FAB Facts: What is the most used Thunderbird Two Pod?
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 26 ส.ค. 2024
- Thunderbird Two uses a variety of equipment over the course of Thunderbirds, from the Mole and Firefly to the DOMO and the Elevator Cars, as well as Thunderbird Four... but which Pod actually gets the most outings? Find out in this FAB Fact!
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I worked with Jimmy Elliot who was a cameraman , and special effects director during the early Thunderbirds. Unfortunatly we were simple painter and decorators. He told me he had stills from UFO at home and other bits. This was decades ago now.
I seem to recall one episode where TB4 was in Pod 6
"Attack of the Alligators", which is the screenshot at 3:46.
Continuity errors aside, I feel like Thunderbirds (and subsequently other Gerry Anderson shows) still had a considerable amount of effort put into them compared to a lot of shows nowadays that are meant for repeat viewings. The fact that they were only meant to be seen once really shows how passionate the creators were to their craft.
Woo hoo!
Guessed this correctly. Didn't think about it, just instinct after growing up with Thunderbirds since the mid 60s.
This followed by the way by 40 years in aerospace, just retiring. No coincidence, it was part of who I became.
Forward pointing wings, variable geometry wings, vertical take off, space stations, super sonic flight - Thunderbirds got there first.
The whole die cast set now sits in pride of place next on my windowsill.
FAB.
Yes, I too, have spent sometime with Thunderbirds, It gave meaning to Stories Told in a Sandpit, acted out with Dinki & Matchbox Toys a Long time ago, Why Hasn't our World had a 10th of the Vision that Anderson showed in the 60 years since ..?
So, for anyone interested in which Pods were used in which episodes, here's a list. It isn't quite complete as I'm not completely sure which reuses of stock footage count as a use of Pod 3
Pod 1: Move- and You're Dead, Security Hazard
Pod 2: Security Hazard
Pod 3: Trapped in the Sky, City of Fire, Edge of Impact, Danger at Ocean Deep, The Duchess Assignment, Path of Destruction, Lord Parker's 'Oliday
Pod 4: The Mighty Atom, Operation Crash-Dive (twice), Day of Disaster, Desperate Intruder, The Man from MI.5, Attack of the Alligators!, Atlantic Inferno (also twice), Thunderbirds Are Go!
Pod 5: Pit of Peril, Vault of Death, Move- and You're Dead, Martian Invasion, Desperate Intruder, 30 Minutes After Noon, Thunderbirds Are Go!, Thunderbird 6
Pod 6: Sun Probe, The Uninvited, The Perils of Penelope, Terror in New York City
1:43 Are you sure Pod 2 was only used once Jamie? We never did see it get selected but it contains the electromagnetic grabs used in "End of the Road" and "Brink of Disaster".
Well nothing IN the show explicitly states that the grabs are housed in Pod 2, as far as I'm aware that's something only explained in ancillary material
@@hi-viz According to the International Rescue Haynes Manual and Century 21 Tech Talk's episode on Thunderbird 2, it states that Pod 2 carries the electromagnetic grabs, which were used twice in "End of the Road" and "Brink Of Disaster". So, technically, it should be in 5th place ahead of Pod 1.
@@RailRocketRicky So I'm right, it is ancillary information not mentioned in the show itself. I think this count is only using the episodes as evience, and only counting where a Pod is mentioned, or is visually seen as either selected and/or used on the rescue.
@@hi-viz Unfortunately Pod 2 is never shown to be selected in the series. But if you include the grabs and the 3 anniversary episodes which doesn't count on this list then Pod 2 was used 5 times. As it is finally shown to be selected in The Aboniable Snowman and was also used in putting out the fire at the Nuclear Power plant.
@@gamingninja5196 How do we know that Pod 2 was used to put out the fire at the Meddings Uranium Plant? It was seen later in "The Abominable Snowman" being selected for the Himalayan mission, but it was never utilised as Scott called Virgil to pull away.
I have always loved Thunderbirds since I was a child, it was the highlight of the week for me but always wondered how TB2 lowers down on to pod 3 without smashing it's wings off on pods 2 and 4, as at 1.04 minutes. FAB !
I always thought that the pods weren't on a single conveyer belt but rather were mounted on individual carts, like flatcars on a train. They were linked together to pull the pod 'train' into position, then uncoupled so the pods that weren't selected to move apart.
@@ghost307 dam thats deep thinking lol
@@ghost307 When the pods move along the conveyor, they pass between the legs. However, once TB2 has landed at the danger zone the legs are shown closer together, in a position where the pod could not pass between them.
I've tried to come up with an explanation but can't think of a sensible one.
@@zacmumblethunder7466 I'm really surprised that they didn't think of a way around that when filming. I'm certain that they noticed it when they first set up the pod scene. That's probably why the pod selection scene is shot head on. They probably just moved the model forward to clear the front legs and removed the rear legs for filming. My guess is that when they discovered the problem, they didn't have the time or budget to rebuild the model of Thunderbird 2 to shift the legs.
@@ghost307 if anyone here has seen the animated series Thunderbirds are go then you'll have seen the folding wings on the Thunderbird 2. Which would gleefully explain the way Thunderbird 2 works in the original series. Cept that we just don't get to see it!!
To be fair, it makes sense for there to be a non-equipment pod in case there needed to be a mass casualty evacuation or something.
THAT'S what Thunderbird 6 should have been! A flying medical aircraft thing!
It was always quite fortunate that only one or two people ever needed rescuing, no matter how big the disaster.
That's what I was thinking too. An evacuee / refugee / humanitarian aide pod.
Was always really bothered that they used Pod 4 in 'Thunderbirds Are Go' but didn't let Thunderbird 4 out. Would've been awkward to work into the story, but I think a gag at the end, where the escape unit presumably lands in the ocean again, and the boys humor Gordon by letting him dive down in Thunderbird 4 to recover it so the Navy doesn't have to waste time tracking it down themselves - More payoff to the earlier bit where Gordon has to stay back at base.
We never saw where the Zero-X Escape Unit landed. Also after Virgil dropped off Alan at FAB-1, Thunderbird 2 just flew off.
@@matthewevans97 sorry to sound a little dim.... Is this from one of the movies ?
@@ickleshouse Yes. This is from the movie, "Thunderbirds Are Go".
@@matthewevans97 aww sweet ,thanks for the reply dude. Ill go and watch it more closely.
I like Pod 4, but my favourite is Pod 5 because it carried my favourite Pod Vehicle The Mole! #FabFacts
dang, what goes on ? i would have bet it was 4 !. Great video dude, subd. Made a Tracy Island for my kid years ago, no not the one from a popular kids tv show. I made in on an 8x4 wood sheet , little levers to pull open the swimming pool, and tip the trees.
Legendary Dad! Or did you really make it for yourself to bring alive those childhood dreams?
I picked pod 4 because that was my favourite pod with thunderbird 4 in it and that was my second favourite thunderbird after thunderbird 2
Pod 4 was used 10 times in total although some of the occasions happened twice in the same episode and on some occasions only implied in dialogue and even 1 time when another pod was mistakenly suggested. The occasions are as follows:-
1) In The Mighty Atom to take Thunderbird 4 to the Atlantic Ocean near the Saharan Atomic Station.
2) In Operation Crash-Dive to take Thunderbird 4 to the Atlantic Ocean near the sunken Fireflash 4.
3) In the final Operation Crash-Dive occasion we never actually see Pod 4 but Jeff Tracy told Alan that he had Virgil take the Diving Escape Bell, Laser beam cutter and Pod 4 carrying Thunderbird 4, just in case Gordon fails to fix the Elevator Power Unit on Fireflash 5.
4) In Day Of Disaster to take Thunderbird 4 to the Allington River near the wrecked Allington Suspension Bridge and the sunken Martian Space Probe rocket.
5) In Desperate Intruder to take Thunderbird 4 to Lake Anasta.
6) In The Man From MI.5 to take Thunderbird 4 to the Mediterranean near villain Carl's submarine.
7) In Attack Of The Alligators! to take Thunderbird 4 to the Ambro River near Dr Orchard and Co's house. Earlier in the episode Jeff told Virgil to take Pod 6 but that must have been a script error as Pod 4 can clearly be seen when Thunderbird 4 is launched.
8) In Atlantic Inferno to take Thunderbird 4 to near the first firejet 30 miles west of the Seascape drilling rig in the Atlantic Ocean.
9) In Atlantic Inferno to take Thunderbird 4 to the Atlantic Ocean near the sunken Seascape diving bell.
10) In Thunderbirds Are Go! - The Movie we never actually see Pod 4 but Jeff told Virgil to take Pod 4 as well as the air to air rescue equipment. Similar to the final Operation Crash-Dive occasion this was probably a backup plan to allow Thunderbird 4 to be launched if the Zero-X Escape Unit landed in water.
Thank god youve cleared this up. This very subject is a constant fight starter in pubs.
You joke, but I did witness a Pub Quiz devolve into a 10 minute shouting match over the answer to the innocuous question "what was the name of the island in the television series Thunderbirds?"
One participant was absolutely convinced the answer was "Thunderbird Island" and in his slightly inebriated state would not take any other answer or proof to the contrary, to the point he threatened to go home and get his Tracey Island playset from the loft and bring it back to the pub to prove to us we were all wrong.
I'm not sure what he thought the playset would prove, but he seemed convinced it would prove he was correct all the same.
good 5min 1965 fact. bought the stingray soundtrack (recycled in thunderbirds and ufo 1970) look forward to podcast 227.
I suspected pod 3, second guess was 5.
Same
good
Great episode.
Gents.
Have you ever done an episode showing us what engine and equipment sound effects are used?
For instance, I would swear that the elevator cars are running Perkins diesels.
I’ve worked on hundreds of these trough the 70’s & 80’s so they sound very unique. I can hear Gardner diesels in some pod vehicles and other vehicles, but there are other diesels I can’t identify.
Also, what jets/turbines/engines did they record for all of the Thunderbird 2 stages of ground driving (to the launch ramp) and flying did they use?
pod 2 was also used in Brink of Disaster and End Of The Road.
Becose it house the Electromagnetic Pod Grabs
Honestly, episodes where we never see which pod is selected or no one states which pod Thunderbird 2's taking (like the two episodes you pointed out), I like to think it's Pod 2. That way, it could be getting more use in other episodes besides "Security Hazard". Oh, and also when they don't reuse that same footage from "Trapped in the Sky" of the hanger doors opening, where you can see Pod 2 sitting on the right beside Thunderbird 2.
Without even watching this, my guess is Pod #5.
So ignoring the continuity error caused by reusing stock footage from trapped in the sky by showing tb2 leaving the hanger with pod 3 (even if you see it collect a different pod moments earlier)
Of course it had to be 3, naturally one just assumes Pod 4. I’ve watched the original series countless times and it’s one of those facts you’re intrigued by but always seem to miss as a viewer lol. I still have my 90’s Matchbox die cast metal, Thunderbird 2 with Pod 4 and Thunderbird 4 proudly on my desk.
Do any of the other Pods other then 6 have rear hatches? I had completely forgotten about that until now. 🤔
I figured that they all had rear flaps (except pod 4) so that they could load equipment by driving in rather than having to reverse all the equipment.
Especially considering that there could be a situation where they had to select rescue equipment and load it quickly.
@@ghost307 At least judging by the second drop of Pod 4 in Atlantic Inferno, even Pod 4 has a rear hatch unless that was a goof.
@@Craigevansagain I never noticed that, although with no number painted on it, it takes a keen eye (like yours) to catch it.
That brings up another question in my mind though. I remember an episode where TB4 pulled up the ramp after completing a rescue. That means that it needs to be turned around once they get back to the island (none of the shots of the pod interior show anything that could be a turntable. I wonder why they didn't design a way to retrieve TB4 using the rear flap so it would be pointing the right way round ready for the next mission.
@@ghost307 At least according to the best Thunderbirds Manuals I've seen over the years, the offscreen recovery procedure for Thunderbird 4 is as follows. 1) The Pod 4 launch ramp extends all the way into the water. 2) Thunderbird 4 carefully drives to the launch ramp, rotates until its lined up with the ramp and facing forwards and then Thunderbird 4 gently lowers itself until a clamp locks it onto the ramp. 3) The ramp along with Thunderbird 4 recedes back into Pod 4 with Thunderbird 4 all ready for the next mission.
As for Pod 4's rear flap, its most likely used for maintenance purposes as well as installing additional machinery for Thunderbird 4 to tow such as the sealing devices for dealing with firejets.
Soon as I saw this, I thought; 'I bet it's that yellow submarine, with the bulldozer blade on the front'. The fact it had an official Thunderbird 4 designation was in the back of my mind, but I wasn't sure what the number was.
But then I thought - Hey, Yellow Submarine!
Which came first, the Ringo song, or Thunderbirds?
Thunderbirds 1964
Yellow Submarine 1968
As usual, Thunderbirds thought of it first.
What pod have the BIG claw ?
3
As a child who born in 1957 I watched every episode and all the repeats throughout the late sixties and seventies.
Thunderbirds and Doctor Who were the only television series that mattered to me. Captain Scarlett, Joe 90, etcetera didn't do it for me!
I still think (I'm now 65!) that Thunderbirds was/is the best children's TV series ever. If Gerry had been allowed to use human actors I think its appeal would have been enormous.
The main reason that I enjoyed it so much was that all the scenarios were credible. Most of what happened was possible with a more advanced technology than existed in the 1960s.
The problem with, for example, Captain Scarlett was that the episodes were too short. 25 minutes without the ads was way too short. Also the inclusion of aliens didn't appeal to me. CS seemed to go back to the incredulous aspects of Stingray, Fireball XL5 and Supercar. The whole point for me was that Thunderbirds was credible. I believed that all of it was possible sometime in the future.
I'm still gutted that Gerry Anderson only made 32 episodes. Just imagine that if Thunderbirds had gone to 50+ episodes!
Thank you to you guys for rekindling my memories, love and interest for all of Gerry Anderson's amazing work. Gerry and his crew were a one off. Totally amazing. It's a shame that all of this is gradually fading away. Eventually all this will disappear. Maybe that is an appropriate end. As will happen to all of us.
Thank you again!
Secret Service was credible too, but I'm not sure that show is anyone's favorite. ;-)
I wonder if at some point they considered adding an extra pod at some point?
Funnily enough the magazines from the early 2000's I got at the time included a strip where Virgil gets gifted a Pod 7 for his birthday
Yes. In fact there is a secret pod 0 that you can barely see to the left of Thunderbird 2 during the launch sequence. But they did do a comic strip titled Pod 7 which is cannon so technically yes they did. Its also Virgil's favourite Pod too.
didn't pod 2 have the electromagnetic grabs in them, hence why no vehicle ever drove out of it? hard to fit anything into it with the grabs taking up all the space
Doh! My money was on Pod 5! Oh well.
I think Pod 2 had a bed because it’s where Brains would usually sleep as I can’t see him having a bedroom in the main mansion and he’d always want to be near his beloved inventions 😎
I wonder if pod 2 was intended as a mobile hospital. It would make sense to have a pod with a bed then.
I called that it was gonna be pod 3 and pod 5 in 2nd place
I was indeed incorrect about pod 4.
The distance between the pods as they roll by don’t seem to be far enough apart to allow TB 2 to settle onto the selected pod without the wings hitting the pods either side. Once she comes down the pods either side seem to now be further apart.
I always thought that the pods weren't on a single conveyer belt but rather were mounted on individual carts, like flatcars on a train. They were linked together to pull the pod 'train' into position, then uncoupled so the pods that weren't selected to move apart.
Oh it’s even worse than that. There isn’t enough space, lengthwise, for the pods to shuffle along! The telescoping legs are too close together for the pods to scroll past. You can easily tell this just from looking at the spots where the legs (supposedly) emerge and the edges of the pod itself.
Also if you watch very carefully you will see that TB2 does NOT settle on collapsing telescoping legs, but that the entire leg sinks into the floor! Again, an illusion that we were never meant to see.
One thing I have never understood is why the ‘landing/takeoff’ booster rockets came from the telescoping leg points instead of the clearly visible (and intended as such?) vertical booster nozzles on the ship. The most obvious answer I can think of is it was just easier and faster to put those mini rockets in the leg mounting holes and wire them up (and maybe the holes were more sturdy and flame resistant) compared to the possible intended nozzles.
In-universe, I figured the body mounted nozzles were ‘cold jets’ to allow for steady hover and the sponson-mounted was a high thrust high impulse rocket for for sudden ‘rate change’ , rather like lifting weights. On landing you’re scrubbing off speed as quickly as possible to get TB 2 down and the pod offloaded, and liftoff is to get airborne in the shortest time . See also TB1.
(And of course it’s all in service of looking as cool as possible 😁)
Is there a video showing each of the pod contents?
There are shots of the equipment garage in a couple of episodes but I think that the magnetic grabs and Thunderbird 4 are the only permanently installed items.
how did the pods slide under TB2, when they were longer than the space between front and rear struts?
Some folks should really get out more.
But which pod should they take?! 😱
🎉Thunderbirds rocks
Did we care which pod was used? We enjoyed the show as it was. Only geeks would delve this deeply into it
But what’s n the pods…?
I thought that pod 4 would be used the most because it transported TB 4
But the majority of the missions didn't make use of Thunderbird 4.
@@ghost307
True
Didn't one of the pods continue extra large crabs ?
The moll pod .
Woohoo I got it right!
So pod was actually used
It’s the only one we never see physically selected thru out the tv series
Not surprised pod 3 was the most used
I KNEW IT WAS POD 3! Though wasn't absolutely sure as I knew Pods 3 and 5 were the two most frequently used.
I always thought it was 5.
I knew it couldn't be Pod 4 because I remember always wanting it to be Pod 4 because I loved Thunderbird 4 (especially because I had the TB2 matchbox toy with the little TB4 in it) and how often I was disappointed when they stopped before it or went beyond.
Yes but what is in each pod?😩
I knew it was Pod 3 (I counted)
One plot point that I always wanted to see is a rescue where they brought the wrong equipment...or where they needed more than 1 trip to get everything they needed to the rescue zone.
Sun Probe. “Oh no! I’ve brought the wrong box!”
@@explorer806 I really liked that episode. Brains being in the field, TinTin participating in the rescue and, of course, bringing the wrong box. Not to mention that International Rescue had to rescue Thunderbird 3.
The one that I was thinking about as a kid was one where they realize that they brought the wrong equipment and need to make a hast trip back to base to pick up another pod. Considering how much forethought was put into the design of everything I'm certain that Brains would have already gotten the replacement pod rolled out onto the runway somehow so that Virgil could just snatch it and go.
The Duchess Assignment is close, when they admit if they’d known the Duchess would set the house on fire, they’d have brought the pod with the firefighting equipment.
@@phillipculley9156 Good point.
I can't remember which one exactly but I do remember an old comic many years ago where another pod was transported by Thunderbird 3 and was dropped via a parachute. However the parachute didn't deploy and the pod was destroyed
lets
Did they ever use pod 6
It contained the Monobrake in "Perils of Penelope", it Carried Thunderbird 4 in "Attack of the Aligators" and it was taken in "The Uninvited" but we didn't see what was in it.
@@matthewevans97 Actually it's Pod 4 in Attack of the Alligators. Despite what Jeff says, I've examined it carefully and you can just about see that it is Pod 4
@@hi-viz Yeah - DVD and Blurays made this a lot easier to see, but I remember pausing my VHS some time back in the early 90s to try and see the pod door number! It was not as easy back then :)
This is why I always say 3 is Fact and not a Fib.
For all your slandering of Pod 2 for "having a bed", I actually think it speaks volumes of International Rescue that they have a pod designed for civilian transport.
Looking back, did they explain why they needed six pods? One of the episodes confirms the vehicles stay in a separate hangar to be loaded in. Wouldn't they just need a pod for Thunderbird 4 and another for all other equipment?
Or maybe I'm overthink a TV programme that coming up to 60 years old!
I never get tired of overthinking - especially when it comes to Thunderbirds! My head-canon was for a fast TB2 launch most pods were set up with the most commonly needed rescue equipment - e.g. TB4 in Pod 4, Mole in Pod 3. Other rarely used machines were only loaded as needed. Now, this theory has plenty of holes, but I like it :).
Why is it that Thunderbird 2 needs a runway to takeoff at the island but not when it's on site of a disaster?
The same reason the Harrier did likewise. When there's a runway (with movable palm trees, obviously) use it to save fuel. When there isnt or if Virgil needed a rapid getaway, vertical it was.
I love how everything is explainable, let's tackle how they kept the island a secret but have had a very large construction crew to build it. They also used their names , Tracy brothers , think they would have been found out .
@@redpoll4628 that's because the production crew are kept in Pod 2.
@@redpoll4628 in the original series the public never knew the names of anyone from International Rescue. As for the construction of Tracy Island, Jeff Tracy used trusted contractors who were sworn to secrecy about the location of the project and materials and equipment were secured through several shell companies to insure that they could not be traced to Jeff Tracy or Tracy Aerospace.
@@redpoll4628 I can't remember if it was mentioned in the series, or just the comics, but they also owned another uninhabited island that they kept equipment at, and which they used as a blind drop point for a lot of the equipment they got when setting up IR
It kinda ironic considering how far in the future Thunderbirds is set yet the one bit of technology the creators overlooked was footage preservation and replayability.
Okay, I have to mention this. Something which has niggled at me for years and no doubt something people have picked up on themselves.
There is no way those struts that extend from beneath the wings to raise the vehicle can be housed within that space above them. They emerge from directly underneath the engine nacelles and despite the size difference of the segments compared to the width of that space, they would retract into the engine itself. Even if you suggest that is just the air intake and there are no vital components there, you still have to fit the mechanism that operates the struts which would take up considerable space and block the air intake and flow to the engines behind them.
It just doesn't work.
Also, in the hanger the legs are far enough apart for the pods to slide sideways between them beneath TB2. But when TB2 raises up to release vehicles, the legs are now positioned too close together for the pod to have passed between them as shown in the hanger!
@@mb2000 You know... I'm starting to think this is all made up? 🤔
And I just noticed, that when #2 is landing and the thrusters are used to land, the exhaust ports are exactly the same apertures that the struts emerge from.
@@andrewstamford1988 You know, I think you’re right! It is all made up isn’t it!? Real people don’t have strings and a real secret organisation wouldn’t allow themselves to be filmed on every mission!
After they got TB6, would that have been permanently housed in Pod 6 as TB4 was in Pod 4? Or did they eventually realise that a repainted Tiger Moth biplane wouldn’t be much use 99% of the time and parked it out the way somewhere so they could use the proper rescue vehicles?
600 👍's
More popular than the US Apollo TV show
Fun stuff but don't be too podantic about it
I see what you did there...
Since I was a kid I wondered how the pods were conveyed under TB2 since they are longer than the legs footprint. Smoke and mirrors I guess.
Wouldn't mind betting some people thought Pod 4 was the most used cuz most Thunderbird 2 toys had Pod 4 if Thunderbird 4 came with the set.
How the hell does Pod 4 float?
According to Graham Bleathman's FAB Cross Sections all of the pods have floatation tanks so they can float.
Great. I love pointless nerdy stuff. Maybe we should put 'podantic - the correct use of pods' into the O.E.D.
Pore over, not pour over
Is it used for shipping in illegal immigrants into the UK? Much safer with Virgil, than a dinghy in the channel.
_"Well I never.........."_
Pore over, not pour over