MovieChat Forums > Thunderbirds (1965) Discussion > Was TB1 pointless?

Was TB1 pointless?

posted 10 years ago by twofacetoo
14 replies | jump to latest

I love 'Thunderbirds', I have since I was just a kid, just like my father did when he was a kid.
We used to spend afternoons just watching the episodes together, often followed by either 'Stingray' or 'Captain Scarlet', depending on how we felt at that point.
But all throughout my life, I've wondered something.
What was the exact purpose to Thunderbird 1?
When did Thunderbird 1 actually do something other than fly somewhere?
I'm not talking about Scott, the pilot. I'm talking about the craft itself.
Thunderbirds 2-4 did lots of things when they were in the show, and 5 only had one job. But Thunderbird 1 did... nothing. It never did anything.
Am I right in saying this? I haven't seen the show in years, and have only just started watching it again, so I can't say for certain, but I don't remember TB1 doing anything. Like I said, I remember SCOTT doing things, but that's just the pilot.
If you put Virgil in TB1, or Alan, or even Gordon, would anything be any different? At all?
I really can't remember TB1 doing anything helpful, other than using the automatic camera detector, but even then I'm sure all the crafts would have had that, even Thunderbird 5.
So yeah, was TB1 just totally, utterly pointless?

[–] 10 years ago

[deleted]

[–] twofacetoo 10 years ago

Yeah, understandable, and I do remember TB1 often doing the camera stuff, like making sure no pictures were published or anything.

[–] 10 years ago

[deleted]

[–] twofacetoo 10 years ago

True, but it still went into space to do cool rescue missions, like the one where it almost hit the sun saving those astronauts (my father's favourite episode)
Whereas TB1 did practically sod all

[–] bobxxxx 10 years ago

No TB 1 was the fastest of five. Think about it is a vertical launched ballistic missile in it first stage of flight getting to almost any point in the world in less than 20 minutes. Then when converting from vertical to horizontal flight TB 1 wings would deploy and it was supersonic hybrid plane. TB 1 took off and landed vertical with its wings deployed so TB 1 handled primitive landing areas well. Then Scott could setup his special communications command post to be the ground controller coordinating the rescue at the scene (member in the pilot and numerous other episodes Scott ask for help unloading his radio gear when he gets to London's airport). TB 1 point was it was the fastest TB "plane" to get there first reconing and coordinated the rescue efforts on any land based rescue. Scott is the oldest and most trusted son by his father and in many episodes the public face of the International Rescue.

[–] twofacetoo 10 years ago

Yeah, but to me it just seems like all of TB1's jobs could have easily been done by TB5, and I'm sure TB3 could travel faster than it being a space-rocket.
TB5 could handle the communications and scouting work of examining situations, since we have things like Google Earth nowadays, I'm sure John could zoom in on the situation and communicate with the people in danger.

[–] jsycamore-181-254662 9 years ago

You're talking about Google Earth! In the days of Thunderbirds there was no Google, Internet or mobile phones. Few houses even had a land line. TB1 was essential then.

Oh gravity thou art a heartless bitch

[–] twofacetoo 9 years ago

While the show was made in 1965, it was set in 2065. My point is that if in 2015 we have digital satellite imaging that ANYONE can access at almost ANY time, why would we still need Thunderbird 1 at all?

[–] loveagoodstory 9 years ago

I eventually decided that TB1 is essential to IR but not in the way they use it. It's supposed to be a scout that goes on ahead and reports back what they need. But a lot of the time, Jeff seems to know which pod and equipment TB2 will need from TB5's report, so TB2 gets launched long before TB1 has got there.

I suppose it helps TB2 and Virgil to have someone to help and to see things from another view or to clockwatch...or play the fast congas when they're running out of time.

But in truth, I think it slows the storytelling down to much to wait for TB1 to get their first and report back every time. And it slows the actual rescuing down, too.

----------------------------------------------------------
Free your mind and the rest will follow

[–] twofacetoo 9 years ago

I agree with that. Even if Thunderbird 1 was for monitoring and assessment, couldn't Thunderbird 5 do that?
All in all, Thunderbird 1 never really did anything.

[–] TheChamCham 9 years ago

It was Scott's hotrod. When he announces that he's changing to horizontal mode and looks over at us, he's thinking how impressive he is in his rocket. Like him, it looks good and serves no real purpose other than that.

"I say ! Open this door at once! We're British !"

[–] craigevans2 7 years ago

Whilst Thunderbird 1 might be the least versatile of the Thunderbirds in terms of rescue functionality, there were many episodes that expanded on Thunderbird 1s functionality. Thunderbird 1 transported Scott Tracey's Mobile Control modules which were used in "Trapped In the Sky", "City Of Fire", "Vault Of Death", "Operation Crash Dive", "Martian Invasion", "Terror In New York City", "Desperate Intruder", "Thunderbirds Are Go: The Movie" and "Atlantic Inferno".

Thunderbird 1 also transported a hover bike which Scott used to chase da Hood in "Cry Wolf" and to chase the alligators in "Attack Of The Alligators!". Thunderbird 1 also carried a Mobile Electronic Scanner which Scott used to search for Fireflash 4 in "Operation Crash Dive". Thunderbird 1 also has a Sonar Tracking System which Scott used to search for the villains in "The Man From MI.5". Thunderbird 1 also has a Remote Hover Camera which Scott used to investigate the burning pit in "Pit Of Peril" and to investigate the crumbling BT Tower in "Edge Of Impact. Another onboard camera was used by Scott to investigate the Solar Dish in "Lord Parker's 'Oliday". Scott used Thunderbird 1s demolition cannon in "Move And Your Dead" in an attempt to stop the villains and in "Martian Invasion" in an attempt to stop da Hood and in "Thunderbird 6: The Movie" to destroy Black Phantom's base.

Scott used Thunderbird 1s safety line in "Thunderbird 6: The Movie" to stabilise the impaled Skyship One so that Skyship One and the Dover Missile Base below could be safely evacuated. In "End Of The Road", Scott fired metal spears from Thunderbird 1 into a closely packed line arrangement into the rock face above Eddie Houseman's truck. This line of spears acted as a rock catcher which protected Eddie's truck from falling rocks and boulders. Scott also used Thunderbird 1s nose in "End Of The Road" to stabilise Eddie Houseman's truck whilst Thunderbird 2 moved in to rescue it with the grabs. As has been mentioned above, Thunderbird 1 also has the Automatic Camera Detector which warned Scott of da Hood filming Thunderbird 1 in "Trapped In The Sky" and "Desperate Intruder" as well as warning of Ned Cook and Joe filming Thunderbird 1 in "Terror In New York City". Also in "Terror In New York City", Scott used the special electromagnetic film wiping device to wipe Ned and Joe's film of Thunderbird 1.

Another handy gadget in Thunderbird 1 was the homing device tracker which Scott used to monitor the homing signal from the Duchess Of Royston's homing device in "The Duchess Assignment". Another handy gadget in Thunderbird 1 was a dirty smoke generator which Scott used in "Lord Parker's 'Oliday" to blot out the sun, to give Brains, Alan and Virgil in Thunderbird 2 more time to remove the Solar Dish before it set Monte Bianco on fire. In "Thunderbird 6: The Movie" Scott gently burned his engines to create a slipstream to allow Brains to safely land Thunderbird 6 (aka Tiger Moth) on Skyship One.

[–] TheChamCham 7 years ago

1) I stand corrected. 🏆

2) I see you are unfamiliar with cheeky sarcasm.

Better three hours too soon than a minute too late.- William Shakespeare

[–] 7 years ago

[deleted]