Thunderbirds are Go toys offer a sneak peak of redesigned vehicles and new Tracy Island
Our RadioTimes.com Thunderbirds superfan Jonathan Holmes begins writing his Christmas list in January this year...
Strike up the military band because the Tracy Brothers are back. Attendees at the London Toy Fair were given a sneak peak of the redesigns for the Thunderbirds are Go coming this April, through some of its truly magnificent toys. First, let's take a trip to...
Tracy Island (£79.99)
Oh my god look at this thing. The exact dimensions haven't been nailed down on the prototype, but it's at least twice the height of the old Tracy Island you have in the attic. Nevertheless, it operates in much the same way, with Thunderbird 1 appearing from beneath the pool, Thunderbird 3 launching from the middle of the guest house at the summit of the mountain and Thunderbird 2 trundling out onto the totally inconspicuous runway at the front. The really exciting updates are to the back...
Kids simply place their toys on the launch pad to trigger relevant sound effects. Then miraculously, they will raise into position on their own, with a tiny mechanical whirr. At this point, your RadioTimes.com correspondent totally lost his mind.
It also features Brains's laboratory...
...a communicator watch that plays special scenarios to make children feel like they are part of the team. "Calling International Rescue etc etc etc."
And here's the box. It's massive, even with the island partially disassembled. According to a spokesperson for the toy makers Vivid, they're planning to challenge Blue Peter to produce a homemade version, much as they did with the original. Good luck...
The Vehicles (Thunderbirds 1 and 3 - £9.99 each; Thunder 2 with Thunderbird 4 £16.99; large Thunderbird 2 £39.99)
As you would expect, the various vehicles are sold separately. The toys give our first close look at the redesigned Thunderbirds. T1 and T3 are pretty similar to the classic models, but Thunderbird 2 sports a blocky, angular look. It's less friendly than the smooth 1960s curves of the original. Also, the wings now fold back for entering and exiting its cliffside base.
930
And finally, here are all of the brothers together. John is a full on ginger now. He looks F.A.B-ulous.
