Hearn, Marcus (2015). Thunderbirds: The Vault. London, UK: Virgin Books. p.48. ISBN 978-0-753-55635-1. a b de Klerk, Theo (September 2015). "The Physics of Thunderbirds". In Hearn, Marcus (ed.). Thunderbirds – A Complete Guide to the Classic Series. Tunbridge Wells, UK: Panini UK. pp.20–24. ISBN 978-1-84653-212-2.

Thunderbird 2 is International Rescue's heavy-duty transporter aircraft, green in colour, which carries rescue equipment to the danger zone in one of 6 pods (including Thunderbird 4 in Pod 4). Thunderbird 2 is a large, green VTOL aircraft that is used in most earth-based rescue missions. It is piloted by Virgil Tracy, who is often accompanied by either Scott Tracy, Alan Tracy, Gordon Tracy, Brains or sometimes Tin-Tin, and on at least one occasion by Lady Penelope. Century 21 Tech Talk - Episode Three: Thunderbird 2 | Hosted by Brains from Thunderbirds , retrieved 25 April 2020 Thunderbird 4: although a Thunderbird in its own right, Thunderbird 4 usually transported to a rescue in Pod 4 of Thunderbird 2. It is the most frequently seen of the Pod Vehicles. Thunderbird 5 is located in a geosynchronous orbit, 22,400 miles (36,000km) above the Pacific Ocean and believed to be above Tracy Island. Thunderbird 5 is electronically cloaked to avoid detection from ground-based radar or other spacecraft's sensor systems.The length of Thunderbird 1 is a matter of debate, [ citation needed] with various sources giving values of 80,100 and 115 feet (24,30 and 35m). However, the last figure is now generally accepted, [ citation needed] placing the aircraft wingspan at 80 feet (24m). Thunderbird Shadow was designed by Shōji Kawamori, best known as the creator and mechanical designer of the Macross franchise.

Thunderbird 2 is 250 feet (76m) long with a wingspan of 180 feet (55m) and a height of 60 feet (18m). A long-range craft, it is capable of reaching anywhere in the world without refuelling, often shown flying just above sea level and has a maximum speed of 6,000 miles per hour (9,700km/h), which is roughly Mach 7.82 (but cruises at 2,000 miles per hour (3,200km/h), roughly Mach 2.6). It therefore arrives at the danger zone later than Thunderbird 1. [9] From the episode "EOS" onward, the station is co-operated by the artificial intelligence EOS, which has access to all of the station's systems. The entity, which was created by accident in the previous episode, "Runaway," originally had a violent sense of self-preservation extending into paranoia, which led to it seizing control of the station and attempting to kill John Tracy. However, John can convince it that no one is threatening it and it becomes his on-board companion, albeit with a mischievous streak.

The Thunderbirds machines are a series of vehicles that were imagined for the mid-1960s film and television series called Thunderbirds, which was developed by Gerry and Sylvia Anderson. The series began with the Supermarionation television show Thunderbirds and was followed by the subsequent feature films Thunderbirds Are Go and Thunderbird 6, which were released between 1965-68. The show featured a large variety of futuristic air, land, and sea vehicles and machines, most of which were designed by special effects director Derek Meddings. Thunderbird 4 does not play an active role in the films Thunderbirds Are Go (1966) and Thunderbird 6 (1968). It does, however, appear in the opening title sequence of Thunderbirds Are Go. In Thunderbird 6, Jeff Tracy gives a "run down" on each of the Thunderbirds machines, where Thunderbird 4 makes a brief appearance.