The Charawheels Gerry Anderson collection - HotWheels

FAB 1, Mattel / Bandai, 2001, China

SPV, Mattel / Bandai, China, 2001

Stingray, Mattel / Bandai, China, 2001

These models were obviously made for the Japanese market only as seen by the packaging. But these are awesome ! Much better proportions than anything Matchbox did (their FAB one is much to short and square). It is a pitty they did not sell these in Europe, except for parrallel imports from specialized shops.

These vehicles came out with a number of other completely Japanese Super Hero vehicles under the Charawheels collection.

Read more about it here.

SPV (Spectrum Patrol Vehicle) out of package

The Dinky 6 wheeled pink Rolls Royce

 

Lady Penelope's FAB 1, Thunderbirds, Dinky, England

Read all about it here !

The new (old) FAB 1 by Tomica

This one was issued for the 50 years of Thunderbirds.

FAB 1, TOMY, 2016, Vietnam

Click here to see how this car evolved....

Parker, get the Rolls Royce. We're going for a little drive.

FAB 1 model kit, Lincoln International, Hong Kong, 1965

And another pink six-wheeled Rolls for the collection. This one had quite a nice story, really. I found the box (empty) about 7 years ago at a car-show here in Lisbon.

A number of years later the car passed by and got reunited... The kit has an electric motor that is activated through the black switch you see on the left side of the car.

Left, the IMAI kit - right, the Lincoln one...

The new FAB 1

Talking FAB 1, Vivid, China, 2015

Well, this time they did not choose a Ford... and went back to British engineering. The two-tone grey and pink is quite nice. The correct car to introduce Thunderbirds to a whole new public ?

FAB 1, Takara - Tomica, Vietnam, 2015

Side by side with the Hotwheels car...

Puppets say farewell...

Gerry Anderson passed away today. He was the genius behind Thunderbirds, Captain Scarlet, UFO, Fireball XL5, Space 1999 and other iconic British TV Sci-Fi shows. RIP.

FAB 1 (detail), Imai Japan

TB5 (plastic), unknown, 1960's ?

Gerry with Parker and Lady Penelope

The green mean machine !

Thunderbird 2, Bandai, Japan, 1992

Extra Pod and vehicles, Bandai, Japan, 1993

The Japanese kids were hooked on Gerry Anderson's Thunderbirds serie back in the 60ies - with fabulous toys being made.And when in the 1990's the series aired again, both in Europe and in Japan, they were not going to import the Matchbox from that period, but were going to make their own version of these toys. 

The result is this big green T-2, maybe not as fine as its British counterpart, but definitely in sinc with the big models of that spacecraft that were seen on TV. And as an extra bonus, they could order the pod separately with not one little Thunderbird 4, but with ALL the vehicles of the serie. (firefly, mole, excavator etc.) They even have the small FAB 1 that could fit inside. 

Off you go, Parker ! And don't scratch the paint...

Pink Rolls Royce

FAB 1 (Imai, Matchbox, Imai, JR21), Japan, China and HK

You have to admit... there is no car that drives like a Rolls... especially when it is a Rolls with 6 wheels, machineguns in the grille and all the other gadgets of a secret agent. Mr. Bond be carefull, lady P is in the House.

And just like she says during pursuits and other shootouts in Thunderbirds: "Oh Parker, I just hope they don't scratch the paint !"

Thunderbirds

5,4,3,2,1,... Thunderbirds are Go ! When color made its debut on British television, kids shows finally were packed with adventures and out-of the world vehicles. The secret ? Puppets. Gerry Anderson had a try at it in previous shows like Fireball XL-5 or Stingray, but it would be his Thunderbirds show that would make the world wake to a new type of Sci-Fi design. Shows became instant hits in Japan, the Netherlands, and the USA. An incredible number of special effects and modelers were called to the rescue, some of them working on James Bond movies later on.

Motorized Thunderbird 2 kit, maker unknown
1960s

The storyboard, that of a family that was involved in the most dazling rescue operations but always trying to keep their identities secret, was thrilling at every episode. And when the kids saw the magic lines "filmed in Supermarionation" on the screen filled with explosions of every kind, they knew they had one of the best Sci-Fi on TV.

FAB 1, JR21 toy, United Kingdom,
1960s