Thunder-Tech : an article by: GF Willmetts
How does Thunderbird One’s automatic camera detector work? The dial in the cabin is only the alarm, not actually the gadget itself. In the ‘Introducing Thunderbirds’ EP, Jeff Tracy says there’s a radiation hazard outside of TB1’s nosecone. I’ve always assumed that was because of its radar controls but the detector would need to be wired into that so be able to detect anyone taking photographs. I doubt if its range is enough to catch someone with a telephoto lens at a distance but, back in the 1960s, there was little thought given to that. I suspect there was more of a concern for anyone getting really close.
It’s a bit more difficult when it comes to those concealed cameras that the Hood wears. Presumably, it’s sensitive enough to hear and tie-in to its shutter noise. In modern day, film cameras are a lot rarer. We could assume that might be true in 2066. The Hood might know this and probably relied on film.
The real question is why doesn’t the other Thunderbirds have this protection. In the episode ‘Sun Probe’, Thunderbird 3 was filmed in space on its way to rescue the Sun Probe. They didn’t seem that worried about that and I doubt if there would have been any way they could have stopped it being shown world-wide. One would have to presume some people would have thought they had a space station or how else could they be monitoring for SOS messages. It has always been thought that there was another satellite above the other hemisphere for better coverage.
The automatic camera detector really might just be important for concealing TB1. Of all the Thunderbirds, it is the only one that can change its landing platform from to that of a rocket to land vertically. That would change the need of a home base landing field to something much smaller. Vertical landing is all well and good but you’d need substantial space to land both together which is probably why Tracy Island was dismissed in ‘The Imposters’ as the Tracys rely on assumptions of where they were hid. General Lambert had some of the rationales but with no evidence, let alone anyone who was rescued, identifying the brothers would have been difficult.
There is still the matter of ‘Martian Invasion’, when both Scott and Virgil in civies stayed on the filmset after the rescue. To zap all the film there would have ruined the production and I suspect by being friendly, after the earlier disclosure, they could check the film before leaving.
The automatic camera detector cannot destroy recorded tape or film. Scott has to have a microwave projector on-board which is how Ned Cook’s cameraman’s camera had its tape destroyed in ‘Terror In New York’. The fact that his cameraman could smell his videotape burn would confirm that. The only reason it isn’t on all the time is probably because of the amount of energy it uses and the possible damage to computer software. I doubt if London Airport would appreciate their equipment being damaged. Considering alternative means had to be found to destroy the Hood’s recordings, does indicate the limitations. You would have thought that there might be a means for any camera to be zapped once detected but that might have been regarded as far-fetched back in the 1960s.
Is there a real version of the automatic camera detector? Yes, there are two. The first uses an infrared light to detect camera lens. That would certainly have worked with the Hood’s concealed camera. I’m less sure about detecting wireless transmissions. However, Lady Penelope’s spy equipment in the episode ‘Alias Mr. Hackenbacker’ certainly includes a version of it.
What about ‘The Mighty Atom’? Now this espionage mobile camera tool disguised as a mouse is designed to target people looking at instrument dials and hide if observed. Objectively, I’m still not sure about the validity of such a device against stealing the specifications. Observing what someone is looking at might point out which dials are deemed the most important and what the optimum readings should be but I doubt if it would give the entire picture of how something worked.
When applied to Thunderbird 2 and hadn’t taken all those photographs of Lady Penelope whom the Hood didn’t know was on-board but waited for pilot Virgil Tracy to return what would it have photographed? There are no dialled instrument panels near his head or he regularly looks at. To get the Atom back, the Hood would have to wait until Thunderbird 2 was on a rescue that he could get to and then recall the device. We don’t see all the workings of the Mighty Atom but would have to presume there was a recall button to do such an activity. We haven’t seen all of the interiors of Thunderbird 2 but you do have to wonder how it got up to the cockpit? We know there is some form of elevator between the main chassis and the pod for quick access. If there is also a ladder, the Atom could not be able to climb it. Presumably, the Atom could have run up a vertical wall but there’s still a matter of getting into the cockpit.
The security of International Rescue has had the odd lapse, allowing children to the island. The two children, Bob and Tony Williams, in the episode ‘Cry Wolf!’ were probably the first but wore blindfold when Scott flew them to the island in Thunderbird One. One would have to question what they could see from inside TB1, although we never see the screen inside the cockpit. They must have seen a lot more on the island to create their own version of Thunderbird 2’s launch.
What was more problematic was ‘Security Hazard’ when Chip Morrison sneaked inside Thunderbird 2’s pod. Unless there was an active screen inside the pod, I doubt if he could have seen anything but inside the TB2 hanger. Even so, the Tracys regaled him with their rescue missions wondering what to do with him. Figuring he would be tired from travelling across the world, they proposed to fly him back and let him think he dreamed it all. Quite how Thunderbird 2 could land back in Britain and no one heard or woke to its engines still defeats me, although they had to be further away from any other houses. I mean, not everyone could have slept after the original mission.
Finally, with ‘Give Or Take A Million’, a single boy, Nicky, from an orphanage had an invite to the island for Christmas. Presumably, he wore a blindfold on Thunderbird 2’s final approach. Now herein lies an interesting problem as he was given toys of the four Thunderbirds. Had he taken them home, this would have been a violation of their secrets. Presumably, they might have swapped them for something a lot safer although you would have thought that he shouldn’t have been given them in the first place.
The preservation of International Rescue’s secrets was almost their undoing with the episode ‘The Imposters’. The E32 jet masquerading as Thunderbird 2 was probably based off a newspaper description. A vertical take-off large green large aircraft with a yellow stripe. Obviously, no one said where the stripe should be and no one at the fake rescue, having never seen the real Thunderbird 2, even newsman Eddie Kerr, was taken in. Even if someone thought the E32 jet was standard vehicle of International Rescue, they focused more on the rescue.
Coming closer to our time, the CGI version ‘Thunderbirds Are Go’ seems to have forgotten totally about preventing the photographing of their vehicles. Then again, people in governments know who they are.
Of course, their security was jeopardised on every rescue as they were rather free with giving their names to people there. In the ‘Thunderbirds Are Go’ film, the brothers wear beards and such to disguise their appearances. Thing is, if you had been rescued by them, wouldn’t you want to go up and shake their hands again?
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