Pods are small vehicles used by International Rescue that are built with more specific purposes than the Thunderbirds.
There are at least five in total; two carried by Thunderbird 2 within Module 2 (can be stored in other Modules) one for the cargo bay of Thunderbird 3, one inside the fuselage of Thunderbird 1 and finally one inside Thunderbird 5. While on-board Thunderbirds 2 and 3, robotic arms customize their appearance and abilities by taking off and attaching on various tools and wheels (or other means of mobility) so that they can "become" different rescue vehicles for different uses. These combinations, all uniquely named, tend to have one form, but some may also use different attachments if they require the abilities they grant for a rescue mission. Thunderbird 2 and 3 may also have their own version of the same vehicle concept.
Without attachments, Pods are a rough cylindrical shape and, save for Thunderbird 5's grey one, yellow in colour. They can be entered from above by opening the glass roof. Their interior is very small and contains just two seats; one in the front for the driver, and one passenger seat in the back that is big enough to be inconveniently shared by another. They also have on-board computers capable of both taking commands without a driver required and giving commands to a Thunderbird craft. However, as of season 3, the pods used from Thunderbird 2 are green, the pod in Thunderbird 3 is Red and the Skypod carried aboard Thunderbird 1 is blue, making the pods the same colour as the Thunderbird that they are associated with.
Driving the Pods is a role shared by all of the Tracy brothers, mainly Virgil and Gordon.
Specifications[]
- Height: 3 feet
- Length: 10 feet
- Width: 3.2 feet
Combinations (Thunderbird 2)[]
Two Pods are usually contained inside Module 2, and they can be built to be two separate vehicles, or two copies of the same. These Pods contain a Power Suit in an underside compartment, and many of the vehicle combinations have both a land based and air based version of themselves.
The Mole[]
The Mole is a tunnelling machine that uses a large drill on the front, tracks at the sides, and even a jet at the back to thrust into the hardest of rock and reach those in need of help underground.
The Bulldozer[]
The Bulldozer is a heavy-duty debris-clearance vehicle armed with a large shield on the front.
The Elevator Cars[]
The Elevator Cars are equipped with large, shock absorbing platforms on their roofs. They are used to support and lift great weight and to provide planes with safe landings, although they were nearly crushed when they acted as landing gear for the Fireflash as the aircraft was too heavy for them.
The Explorer[]
The Explorer is built for safely traveling through vertical tunnels and across all manner of terrain. It is notable for possessing a large variety of possible attachments for this purpose, making it look completely different depending on which episode it appears in.
The Helipod[]
The Helipod is an air-based repairment vehicle. It's equipped with four enclosed rotors on its sides for swift yet steady flight, an electromagnetic cable on the side, and a flexible robotic arm at the front end. It can be used for heavy lifting and for fixing airborne machinery. It's also known as the 'Aeronautical Repair Pod'.
The Gecko Pod[]
The Gecko Pod is a land-based repairment vehicle. It sports four (or six) legs that allow it to climb vertical surfaces, and uses small underside arms to fix damages. This combo was also called the 'Repair Pod' by Gordon in Weather or Not.
The Foam Stabilization Pod[]
The Foam Stabilization Pod has the ability to shoot a powerful adhesive onto structures which are about to collapse or are broken. It uses two foam mounted guns on its side to shoot the substance and contains it with four silos at the rear. It has been built with both rotors and caterpillar tracks, for use in the air and on land (the foam works in water as well, seen in Power Play).
The Cargo Pod[]
The Cargo Pod, built with six large wheels, a mechanical arm, and a rear-mounted cargo bay, is capable of transporting equipment to, and evacuating citizens from, danger zones. It's also used by Grandma Tracy for shopping.
The Submarine Pods[]
The Submarine Pods consist of two underwater vehicles with aqua-jets and two robotic arms; they are essentially back-up vehicles for Thunderbird 4 if the former is either out of action or undergoing repairs.
The Mountain Pod[]
The Mountain Pod is a mountain terrain vehicle configured using the Earth Pod
The Sherpa Pod[]
The Sherpa Pod is like the Mole pod, but built with snow in mind. It has a heatbank on its front with tracks at its sides, which enables it to dig very deep inside avalanches. Also, like the Mole pod, it has tracks to carry it to its destination.
The Dragonfly Pod[]
The Dragonfly Pod is a mechanical version of a dragonfly, which enables it to fly into much smaller spaces compared to Thunderbird 2's enormous wing-span. It also capable of flying underground.
The Land Pod[]
The Land Pod is a ground based firefighting vehicle configured using the Earth Pod
Combinations (Thunderbird 3)[]
Thunderbird 3's cargo bay carries one Pod, and it can fly through space using multiple jets fastened to its body, but whether or not it can be driven on the surfaces of planets and moons remains unrevealed.
The Rescue Pod[]
The Rescue Pod sports a circular docking mechanism on the roof, making it useful for evacuating people from a spaceship and taking them to Thunderbird 3. It can also be equipped with a front-mounted robotic arm that can be used for welding.
The Explorer[]
The space variation of the Explorer is equipped with the Portable Debris Defence Module, which is a laser cannon powerful enough to decimate meteoroids, allowing it to explore extremely hazardous areas.
Cargo Pod[]
The Cargo Pod is a supply transport vehicle configured using the Space Pod.
Dragonfly Pod[]
The Dragonfly Pod is an atmospheric exploration vehicle configured using the Space Pod
Combinations (Thunderbird 5)[]
The unique grey Pod contained in Thunderbird 5 appears so far in the episode Legacy alone, where it is not seen being modified. This means it is unknown whether it can be modified at all, or if it is fixed with two robotic operating arms and two jet boosters for travel. Another difference between it and the other Pods is the vertical position it is designed to be used in, meaning John operates the Pod standing and not sitting.
Combinations (Thunderbird 1)[]
Skypod[]
The Skypod is a short range flight capsule carried in Thunderbird 1's fuselage.
Notes[]
Although the various Pod vehicles have been shown to be very adaptable, it appears that they are structurally limited, as there have been at least two missions where the Tracys resorted to using Thunderbird 4 to deal with high-pressure environments (Heavy Metal, Hyperspeed) as it was the only craft capable of coping with the conditions faced in the current crisis despite it being ill-suited for a non-aquatic environment.