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The Elevator Car from the Pilot Episode of Thunderbirds
Although the Elevator Cars only appeared in the pilot episode of Thunderbirds: "Trapped in the Sky" they remain, to me, among the most memorable of vehicles. The realism of their movement as they drive out TB2's Pod is just so realistic! They look positively huge as they rock & roll out onto the tarmac of London Airport!
Building a studio scale model of one was a real challenge simply because so few good photos exist of these vehicles. So once again , as with Firefly, it was a case of buying the DVD and screen-grabbing the photos from the actual episode. My sincerest thanks to my pal Keith Scaife for his help in doing this, and reproducing the photos the actual size of the model from which I drew full-size drawings.
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On the original Elevator Cars "Rip-Max" 31/2 inch diameter wheels were used for the model, much bigger than on other International Rescue vehicles which mostly used 21/2 inch wheels. Unfortunately I was not able to get the same raised 5 bar tread pattern as on the originals but I did get wheels with 5 grooves cut in, and these looked fine in the end although I had to carefully sand off the wording on the side of the tyres! This photo shows the beginnings of the model who's chassis is made up of two interlinking sections. I have used a mixture of Perspex and EMA ABS plastic tubing cut in half to produce the side intakes on the sides of the front chassis. Also visible is the nose section carved from Jelutong wood, with the front hollowed out in the same far as the Firefly's headlamp recesses.
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This photo shows the model slightly dis-assembled. The nose of the vehicle is now finished in approx 6 coats of "High-Build" primer/filler and has been rubbed down between coats to remove any sign of the wood grain. This is now stuck in place and I have added the dome-shaped cockpit (which is essentially a dome with the back chopped off) and filled in around it with P38 Isopon filler. Also the 4 telescopic arms that hold the top of the vehicle can be seen turned in Perspex and EMA plastic lying ready to be fitted.
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Another angle of the model showing the brass rod anti-role bar over the cab. I've also added what appeared on the original model to be 2 brass vertical rods just behind the cab. The front side silver/grey intakes are only temporarily fitted as the model will be easier to paint with these removed. The round lugs on either side of the inner bodywork (just below the 2 way connector), between the front & middle wheels, are from the "Revell" Atlas Rocket "Everything is Go" kit. Several parts of this kit were used as detailing on the original model.
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With the wheels attached on 1/8th inch dia brass axles, I have made the hubcaps from EMA plastics, turning the necessary groves in the outer rings. The wheels are held on the axles by brass locking nuts that attach with an Allen screw. As can also be seen, I pre-painted the hubcaps before assembly. Also in this photo I am holding the nose section and the side front intakes in place. Note: I do not stick the side silver/grey intakes in place until the model is almost complete. Some of the screen grab photos can be seen in the background of these photos.
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The main components of the vehicle assembled. The 4 telescopic arms are now attached to a central universal joint so they project upwards at an angle of 45 degrees to each other. The brackets these will fit to can be seen cut in ABS plastic lying in the foreground.
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A close-up of the front of the vehicle now painted in "Carnival Red", after first masking up the windscreen. This shows the chrome "rocker box" covers from the 1/24th scale "Firetruck". used to detail the front sides, and the hubcaps from the "AMT "Prestige" car kit used as headlamps. Although in this photo the front & back of the model is disconnected, The model is now virtually finished. Detailing on the top of the front was from the "Kaman Huskie" helicopter kit (often converted to be a "Helijet" in "THUNDERBIRDS") "Airfix" Girder Bridge studs (used on the front of TB2's pod!) and other parts from the Atlas Rocket kit.
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The Wheels are all fitted temporarily in place. (they will be removed for spray painting the model) The main chassis's have been built in Perspex & plastic and I have attached the two halves together with a mounting that has the up & down movement on the rear coupling and the side to side movement on the front part of the coupling -the same as the original. Kit part detailing on this section appears to be from the "Airfix" 1/32nd scale "Dennis Fire Engine" kit.
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The Elevator Car nears completion -minus some fine detailing. The central ram used on the original models seems to have been some kind of actual industrial spring. Obviously I was not able to obtain this so I made it in EMA plastic tube with a "U"-shaped cut-out on either side to match the original. This also had a central pipe that appears to have been 1/4 inch diameter brass rod.
As you can see I have also now cut out the top plate from 4mm Perspex. This has been detailed around the edge with the proverbial "Airfix" Girder Bridge girders, only this time turned inside out (for a change I suppose) Originally the pad on the top was made from carpet underlay! However, I could no longer find this so I used a dark grey material wrapped around a sheet of polystyrene which gave a similat effect. The number 1 was added in rub-down lettering.
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The model from the underside, now weathered very heavily with soot and airbrush. The chrome parts from the, 1/24th "Monogram "Predicta", AMT "Prestige" and Firetruck can all be seen, particularly along the front section's sides. All these chrome parts are once again in evidence on other International Rescue vehicles. How did I get the underside detail? In the episode the Master Elevator Car overturns and several screen grabs showed many kit parts -but I admit I guessed a few!
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These photos show the final model put together, sprayed in Ford "Carnival Red" with "Daytona Yellow" used to spray-paint the top "Girder Bridge" parts. The lettering was done in "Grotesque 9" onto a piece of black sprayed Plastikard. Also, flexible hosing, made from rubber wire covering, has been added to connect the 2 halves of the vehicle together (as seen on the originals) You can also see more parts from the "Everything is Go" Atlas Rocket kit on the back.
But the most intriguing part of all is the strange silver box-like structure hanging down from under the back of the top. Initially it had me fooled, then I realised it looked just like an ordinary electric motor. And sure enough, that's what it is! It's the motor and gearbox from the "Tiger Joe" toy tank whose wheels & tracks were used in "Thunderbirds" on the "Gray & Houseman" road laying machine, the back section of the "Crablogger" and, of course, later on for the "UFO" Shado Mobiles! Why it is there & who's idea it was to use such a strange part is unknown -bit it served no purpose on this model, as far as I can tell, other than it just looked good! -which what this kind of modelling is all about!
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