The JR21 Thunderbird 4 is certainly a great looking and highly collectable toy.
Battery operated and capable of working in water, this remarkably accurate representation of International Rescue’s submarine was a big, expensive toy. But it’s got to be said, any child receiving this little beauty on Christmas day wouldn’t have been disappointed.
No cheaper friction drive version was released, presumably because JR21 determined it wouldn’t be as popular as TB 1 or TB 2, so they went upmarket and created a more exclusive and desirable toy.
The only major variation I’m aware of is that some toys had black plastic bases rather than yellow, and the rear rudder was dropped.
While the other JR21 Thunderbird toys had dedicated advertising, Thunderbird 4 seemed to miss out. Unless any of you folk know different, I don’t recall seeing any adverts for the toy.
Solo comic carried a competition in issue 27 in which 40 JR21 Thunderbird 4’s could be won. All the reader had to do was find the odd one out among photo’s of the four other Thunderbird craft and a SWORD Booster Rocket !
