'Thunderbirds are go! '
(Sirens wail)
All right, son. Get settled down for the night.
How can I settle down in all this excitement?
You'll just have to try. I have to help with the fire.
I want you tucked up before I go.
- What's International Rescue doing? - Bringing up the men from the shaft.
That's enough questions!
Be a good boy and get to sleep.
You haven't got a mother, so don't let me down.
Good night, Chip.
Welcome back, Scott. I just heard about the fire.
It was quite a blaze!
Father, get Brains to stand by.
My electrical system developed a fault at the fire.
Fix it, Brains. We can't afford to be un-operational.
Yes, Mr Tracy.
(Bleeps)
- 'Virgil! Don't release the pod! ' - What's up?
Contact Scott. Meet in Thunderbird 2 hangar.
Yes, Father.
- Cut motors. - Motors cut.
All pumps down to zero. Inlet valves closed.
Well, Virgil, what now?
We'll just sit tight.
Stay there, Scott. Cover the pod entrance.
Virgil, open the pod flap.
- 'There's a saboteur on board.' - A saboteur?!
Now... the flap.
All right! We know you're in there. Come out or we'll BLAST you out!
Come on. You don't stand a chance.
Don't shoot.
Please don't shoot!
I didn't mean any harm.
It shouldn't have happened!
The aircraft shouldn't have been unguarded.
- But... - No "buts", Scott.
This constitutes a security hazard.
The boy has to be taken home. He's seen us and knows our location.
Perhaps you can suggest what we should do. Any bright ideas?
No bright ideas? OK. Where's the boy?
- He's with Virgil. - I hope he keeps his mouth shut!
It's enormous! Is this the machine Y0U fly, Virgil?
Look, we've got strict security here. I can't tell you anything!
I understand. When I grow up I want to join International Rescue.
- I'd like to fly Thunderbird 1. - Why Thunderbird 1?
Well... I imagine it's faster,
more important.
More important?
Without Thunderbird 2, none of the rescues would be possible.
For example...
'Take the Eddie Houseman rescue.
'Eddie's firm was building a road through a mountain range.
'But progress was held up.
'Earth tremors brought a landslide onto their path.
'But Eddie didn't give up easily.
'He set off alone at night with a case of nutomic charges.
'He wanted to blast the mountain
'so it would fall away from the road, and not onto it.'
It's getting worse.
Eddie, can you hear me? Nothing for half an hour!
- You better try again. - Eddie!
'Eddie, this is Bob. Call in. Call in! '
It's no good.
- I guess... - 'Hi, Bob. This is Eddie.
'I've planted the charges.'
Get the hell out of there! That peak's cracking up!
- 'There'll be a landslide! ' - I'd better fire the charges.
'You're too close! '
You'll kill yourself. The company isn't worth it, Eddie... Eddie!
He cut off.
(Loud explosion)
Eddie!
EDDIE!
'Can you hear me? '
Yeah.
- Yeah, I can hear you. - 'You did it! '
You're 0K! Eddie, the cutting's in no danger now. We can see from here.
Bob, listen. The blast took my tractor right to the edge.
If I move to the door, the thing will overbalance.
OK. Keep calm, Eddie. We're on our way.
'There's worse. I still have nutomic charges on board.'
If this goes over the edge, I'll be blown sky-high.
(Clap of thunder)
Calling International Rescue. International Rescue, come in.
(Virgil) 'So we set off. Scott raced ahead in Thunderbird 1.
'I followed in Thunderbird 2.'
'Thunderbird 2 from Thunderbird 1. I'm glad to see you, fellas.'
Here's the situation.
Pull away, Virgil! Your jets are tipping it over.
Hey, wait. I've got an idea.
If this works, Virgil, come straight in and grab him.
Stand by.
OK, Virgil. Come in now. I'll take the strain.
'FAB. Coming in now.'
- 0K, Scott. We've got it. - All yours.
(Virgil) 'So you see, another mission was successfully completed
'and we set off for home.'
Gosh, I wish I'd been there!
Virg, Father wants a word with you.
0K, thanks. You take care of Chip, will you?
Thanks(!)
I liked Virgil. He told me all about Thunderbird 2.
He did?! Well, he shouldn't have.
I'll tell you nothing about Thunderbird 3.
So, Y0U'RE the pilot of Thunderbird 3?
Yeah...
I'm the pilot of Thunderbird 3...
(Chip) Gosh... Thunderbird 3!
So this is the spaceship. How fast does it travel?
Well, it's a secret, you see. I can't tell you.
- Virgil told me about Thunderbird 2. - He shouldn't have!
I suppose, being a spaceman, you're not so involved in the rescues.
"Not so involved"?! Let me tell you,
when this baby blasts into space, I'M the one in charge!
Remember the Sun Probe that headed for the sun?
- And International Rescue saved it. - Yes. Go on.
(Alan) 'Everything was going according to plan.
'The solarnauts were going to orbit before releasing the probe.'
0rbital firing, 90 seconds. How about the radiation figures?
They're all at Phase Six.
Swell. We're going to be 0K.
- 30 seconds to orbital firing. - Stand by to fire retros.
- 0rbital path, 10 seconds. - Right! Stand by.
Five... four... three...
two... one.
Retros!
(Bleeps)
Great! We're on correct orbit.
Radiation and temperature levels?
- Temperature, A-0K. - Radiation, A-0K.
20 seconds to firing time for probe.
All systems on probe are green. 10 seconds.
Firing controls are go.
Five seconds. Four...
three... two...
one.
Ignition!
'The Sun Probe has been fired. We'll give you details as they're received.
'The tension in the studio mounts.'
She's going fine.
Sun Probe going through flare now. Standing by to fire remote rockets.
Five seconds.
Four... three...
two...
one. Fire!
It's turning out!
- We've made it! - Great. Let's get that probe.
And then, back to Earth.
'The probe has collected the matter from a prominence.
'It will now rendezvous with the main ship. The solarnauts are doing fine.
'The probe is being collected now. Just look at this tel-radio picture! '
Well, they've pulled it off. That's great.
- I... don't think they'll make it. - How's that?
I said... I don't think they'll make it.
But everything's fine.
(TV) 'It looks like something's wrong.
'In picking up the probe, the main ship has lost its course.
'It's on a collision course with the sun.'
(Alan) 'There was no time to waste. We launched Thunderbird 3.'
'Blast off, A-0K. Leaving Earth's atmosphere in 10 seconds.'
OK, I'm coming up. Bye, Tin Tin.
Yes, Scott.
- Just 24 hours to go. - Then, we crash into the sun!
It's like a nightmare.
There's still time. We have a whole day before...
Before we melt! Why doesn't Earth D0 something?!
(Faint) 'Solar Module from International Rescue, over.'
Now I'm hearing things! I thought it was the radio.
'Solar Module, this is International Rescue.'
- It IS the radio! - Yes, sir!
'Solar Module to Thunderbird 3. Can you help us? '
We'll try to fire your retros.
Two hours from the release area.
But cabin temperature is increasing. We can't go closer.
Try it now. Then we'll know if it can succeed.
I heard that. 0perating safety beam.
Negative. We're four hours short.
- We'll have to go closer to the sun. - It looks like it.
I... can't stand the heat. It's so hot...
Are you sure you can't get any more out of the refrigeration plant?
No... Nothing's working any more.
Where's the rescue ship? It's nearly four hours since we were in contact.
We daren't go closer. The hull can't take it. Try the signal now, Tin Tin.
Tin Tin? Try the signal again.
Yes...
'I'll try... the signal... again.'
Still short! Can you increase the power, Tin Tin?
'I can overrun the system to... about 0.5.'
Then do that, will you? We just can't go any closer!
(Rockets boom)
This is it... I guess.
The ship's breaking up.
I figured I'd be dead before it happened. It won't be long now...
Why am I still alive? Why isn't the module melting?
Say... that noise...
It's the rocket motors! They've fired!
We're leaving the sun! We're gonna live!
The solar ship's out of danger. Let's head for home.
Just in time. I couldn't take much more of this heat. Fire retros.
That was some rescue operation!
You certainly ARE a member of International Rescue.
Ah, there you are, Chip.
Hey, Alan! Father would like a word with you.
The situation's impossible! Alan, how's Chip?
Fine. I left him in Thunderbird 3 silo with Scott.
Thunderbird 3 silo with Scott?!
What was he doing there? You see, Father...
I know(!) You didn't tell him a thing...
Well, Scott won't tell him anything.
Gosh! Thunderbird 1!
This is certainly a great machine!
I thought you'd like it. I remember sitting here for our first mission.
John radioed in from the space station -
Tin Tin's plane, the Fireflash, had a bomb in its landing gear,
and it couldn't land. I set up a mobile HQ at the airfield.
Fireflash has 30 minutes before its radiation safety factor expires.
The specialised rescue gear will be here in 20 minutes,
leaving us just 10 minutes for the rescue operation.
Thunderbird 2, this is mobile control.
'Confirm estimated time of arrival.'
Arriving in 19 and one-half minutes from now.
'We'll need a high-speed elevator car with two radio-controlled subs.'
Proceed to end of runway 29 and report.
'Thunderbird 1, FAB.'
International Rescue mobile control to Fireflash.
'In approximately 18 minutes I will ask you to land, using runway 29.'
Come in with landing gear up. Repeat - landing gear UP.
Make a normal approach, and keep your head.
- 'Understood. What's the action? ' - Listen carefully - no mistakes.
Mobile control from Fireflash. We've only five minutes left.
Unless rescue operation starts immediately, we've had it!
Stand by, Fireflash. Thunderbird 2, are you ready?
Mobile control and Fireflash, from Thunderbird 2. I'm ready.
Thunderbird 2 from mobile control, FAB.
Control to Fireflash, commence approach.
Acknowledge this transmission and make N0 further calls.
- Keep this frequency clear. - 'Roger.'
Starting approach. And however it turns out, thanks.
On glide path. Threshold, five miles.
Stand by, Virgil. Fireflash on final approach.
Descent rate, 500 feet per minute.
- Three miles. - Crash tenders, stand by.
Crash tenders to centre of runway 29.
(Sirens wail)
Runway ahead, two miles.
Fireflash one mile from threshold. Start tracking.
Control, FAB.
500 yards. Air speed, 120 knots.
- Increase to 105. - '105, FAB.'
Fireflash from Thunderbird 2. Cut engines.
Lift port wing!
'Cut power! '
Reverse thrust.
I'm braking.
(Tyres screech)
We won't make it! We're running out of runway!
Applying maximum brakes, now.
They made it. They made it! Jolly good show, old boy.
Are you 0K, Virgil?
- 0K, Scott. Good timing. - 'Great, Virgil! '
Great!
(Sirens blare)
That must have been exciting! I could picture the whole thing.
You could? Well... just keep it to yourself.
0h, of course! All that's left is Thunderbird 4.
- I'm really looking forward to THAT! - Hey, not so fast, young fella!
You know too much already. It's no good looking disappointed!
The answer is no! Absolutely, definitely, N0!
So, this is Thunderbird 4? It's small compared with the others.
Yes, but it's an essential part of International Rescue.
Aren't you only involved in underwater rescues -
like when someone's trapped in a submarine?
- That can't happen very often. - Chip, I'm involved in many rescues.
However, I can't tell you about them.
Oh, I remember that one at Allington Bridge!
You remember that?
Oh, yeah! That sure was a tough one. Who'd have thought at the time
that an underwater craft would be used to save a Martian probe rocket?
'The rocket was being transported to a site in England
'because it was the most suitable spot for a Mars launch.
'Lf the launch were missed, there'd be a four-year wait
'before Mars was in position again.
'Inside the nose cone, the two US engineers made final preparations.
'They were now on the final stage of the journey to the launch site.'
After the bridge, we'll be near the site.
Boy, will I be glad to stretch my legs!
Everything's proceeding to schedule.
Let's hope WE don't ruin it!
Clayton, not that again!
You know this bridge can take that weight easily!
Let's not hear any more about it!
The bridge can take the weight 0K, in evenly distributed traffic,
but can it take it in a solid mass?
'This bridge was built 40 years ago as part of the North-South Highway.
'Traffic is now diverted to allow transportation of the probe.'
The tonnage indicator is at maximum!
(Cables wrench)
- Hey, what's going on? - What was that?!
She's not going to make it!
Lady Penelope!
The bridge - it's going to collapse! Look!
We're not going to make it!
The automatic countdown has started!
The impact must have started the countdown!
We're going to be blown to pieces!
What can you do when we get to the bridge?
I... I'm not sure. It'll depend on how bad it is.
(Gordon) 'They arrived at the bridge, and Brains went to assist the rescue.
'At last, the Thunderbirds arrived at the scene.'
Releasing pod now.
Now, look, th-this may sound c-crazy, Gordon,
but this is what you must do.
(Brains whispers) Get the nose cone clear by firing your missiles.
Poor fellow. He's deluded that he's in charge!
We're desperate. We must listen! But he wants them to fire missiles!
Hey! What are they doing? Blowing us to pieces?!
They needn't bother. Look at the time.
Is the debris clear yet, Gordon?
- 'Is it clear? ' - I can't see yet!
It's 0K, Brains. She's clear!
...and Thunderbird 2 can get them clear.
It may not work, but it's our only hope.
We can try it, Brains. Stand by, Virgil.
It's gone quiet again.
They won't give up. They're planning something.
They've done it! They got the nose cone clear!
Hey, Bill, we're airborne! We're clear of the river!
Yeah, with half a minute to spare!
(Rocket fires)
So, International Rescue had done it again!
Look, Alan, Father's really blowing his top!
Don't look at me! Who showed him Thunderbird 1? Where's the kid now?
- Don't look at me! - You don't know?!
If that kid's roaming around alone, Dad will go berserk!
We've given away too much information already. Let's start a search.
Hey, fellas! Just take a look at this!
Of course, a large operation takes a lot of organising.
- You control it all from here? - Yes, I control the works from here.
I just have to push one button, and it's "Thunderbirds Are Go!"
Yes, it's quite an organisation!
We must get the boy home AND prevent a security leak.
How do we do it?
I've got it! Chip stowed away in England -
almost the other side of the world from here.
Instead of being asleep at home,
he's been awake, here at the base.
When it's night in England, it's day here.
So, right now, Chip must be a very tired little boy.
- Right. - 0K, now listen carefully.
We'll just put Chip to bed.
'He's been awake 24 hours, so he'll sleep like a log.
'Then we'll transfer his bed to Thunderbird 2.
'At top speed, we should have him home before dawn breaks.
'He got out undetected,
'so we should be able to get him back undetected.
'Lf all goes well, the boy will wake up in the morning
'and think that the whole thing was a dream.'
Mr Tracy?
- 0h, it's you, Dad. - Aye, son.
I've just come in from the mine.
That International Rescue team were fantastic!
Yeah! I know, Dad.
You should see their base and the Thunderbird machines! Wow!
Ha! You've been dreaming again, Chip.
I suppose so, Dad...
But it seemed so REAL.
Yeah. Dreams often seem just like the real thing.
Thunderbird 2 to base. Mission successfully completed.
Security hazard - negative.