Gerry Anderson RIP

[Jim Jones]

He was a major part of my childhood. Sad to see he's gone, but Thunderbirds are still Go!

I think UFO was his finest.

[TheKentishFledgling]

A huge part of mine too, despite the....few...years between us

But that shows how superb his programmes were.

[ray]

What was FAB all about?

[TheKentishFledgling]

What was FAB all about?

Buzzword of the time. "That's just fan!" It stood for nothing.

[ray]

LOL

It's had me wondering for a few years

[Sir Morley Steven]

Like Gerry Anderson I'm from Slough and it stands for "Funderbirds Are Brilliant"

[Jim Jones]

I watched it in black and white in the 60's after cutting my teeth on Torchy, Supercar, Fireball XL5 and Stingray. The re runs in the 80's got another generation engaged, despite the visible strings and direlogue. For me it was something about the (distant) possibility that I, myself, couild make such models and set them in dioramas. It was only later I realised how much new and almost untested technology was being incorporated. Vertical takeoff, variable geometry, lifting body fuselages. Just waiting for Brains' atomic engines to come on line now and we're there.

[Colonel Panic]

I well remember being given one of these for Christmas in the mid to late 60's. Oh, those were the days!

[Steve D]

I well remember being given one of these for Christmas in the mid to late 60's. Oh, those were the days!

I had one of those!

AFAIK, FAB was chosen because 'fab' was the cool expresson du jour at the time, but semi-officially it stood for 'Firing on All Boosters'.

[Pete L]

BBC obit has a line about him spending some time in ATC. We're all puppets...

[Sellbydate_Expired]

Well, I think Thunderbirds will live on anyway, every time I see the Blue Angels aircrew.....

[chevvron]

I watched it in black and white in the 60's after cutting my teeth on Torchy, Supercar, Fireball XL5 and Stingray. The re runs in the 80's got another generation engaged, despite the visible strings and direlogue. For me it was something about the (distant) possibility that I, myself, couild make such models and set them in dioramas. It was only later I realised how much new and almost untested technology was being incorporated. Vertical takeoff, variable geometry, lifting body fuselages. Just waiting for Brains' atomic engines to come on line now and we're there.

Twizzle came before Torchy, and I think 'Four Feather Falls' was one of Gerrys too.

[Jim Jones]

Remember Four Feathers, but can't recall Twizzle. Google here I come...

(Edited to say, "Nope, not seen that one".)

[chevvron]

Remember Four Feathers, but can't recall Twizzle. Google here I come...

(Edited to say, "Nope, not seen that one".)

Twizzle was a little boy who could extend his legs and arms. I know it came before Torchy but I'm not sure if 'Four Feathers came before or after.

[rats404]

I loved Thunderbirds on a saturday morning back in the 60's when I was a kid. Always wanted to fly Thunderbird 2. T1 never had the same appeal. I'm sure there are a generation of aviation nuts of a certain age who owe their obsession at least in part to Gerry Anderson.