List of Thunderbirds vehicles
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Multiple land, air, sea and space vehicles appear in the 1960s British Supermarionation television series Thunderbirds and its adaptations. Many of the futuristic craft seen in the productions were designed by Thunderbirds special effects director Derek Meddings.
The most prominent vehicles are the five principal rescue craft of the International Rescue organisation: the "Thunderbird machines" (after which the series was named). In the fictional world of Thunderbirds, all of the International Rescue vehicles were designed by Brains, the organisation's resident scientist.
International Rescue vehicles
Thunderbird machines
International Rescue's fleet comprises five principal rescue vehicles called the "Thunderbird machines":
Thunderbird 1
Pilot: Scott Tracy
Thunderbird 1 is a variable-geometry (swing wing) hypersonic rocket plane, blue and grey in colour, which is used for fast response and rescue zone reconnaissance, and as a mobile control base. It has VTOL capabilities which are demonstrated in many episodes, and its take-off from Tracy Island is usually vertical. With a maximum speed of 15,000 miles per hour (24,000 km/h), it can reach anywhere on Earth within an hour's flight if a great circle route can be flown. Thunderbird 1 is hangared beneath the main house on Tracy Island and launches vertically from a pad camouflaged by a swimming pool that slides aside.
The aircraft is primarily piloted by Scott Tracy, with Alan taking his place when he is unavailable as Thunderbirds 1 and 3 are rarely required on the same mission (such as in "Atlantic Inferno", when Scott takes charge of Tracy Island while Jeff is on holiday). Jeff describes Thunderbird 1 as "sleek, first and fast" at the beginning of Thunderbird 6.
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