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Thunderbird 2 Takara rescue mecha collection — repair

Thunderbird 2 — cracked gears and motorised leg switch

Thunderbird 2 Takara rescue mecha collection

Mechanical

11 July 2026

This Takara Thunderbird 2 1/144 rescue mecha model arrived with cracked gearbox gears and a faulty motorised-leg switch — we replaced the damaged gears, repaired the switch, and put the legs back in motion.

Work in progress

Before — repair Repair in progress 1 Repair in progress 2 Repair in progress 3 Repair in progress 4 Repair in progress 5 Repair in progress 6 Repair in progress 7 Repair in progress 8 Repair in progress 9 After — repair

Videos

The repair

Thunderbird 2 would not walk out on its motorised legs reliably. Inside we found several cracked gears in the leg gearbox and a tired motorised-leg switch that was not making consistent contact. We opened the mechanism, fitted replacement gears where the originals had split, cleaned and repaired the leg switch so power reaches the motor cleanly, then reassembled and tested the leg cycle until Thunderbird 2 deploys and retracts its legs in action again.

About this item

Thunderbird 2 from the Takara Tomy Thunderbirds 1/144 Rescue Mecha Collection is a small-scale licensed Gerry Anderson Thunderbirds model aimed at collectors and display builders. The line reproduces International Rescue craft from the classic TV series in roughly 1/144 scale with molded plastic parts and themed packaging from the Japanese toy market. This Thunderbird 2 release is built as a display model with a motorised leg feature — an internal gearbox and switch let the support legs deploy or retract when powered. Construction is primarily snap-fit or screwed plastic assemblies with small drive gears, a motor, and battery contacts rather than a static-only kit.

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