THUNDERBIRD 5: RADIO CONTROLLED AND READY TO ROLL

Knockoff Thunderbird 5's are always interesting and have appeared here many times.

Here's another one I saw on Ebay, this time radio controlled.

EA is a brand I've seen before but can't think of the name. You?

Anyone got one of these or any TB5's?

Are TB5 and Tracy Island Similar?

Is it just me or are Thunderbird 5 and the ring structure on Tracy Island the same shape?

THE ORIGIN OF THUNDERBIRD 5: THE TOY AND THE TV MODEL

I've long pondered how Century 21 Toys/ JR21 Toys made the Thunderbird 5 toy in the Sixties and often perused the web and books for hints as to what the parts were from.

I say parts because its been long conjectured by collectors that the C21/ JR21 TB5 toy was made up of other existing toys. In other words the main brown body and the engine were from existing toys.

Ten years ago I posed this same question and I established a link between the toy's clone by Soma and an obscure ice crusher! Whether this assisted in the search for the origin of the JR21 toy I don't know, but you can read it here https://projectswordtoys.blogspot.com/2012/08/a-saucer-full-of-secrets-soma.html

Have you any idea what the original toy was readers? is it a toy you own? Do you like it?

What is a bit clearer is the way Derek Medding's team made the actual Thunderbird 5 model for the TV show as some research has already been done by long-time Andersonist Marc J .Frattasio back in 1996! Published on the SuperM site, Thunderbird 5's origin can be found at the end of the Thunderbirds vehicles page http://lester.demon.nl/superm/tech/sfx/tbirds/models0.html

Do you like Thunderbird 5 readers? Is it an effective model and design for the show?

STAR RIDER ANYONE?

 

This Star Rider set is from 1996. I saved the pic I saw online. 

The very dark packaging is unusual for a toy line but its the Thunderbird 5 lookalike that caught my attention.  Thunderbirds really has had a wide impact in space toys hasn't it.

Is this a line of toys you know?

SOMA SPACE SHIP: WHO IS THE PILOT?

I've often discussed the SOMA Thunderbird 5 knockoff Space Ship.

Like the variation post I did in 2017.

http://projectswordtoys.blogspot.com/2017/06/some-more-soma-x711-thunderbird-5-hing.html

Today I thought I'd revisit it to look at something else.

The figure inside.

Its an odd figure like a racing car driver called Stig!

He appears to have a black visor, black gloves and boots and a black decal on its chest.

I've seen similar figures. I assume he's meant to be an astronaut but he has a distinct racing driver look.

I'm leaning towards a mixture of the two and that leads me to thinking SOMA made a knockoff of those guys driving Dinky Lunar Roving Vehicles and their ilk.

What do you think readers?

[pics: Ebay]

KEVIN'S COMIC THUNDERBIRD 5

Hi,

Here is a picture of my TB5 that came free with the comic. I stuck the outer windows on after cutting up pictures in the comic.

Take care,

Kevin

SPACE CASE BY MULTIPLE TOYMAKERS WITH A THUNDERBIRD 5

A while back I posted these mysterious Thunderbird 5 plastic miniatures I saw online along with a small die cast Eagle. I often wondered if they were part of the Comansi range from Spain.

 

Turns out they're American! Not only that they're by our Golden Astronaut chums Multiple Toymakers! And here they are, part of the Space Case from 1970. A TB5 type space station is illustrated on the case. You also get 2 miniature LP style spacemen. Now that's cool! Anyone got this case?

 

[piccies: Ebay]