other Rolls Royce: The Hudson

As discussed yesterday FAB1 has to be one of the most famous cars in the world.

Well, maybe to a certain generation like ours!

Although less well known, Gerry Anderson's universe included another Rolls Royce, the Hudson from TV's Terrahawks. It could change colour, drive itself and speak.

Now the Hudson is not a car I personally know and only stumbled across a toy one at a boot sale in the last 10 years. Even then I didn't know what it was and have only realised later.

Here it is carded released by Bandai as it has appeared on Ebay.

... and loose

Flickr [T'shot]

You can read much more about it on David Sisson's terrific site including how he made one!

http://davidsissonmodels.co.uk/Hudson.htm

You can see it as it appeared on TV on You Tube as part of the Big Finish productions promos.

Have you got a Hudson?

The Hudson reminds me of the modern beast of a Rolls, the Phantom that I see on the roads here from time to time. More like an armoured car than a Rolls to my untrained eye, its certainly a spectacle! 

What do you think of it?

Gerry Anderson's FAB1: The Real Rolls Royce and The JR21 Box Tops

Hi Woodsy,

Because FAB1 is basically a futuristic Rolls-Royce, it is collected by Rolls-Royce model enthusiasts such as myself and I have built up quite a nice collection of toys and models of it.

Please find below a picture of the real car with a little boy standing near the front. The picture was taken in the early 1970's at the Shaw and Kilburn Vauxhall dealership in Luton, Bedfordshire. 

I would like to say it is me standing by the car, I was actually there with my Dad on the same Day, but as far as I know he did not send any pictures to the local paper.

The car toured the Country visiting many Vauxhall dealers and the story goes they all kept samples of the Pink paint to touch up any damage to the car!

The other picture is of her is a real sorry state, the result of her battles with ''The Hood''.

There are several pictures of this car showing different body and trim treatment. The reason for this is due to the amount of work required before being put on display in Cumbria. 

The new body was copied from a Dinky Toy ''FAB 1'' so the car looked more like the large Puppet car seen in the TV episodes and I would think she still looks the same Today in America.

I have also included something I did a while ago to show the four known box designs for the JR21 "FAB 1" model on the back of a collector on a model car forum, asking if he had actually seen different versions or was he simply going mad!

Best regards,

Ghosthunter

THE NEW VIVID FAB 1

Hi,

Got the new FAB 1 yesterday. Nice toy, still can't find Thunderbird Shadow. Anyway, took some pictures.

Take care,

Kevin D.

WHERE ARE THEY NOW 2: FAB 1 AT THE HEATHFIELD WILDFLIFE PARK?

A few years back I received this comment on a blog post regarding the fate of the original FAB1. Alas I never heard anything else so I'm reprinting it here in case anyone else knows what 'Stuart' is referring to:

"The small safari park was Heathfield Wildlife Park in East Sussex. My father, as head zookeeper found it in a barn underneath some hay bales in the mid-late 70's.

Some restoration work was done at the time to get it back working as the safari park owner's son used it as a wedding car.

My memory on it is vague as I was only a small child at the time but there are some photos about somewhere of it which i shall attempt to dig out. Stuart"