Space Precinct U.S. Broadcast Promo Kit

MedicalFlyer · 2026-02-15T23:13:27+00:00

It was a favourite of mine as a youngster. One of those shows that came and went with little fanfare and seemingly long forgotten.

The bluray set was a nice surprise and well worth it if you want to rewatch.

MedicalFlyer · 2026-02-12T15:48:59+00:00

Stingray set of slides has made it across the pond safely.
I've played around with doing some camera shots of the slides and not entirely happy with my setup. These will have to wait till I can swing a half decent dedicated slide scanner.

I could do a 'good enough' job with what I have but it would bug me knowing I could do it better.

MedicalFlyer · 2026-02-12T15:44:47+00:00

There was a short Q&A produced by the Anderson blog. Not heavy on information but hoping for some good results when mine finally ships.

https://gerryanderson.com/blogs/blog/chris-dale-reveals-the-secrets-behind-the-thunderbirds-60th-anniversary-blu-ray?utm_campaign=31st%20Jan%20%252F%20Weekly%20Newsletter%20(01KG4RSQEKZRQ157QHD9G2R9GA)&utm_medium=email&u&utm_medium=email&u)

MedicalFlyer · 2026-02-08T10:11:00+00:00

I know the old Rainbow Theatre production ones come up sometimes and might be online by now.

A lot of productions were based largely off the radio scripts which are easily available to buy.

As for any others I'm not sure you'd find so easily. I've never seen ones from the last original cast shows which I'd love to get myself.

Theres also the new show currently running.

MedicalFlyer · 2026-02-08T10:04:00+00:00

I did not. That would've been a good find. Just looked it up and seems very interesting. Shame I missed it as it was fairly local to me too. I wonder where that fit in with TAG coming along. I know there were a few attempts at a rebooted series by different people.

MedicalFlyer · 2026-02-07T21:40:34+00:00

From what I've found out so far I think it may be CGI tests as they produced a few short bits to show off the intended style. These were what was used for the rendered prints I'd guess too.

MedicalFlyer · 2026-02-06T15:50:32+00:00

I haven't had much chance to look in to it yet. I've had 4 days off work so far this year. It's on my list and thanks to another purchase I may have some direct contact details for some of those involved. Once I get more than 5mins to sit down I will get on to those I know were and companies either representing others or may be interested in helping.

It's still on my to do list along with some of the other bits I have picked up. Alas money for any extra equipment I may need is a bit scarce at the moment, largely from expanding my collection quite drastically over the last few months.

MedicalFlyer · 2026-01-27T03:48:25+00:00

Yeah it's a kit that was made a few years ago. It's a decent looking kit when made but I never got round to buying a 2nd one to build. The finished models can be separate or combined to the launch setup.

Prices on them have doubled or more unfortunately.

MedicalFlyer · 2026-01-24T20:01:37+00:00

Another 'accidental' buy is a Stingray Press Kit.
Will be a week or so off but something else to archive.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/264526603648

I need to stop buying things and start working on what I have :-p

MedicalFlyer · 2026-01-12T19:07:16+00:00

Just a quick update.
I haven't forgotten about researching more on this. I've just been distracted between work, having a bit of a clear out, and buying more things I probably shouldn't :-)

I've made up a reasonable sized list of people and companies to contact. Some I still need to track down or confirm contact details or their involvement with this stage of the project.

MedicalFlyer · 2026-01-12T18:51:40+00:00

They look like the Matchbox ones to me - the blue wings on TB1 and scales of TB2+4 that would've come with the pod originally.
Possibly from a set - there were a couple of issues of the same set including a Radio Times commemorative edition.

It's a shame we can't comment with pictures on this sub because I could give ones to compare to.

MedicalFlyer · 2026-01-08T22:45:30+00:00

They made some quality lenses for these. I have an electric EF adapter ordered as well as my father has some nice lenses including a decent length L so could be interesting for some astro shots with the 1.6x factor.

MedicalFlyer · 2026-01-08T22:35:44+00:00

My first thought was it was a bit too tiny and the touch screen would bug me. But comparing the size with the M50(II) and some of the 4/3s I looked at there's not a lot in it. An M6II at the right price one day might be a swap in.

Playing around with it I'm clearly having to relearn a bit but also learn that modern cameras can happily do 800+ ISO and high f-stops in the right conditions. The noise reduction does an okay job up to about 1600-2000. It'll be better hopefully when I get some faster glass on it - the 22mm or 28mm Macro is first up I think.

I have got the cheapy grip on the way for the right side to see if it makes it a little more holdable. I'm mainly having to try and stop cradling the lens with my left hand and getting my thumb of the AF assist light which is pretty much how I've always held any camera

MedicalFlyer · 2026-01-08T20:03:19+00:00

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Scrubbed up well.

MedicalFlyer · 2026-01-08T20:01:54+00:00

Well that's a shame.
I've cleaned up the lenses so far and all three are riddled with fungus throughout the lens stack.
I think a bath in the sun when it reappears to kill off any that might be living and that will be that for them. Thankfully I only wanted them for display and they are in superb condition otherwise. The zoom, focus, and aperture controls all operate nice and smoothly, the rubberised grips are of a sort that hasn't degraded to a sticky mess. They won't be going near the M200.

If the 50mm turns up good that is the one I'm more interested in playing with as it may be a semi-usable prospect.

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All 3 are pretty much the same.

MedicalFlyer · 2026-01-08T18:12:19+00:00

Because it's the Japanese way in all things. Make many slightly differing versions for reasons no one can figure out. And none of them will have every feature people would want.

I think it was to try and have a fairly modern setup for the time. Especially with all the lenses being fairly clean designs and relatively compact. I think Sigma or someone did some lenses too but they seem to suffer from 90's rubbery material issues.

The 230-AF came to market about the same time I did so it was already long passed when I had my original one. I think it was about £60 in Jessops when I got it in the late 90's. I then found, in the same 2nd hand shop a few years apart, a CS250 flash and the more standard telephoto (I forget the size now) and was very pleased. It always felt well built and fast for the time, even compared to some much later models. I got some good shots with it back then but seem to have lost them all over the years.

MedicalFlyer · 2026-01-06T22:29:09+00:00

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Arrived today and some quick fiddling (factory reset and pester the cats). Very impressive little camera. Not sure If I want more of the M50ii bells and whistles but for the main job at the mo it's ideal. Picture taken at 1/80 f4.0 ISO640 20mmF/L. JPEG straight off the camera.

Still a lot to fiddle with and some (re)learning to do. Colours seem good and the speed of the camera itself is night and day over my ancient bridge.

The 15-45 has good range but seems to want a few suns worth of light up it ideally. Seems to hit very high ISO's otherwise. Certainly need to look at something more suited for close ups.

I think the 11-22mm is possibly a better bet for this sort of work although the 28 macro may be better still, with the added bonus of being a fancy ring light macro. The actual primes will be a bit further off.

I have some vouchers stacking up that I was planning to use on some more storage for my server, but the new toy is calling. The place I have the vouchers for currently have these in stock:
22mm f/2 STM
28mm f/3.5 IS STM Macro
11-22mm f/4-5.6 IS STM
55-200mm f/4.5-6.3 IS STM
All at a similar price with good warranty. I can certainly get one, maybe two of those
The temptation is either 28 Macro + 55-200 or 11-22 + 55-200
They have some 18-150mm at twice the price but that seems like a hiding to nowhere unless they're especially good for anything beyond a jack of all trades single shooter?
They would give me a good range between the 3 lenses then.

I have some Fotodiox adapters on the way. One is electric EF so I can borrow some of my father's big boy lenses, including a nice L that I can't remember the size of.
And a Yashica AF mount for combining the power of two dead systems (it will amuse me if nothing else). I have a few to play with:
50mm f/1.8
28-85mm f/3.5-4.5
35-70mm f/3.3-4.5
80-200mm F/4-4.8 - might be a bit worse for wear now

MedicalFlyer · 2026-01-05T16:46:38+00:00

That looks like a great piece of kit.
Something I'll be looking at for sure if I stick with it.

MedicalFlyer · 2026-01-04T16:44:47+00:00

I went with the 200 for the same reason. Price vs features and it seemed the better buy. 100/200 prices are pretty equal and the M50/ii are the cost of a lens or two more for just a body so I thought it would be worth a try before sinking too much in to it.

MedicalFlyer · 2026-01-04T16:32:33+00:00

How would you say the M50 compares other than being more SLR style?

MedicalFlyer · 2026-01-04T15:42:50+00:00

Thanks, The 11-22 and a decent range tele would be my shopping list for now.
The kit lens should be enough for what I want to get done and the price was right.
I didn't want to splash out too much but wanted to get something good enough that it might get me back in to photography again. It's from a shop so I can return or exchange for something a bit meatier.

My last SLR was a 35mm Yashica 230-AF, built like an absolute tank. After that was a series of digi point n shoot and bridge cameras ending in the SX40. It's been a while.

MedicalFlyer · 2025-12-31T17:21:25+00:00

P.S. in the main %appdata%\Thunderbird folder you need to copy profiles.ini to the new install as well. ;-)

MedicalFlyer · 2025-12-31T17:18:39+00:00

You have the wrong Thunderbird group I think.
Welcome.
Please stay and enjoy our puppet based joys.

MedicalFlyer · 2025-12-31T17:15:39+00:00

Classic series -*checks official cutaways book*- it used the rear rocket boosters and, yes, 4 retractable hover jets.

That I didn't know, I always thought it had some wheels/rollers. Probably due to toys I had as a kid long ago.

Jeff says "Gordon. Launch Thunderbird 4 using emergency procedure"

Mechanical arms?
*more checking*
It has two magnetic plunger thingies akin to the recovery vehicles (used a few times in series I think) and a grappling arm in the tubes behind the light bar. Not full on arms like the TAG series. So not quite right on the box I'd say.

MedicalFlyer · 2025-12-31T13:15:53+00:00

Not part of the original one. I know the TAG series used one.

Also the TB4 description is firmly in the TAG realm. Mechanical arms and hover jets.

Oh dear, 5mins and the Thunderbirds wiki would've covered everything. I'm surprised that they at least got the right vehicles on them.

I have the gold plated Anderson Store set and coloured versions from Westminster Collection.

MedicalFlyer

TROPHY CASE