Elevator Cars

High-Speed Elevator Cars
Type	Elevator car
Affiliation	International Rescue
Appearances	Trapped in the Sky Security Hazard (flashback)

The Elevator Cars are pod machines owned by International Rescue.

Structure

There are at least four (one manned, three remote controlled) Elevator Cars. Each one is a twelve-wheeled, two-sectioned truck capable of travelling at speeds similar to those of an aircraft on landing approach. The rear section carries a large, flat platform that can support great weight. The trucks' bodies are red in colour. They are carried to the danger zone in Pod 3 of Thunderbird 2.

Each Elevator Car is fitted with high-density Plasma Mould tyres.

Technical Data

• Height: 7.3 metres
• Height with raised platform: 26.6 metres
• Length: 18.6 metres
• Maximum speed: 320 km/h
• Power: twin diesel electric motors
• Weight: 12 tonnes
• Width: 8.6 metres

Fleet

Master Car

The master Elevator Car - designated 1 - is the only human operated car of the fleet. A manual operator is needed in order to keep the pace of the fleet and make any fine-tuning needed to ensure they are positioned correctly underneath the approaching aircraft.

The master Elevator Car differs from the three radio controlled Elevators in that its front section is topped by a bulbous cabin where the driver/controller sits.

Note: bulbous cabin

Cabin close-up

Virgil at the controls

Position Indicator panel

Radio-Controlled Cars

The radio-controlled cars follow the movement of the master car at some pre-determined offset, dependent on the aircraft and its structure.

They are nearly identical to the design of the master car, except they have no cabin, as there is no need for one.

Master Elevator car

Car 2

Car 3

Stand-by Elevator car (4)

Appearances

The Elevator Cars' only on-screen rescue took place in Trapped in the Sky.

A flashback of Fireflash's landing during Trapped in the Sky is seen during Security Hazard, when Scott recounts the story of International Rescue's first mission to Chip Morrison.

The Rescue of Fireflash

The Fireflash was unable to land due to a bomb placed in its landing gear by the Hood. The Elevator Cars were driven down the runway at London International Airport by Virgil and Fireflash was able to land using the Elevator Cars in place of its own landing gear. Although only three Elevator Cars were needed for the rescue, Car 3 steered off-course and crashed into a plane during Fireflash's first approach, necessitating the use of Car 4. All the cars and Fireflash suffered severe damage from the rescue, but no lives were lost despite Virgil's Master Elevator spinning out of control and ending up on its roof beside the runway.

The elevator cars arrive in Pod 3

In position on the runway

Fireflash makes its approach

Car 3 crashes out of control

Lineing up for a 2nd time with the stand-by car

The master car takes the strain

The wing settles on car two

Maximum brakes applied

Virgil struggles to hold position

The master car flips over

Upside down in the ditch

Fireflash's noise scrapes the runway

Fireflash finally comes to a halt

Cutaway Drawings

As far as is known, only two cutaway drawings of the Elevator Car exist and both were illustrated by Graham Bleathman. One appeared in a Redan comic that was published in the early 2000s, and the other featured in the Haynes Thunderbirds manual.

Redan edition

Haynes edition