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Trapped in the Sky
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Trapped in the Sky
"Trapped in the Sky" is the first episode of Thunderbirds, a British Supermarionation television series created by Gerry and Sylvia Anderson and filmed by their production company AP Films (APF) for ITC Entertainment. Written by the Andersons, it was first broadcast on ATV Midlands on 30 September 1965.
Set in the 2060s, the series follows the exploits of International Rescue, an organisation that uses technologically advanced rescue vehicles to save human life. The main characters are ex-astronaut Jeff Tracy, founder of International Rescue, and his five adult sons, who pilot the organisation's main fleet: the Thunderbird machines. In "Trapped in the Sky", master criminal the Hood plants a bomb on board the new atomic-powered airliner Fireflash before it departs on its maiden flight. Unable to land for fear of setting off the bomb, the crew and passengers' only hope of survival lies with International Rescue, who must embark on their first mission.
While planning the episode, the Andersons drew inspiration from Gerry's memories of his National Service in the RAF, during which he witnessed the fatal crash of a Mosquito aircraft and the emergency landing of a damaged Spitfire. To save studio space, special effects director Derek Meddings filmed the rescue of Fireflash on a static set using a system of looping canvases instead of a miniature runway.
"Trapped in the Sky" was originally filmed as a 25-minute pilot in late 1964. Lew Grade, the Andersons' financial backer, was so impressed by the production that he ordered APF to rewrite and extend every Thunderbirds episode from 25 to 50 minutes so that the series would fill a one-hour TV timeslot. Well received on its first broadcast, "Trapped in the Sky" is widely regarded as one of the best episodes of Thunderbirds. It was adapted into an audio play in 1966 and had its first UK-wide showing in 1991 on BBC 2. It was later remade as "Fireflash", an episode of the remake series Thunderbirds Are Go.
The Hood, a master criminal based in a temple in Malaysia, is telepathically linked to his half-brother Kyrano, the manservant to the Tracy family on Tracy Island. Using this connection to extract information from Kyrano, the Hood learns that International Rescue – an organisation formed by Jeff Tracy and his five sons – is now operational. The psychological trauma inflicted by the Hood causes Kyrano to faint in front of Jeff.
Determined to acquire the secrets of International Rescue's Thunderbird machines, the Hood produces a rescue situation which will allow him to spy on the organisation. Travelling to London International Airport, he plants a bomb in the engine hydraulics of Fireflash: an atomic-powered, hypersonic airliner leaving on its maiden flight to Tokyo. The passengers include Kyrano's daughter Tin-Tin. After Fireflash takes off, the Hood anonymously calls the air traffic control tower to reveal his sabotage, informing Commander Norman that the bomb will detonate from the impact of landing. Air traffic control alerts Captain Hanson and his co-pilot. The shielding around the Fireflash's atomic reactor needs regular servicing; if the aircraft does not land, in just over two hours everyone on board will suffer fatal radiation exposure.
In an attempt to remove the bomb, the tower commandeers a military aircraft from the US Air Force which docks with Fireflash in flight. This enables Lieutenant Bob Meddings to enter the avionics compartment through a service hatch. The operation ends disastrously when Meddings loses his grip and falls out of the hatch, deploying his parachute just moments before hitting the ground.
John Tracy, who has been monitoring the airport's radio traffic from Thunderbird 5, reports the events to Tracy Island. Jeff dispatches Scott and Virgil in Thunderbirds 1 and 2 to rescue Fireflash. Arriving at the airport, Scott assures Norman of International Rescue's good faith but orders that no photographs be taken of the Thunderbirds. Airport police move in to guard Thunderbird 1, but the Hood, disguised as one of the officers, is able to break into the cockpit and photograph the controls. Scott is alerted by the on-board camera detector. The Hood flees in a patrol car and is chased up the M1 motorway by police.
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Trapped in the Sky
"Trapped in the Sky" is the first episode of Thunderbirds, a British Supermarionation television series created by Gerry and Sylvia Anderson and filmed by their production company AP Films (APF) for ITC Entertainment. Written by the Andersons, it was first broadcast on ATV Midlands on 30 September 1965.
Set in the 2060s, the series follows the exploits of International Rescue, an organisation that uses technologically advanced rescue vehicles to save human life. The main characters are ex-astronaut Jeff Tracy, founder of International Rescue, and his five adult sons, who pilot the organisation's main fleet: the Thunderbird machines. In "Trapped in the Sky", master criminal the Hood plants a bomb on board the new atomic-powered airliner Fireflash before it departs on its maiden flight. Unable to land for fear of setting off the bomb, the crew and passengers' only hope of survival lies with International Rescue, who must embark on their first mission.
While planning the episode, the Andersons drew inspiration from Gerry's memories of his National Service in the RAF, during which he witnessed the fatal crash of a Mosquito aircraft and the emergency landing of a damaged Spitfire. To save studio space, special effects director Derek Meddings filmed the rescue of Fireflash on a static set using a system of looping canvases instead of a miniature runway.
"Trapped in the Sky" was originally filmed as a 25-minute pilot in late 1964. Lew Grade, the Andersons' financial backer, was so impressed by the production that he ordered APF to rewrite and extend every Thunderbirds episode from 25 to 50 minutes so that the series would fill a one-hour TV timeslot. Well received on its first broadcast, "Trapped in the Sky" is widely regarded as one of the best episodes of Thunderbirds. It was adapted into an audio play in 1966 and had its first UK-wide showing in 1991 on BBC 2. It was later remade as "Fireflash", an episode of the remake series Thunderbirds Are Go.
The Hood, a master criminal based in a temple in Malaysia, is telepathically linked to his half-brother Kyrano, the manservant to the Tracy family on Tracy Island. Using this connection to extract information from Kyrano, the Hood learns that International Rescue – an organisation formed by Jeff Tracy and his five sons – is now operational. The psychological trauma inflicted by the Hood causes Kyrano to faint in front of Jeff.
Determined to acquire the secrets of International Rescue's Thunderbird machines, the Hood produces a rescue situation which will allow him to spy on the organisation. Travelling to London International Airport, he plants a bomb in the engine hydraulics of Fireflash: an atomic-powered, hypersonic airliner leaving on its maiden flight to Tokyo. The passengers include Kyrano's daughter Tin-Tin. After Fireflash takes off, the Hood anonymously calls the air traffic control tower to reveal his sabotage, informing Commander Norman that the bomb will detonate from the impact of landing. Air traffic control alerts Captain Hanson and his co-pilot. The shielding around the Fireflash's atomic reactor needs regular servicing; if the aircraft does not land, in just over two hours everyone on board will suffer fatal radiation exposure.
In an attempt to remove the bomb, the tower commandeers a military aircraft from the US Air Force which docks with Fireflash in flight. This enables Lieutenant Bob Meddings to enter the avionics compartment through a service hatch. The operation ends disastrously when Meddings loses his grip and falls out of the hatch, deploying his parachute just moments before hitting the ground.
John Tracy, who has been monitoring the airport's radio traffic from Thunderbird 5, reports the events to Tracy Island. Jeff dispatches Scott and Virgil in Thunderbirds 1 and 2 to rescue Fireflash. Arriving at the airport, Scott assures Norman of International Rescue's good faith but orders that no photographs be taken of the Thunderbirds. Airport police move in to guard Thunderbird 1, but the Hood, disguised as one of the officers, is able to break into the cockpit and photograph the controls. Scott is alerted by the on-board camera detector. The Hood flees in a patrol car and is chased up the M1 motorway by police.