Thunderbird Series aircraft/vehicles/technology

[Pete A]

Hello to all,
               I've always wondered what aircraft, vehicles, technologies seen in the Thunderbird series/movies were influenced by proposals put forward at that time. For instance, Fireflash had atomic engines and the cockpit was located in the tail of this Mach 1 machine. Maybe the idea of placing the cockpit in the tail came from design proposals at the time, or from Horten/Lippisch concepts? Another example is the Sunprobe Mission where the rocket engines were ignited but the rocket was held down onto the launch pad until a certain thrust had been obtained. I seem to remember the "hold down" had something to do with the fuels.

I would appreciate anyone's thoughts on what equipment were based on designs or suggestions from that time period and if they are still relevant today?

Thank you.

Regards
Pete A.

[PR19_Kit]

Another example is the Sunprobe Mission where the rocket engines were ignited but the rocket was held down onto the launch pad until a certain thrust had been obtained. I seem to remember the "hold down" had something to do with the fuels.

AFAIK that was really done with some of the US launchers, the Atlas certainly did use that technique and I think the Saturns did too. You can see the locking arms folding back some time after the main engines started on many of the Apollo launch videos.

With current solid fuel boosters, as used on the Shuttle launchers, there's no point in doing that as the darn things just GO when they light the blue touch paper.

[rickshaw]

Early Liquid fuel rockets usually take some time to develop full thrust.  A launcher with multiple engines also has to get them all working at full thrust which is why they had lock-down arms.  The Shuttle's pumps though as so powerful that it pretty well develops full thrust from its liquid engines from the word go.  I understand that at full pump they can direct a stream of liquid up to several miles high in the air!  Even so, the Shuttle still has lock-down arms to ensure all engines are working at full thrust before its released.

[deathjester]

There was a flying aircraft carrier for one plane in one episode at an airshow, which was quite similar to a VTOL aircraft launch/carry system proposed just before the Harrier was devised.
IIRC, it had about 18 engines!

[Weaver]

You could argue that Thunderbird 2's pod system was inspired by several real aircraft projects like the Fairchild XC-120 Pack Plane, the Miles M.68 Boxcar and the Sikorsky Skycrane helicopter.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/XC-120_Packplane

http://www.youtube.com/watch?gl=CA&hl=en&v=Ecr7u-Z1Q3Y