Thunderbird 1 Launch 8 sec movie - 160x120 - tb1.avi
- [572K]
Thunderbird 1 Lightwave objects,
bitmap and scene file, PKZIPped - tb1.zip - [153K]
- I am a big fan of Gerry Anderson's THUNDERBIRDS TV show, and I saw
an excellent opportunity to learn a little about modeling while at the same
time recreating something from that show. Here is Thunderbird 1, the fast
rocket plane that speeds to the rescue site in order to assess the situation
and control the rescue operation. The .AVI file shows Thunderbird 1 launching
and deploying its wings. The background is very rudimentary, but the action
is that of a camera attempting to keep up with the launch. A very short .AVI
file that is best viewed on repeat.
- I used a blueprint of Thunderbird 1 I found in SIG
magazine, the fan magazine devoted to Supermarionation.
This was before I had a scanner. I plotted the X and Y
coordinates for various points on the front view of the
ship, and inputted them by hand using these coordinates.
Then I made a polygon out of the resulting points and
lathed them around the Y axis. I gave the different
surfaces names, and added the heat-sink and fins. The
engine block was a simple extrusion of a polygon I
created from the blueprint.
- The ship is made up of three objects. The whole of the
body is one object becaus nothing on it moves. The wings,
however, are scissored, and retract during high speed or
vertical flight, and emerge during slower, horizontal
flight for lift. A scene file is necessary (and provided
in the downloadable file) to make sure the wings are in
their proper places. The scene contains the correct
angles for both the open and closed wing positions.
- As so often in the past, I use the DreadHull image
as a specularity and diffuse map on the
surface of Thunderbird 1 which gives it that realistic
look.
- I used the stencil part of the drill tool
to create the text on the ship's body.
- I have placed the Thunderbird 1
object, image and scene file in a PKZIPed document that
you can download. Keep in mind that the design of
Thunderbird 1 still belongs to ITC Entertainment Inc. The
modeling is all mine. If you wish to use it, please
credit me for the modeling. If you wish to use it
commercially, you will need permission from ITC
Entertainment Inc., and me. Enjoy!
All content of these pages ©
Sean Huxter.
Visitors